Drysuit

[sleepyhead]

Hi,
I'm looking for drysuit recommendations. I'm thinking of getting a drysuit first than my regs,... It seems to me a dry suit would be a better buy than a wetsuit as i seen my instructors wearing them. So dry and so warm..

Recommendations on the brands?? Thanks

 

[melfox26]

I own a DUI TLS350 and can speak volumes on how great it is. There are other brands out there that I have never tried, but others seem to like them. Remember, fit is extremely important no matter what brand you go with. You may not fit a stock size, custom suits can get expensive.

www.dui-online.com

Mel

 

[Desa]

How hard are you going to be diving? Henderson makes a great 7 mil neoprene if you are only rec diving in cool/cold water. DUI tri-lam if you are going to be in contaminated water. If you dive a lot in cool/cold water with a wet suit first, you will appreciate your drysuit more. I know I do.

 

[seabat]

If I was just starting out getting gear, I would still purchase my regulator and bc before I purchased my drysuit. I always had a phobia about rental regs.

You might want to check if you can rent a reg with a drysuit hose that will fit the suit you intend to purchase or confirm with the LDS that they will allow you to attach your suit hose to the reg. No experience that makes this concern a reality but just a thought that came to mind reading your post.

As far as drysuits I have a Mobby's and am now waiting for my DUI to arrive. I tried on Bare's, Typhoons, and another brand name that escapes me at the moment at a local scuba fair and the DUI was the most comfortable fit. About a month of research also led me to purchase a DUI. It was also the most expensive but the spouse gave me permission for the purchase (mostly because I bought her one too).

 

[OE2X]

I currently use a DUI CF 200 that I really like. It's warmer than my tri-lam USIA suit. The fit is excellent and having the the rock boots prevents my feet from being to floaty. It is very durable.

DUI claims that this suit is slightly negative - not according to my informal tests. The other thing that I don't like about it is the Apeks shoulder dump. I'll be changing it out for the Scitech valve which should allow more air to escape and stay drier.

Other than that I love the suit.

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi
Thanks for the quick replies, i am grateful. I done enough cold water diving to not go in it again. I started my diving in 7mm in 12 degrees C water. It was a shock and i did my AOW in 8 degrees. It was so so cold.. so I just don't want to dive cold n wet anymore. Thanks for the initial tips i look through them with my really friendly LDS as they do free servicing and repair if anything ever goes wrong. Thanks

 

[ScubaFreak]

Don't forget theres a couple different types. You got neoprene drysuits and "bag-suits" or Tri-lam.
I wear a NDiver Cordura bag suit. Ask ur LDS to explain the pros and cons of the different dry suits. Ye need more weight with a neoprene as its more buoyant, but theres less insulation in the bag suits, therefore ye need a heavier undersuit thats one example!

As mentioned above it depends also on the type of diving your gonna be involved in. I dive in Ireland- COLD COLD COLD! :11:

Mightnt be a bad idea if ur LDS offers you the option of trying the various types in the water to see which you're more comfortable in.

SF

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi,
I will ask them for the options when i get back to Canada after finishing my DM next week. I guess i'll be in water often ask i need 40 more dives for my instructor. They were saying the range was from $800-$2000

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree with the comment on sitech valves, they are a big selling point no matter who makes the suit and given a choice between two suits that were otherwise comparable, I'd go with the one with sitech valves every time.

I own a Diamond Trilam drysuit and I am impressed with the weight of the fabric (heavier than a TLS 350), the zipper (one of the largest and most durable I have seen on a dry suit), and the sitech valves. I also own a Scubapro Cape Horn. I am not sure who made it for SP, but with the exception of a crappy exhaust valve it is a good suit.

Viking and Nokia both make excellent vulcanized rubber suits and vulcanized rubber suits are a good choice if you are diving in environments where the suit is exposed to a lot of potential hazards. In a 1200 or 1600 weight they are very durable and regardless of weight, they are very quick and easy to repair. They also have some stretch to them, unlike a tri-lam and a little more steamlined fit is possible.

Neoprene suits were looked down upon for years after trilams hit the market, but they also make a good option and seem to be making a general comeback. They have a good deal of inherent warmth, even if punctured, and are normally warmer than a shell suit with less bulk when all is said and done making them a good choice for really cold water. They are also quite stretchy so a snugger and more streamlined fit can be maintained. My spouse has used an Atlan 7mm neoprene drysuit for the last 4 years and has at least 300 dives on it and it is still in great shape and is going strong. She swears by it and I am probably going to go with a neoprene suit for my next drysuit.

Stay away from inexpensive shell suits constructed with an interior poly coating. This clear interior coating provides the water tight integrity for the suit but does not hold up well and will crack or delaminate in a relatively short period of time causing the suit to leak, usually in several places, and seam leaks are very common. It's a far better investment to spend a little more money on a full fledged tri-lam (nylon, rubber, nylon laminates) or spend similar money on a neoprene drysuit.

Whatever you get, fit is very important and a full and unrestricted range of motion with the heaviest underwear you will be using is critical.

 

[Danny Valerio]

You might check to see if anyone will rent you a dry suit so you can try a few of them out. Especially if you're diving in a cold water area. My lds has several DUI suits in rental which I use. That would give you the opportunity to dive dry and learn about dry suits without making a serious financial commitment.

Also, just a side note, diving with a dry suit (at least for me) is vastly different from a wetsuit. Most of my measly 29 dives have been dry and I’m still learning how to get all the air out of the suit.

I understand what you mean about being cold. My first OW dive…all the instructors and dm’s showed up in dry suits…did I mention that it was snowing and the water was around 41 degrees?

Good luck with your diving and training!