SCU5
Contributor
Let's face it, DUI has been in the dive industry as long as anyone and longer than most. That said, I've seen almost no reviews of their FLX Extreme Drysuit which has been out for several years now and is the preferred suit of many active divers who dive DUI suits. I have been diving a TLS350 Signature Series for the past 4 years and several hundred dives and that, being my only drysuit previously, will be my basis for comparison for the FLX. I've tried to be as objective as possibly in my review but must admit that all my dealings with the staff at DUI have been extremely positive which does make me a bit partial to the brand.
Configuration:
I ordered my FLX with Silicone neck and wrist seals, two DUI bellows pockets, Apex high profile dump valve, TurboTec Soles, full tough duck overlay and a recent addition to their stable, the TIZIP! My TLS was very similar in construction but had Halcyon pockets, a cloverleaf crotch pad, MexicoMod turbo soles, and of course the YKK metal zip.
Material:
This is the big question in most divers minds, and mine too. How does the FLX material compare to the TLS and vice versa. I should start off by saying, I had very few problems with my TLS and I didn't baby it - I dove it in salt water and freshwater, caves, boats, livebaboards, beach dives. I tried to rinse it regularly but it would get hung out in the sun to dry after a day's worth of diving. I had a couple holes and a couple seams that lifted a bit, after around 200 dives. DUI was great and stepped up and sorted me out in no time with great customer service.
The material on the FLX is slightly heavier and feels much more robust. I didn't notice any meaningful loss of flexibility or movement and could reach my valves just as well as in my TLS. The additional 1.5lbs of weight is negligible, and worth it for the increased robustness. The glue seems to stick much better on the inside of the suit and I can't see seam-lifts being an issue on this suit.
I have only 10 dives on the suit but before purchasing I questioned many instructors who had been diving the suit for a number of years with many hundreds of dives what their thoughts were and their response was overwhelmingly positive. All the benefits of the TLS, more reliable, more resistant to leaks, with none of the drawbacks was echoed by everyone.
TurboTec Soles:
Honestly, I was recommended these but a bit hesitant to order them - I had the MexicoMod soles which have extra layers of CF200 material on the high wear areas and felt it lacked some flexibility and felt a bit cramped at times. I did appreciate their added robustness but felt that it did come at a cost of a tighter fit which could be tough with thick socks. The TurboTec are much more comfortable! The kevlar is flexible and not stiff like I imagined, and the boots feel very comfortable easy to fit in my jetfins. I'm glad I made this upgrade, I'm looking forward to seeing how they perform with more dives going forward.
Fit:
DUI is known for getting a good fit on their custom suits and mine was no exception. I got it cut for a XM450 Thinsulate undergarment but often dive an XM250 or lighter polartec when the water's are warm. The suit fits very well with full range of movement but not so loose that you feel it is extremely baggy. When I wear my XM450 it is a perfect fit. The only thing I would adjust would be having the sleeves taken in an inch or so, as they are just a hair long but no complaints about that. The legs are the perfect length and the fit around the torso is very good, not too tight, not too loose.
Silicone Zip Seals:
I've been diving a Silicone neck seal for a year or two and well over a hundred dives. Quite simply, I love the thing. I used to get wicked neck rash from latex, and Neoprene, while warm, is not as comfortable in my opinion. I can't imagine diving any other seal at this point, I've gone from one or two long dives in latex and a hangman's neck to 3 days of 4 dives a day saltwater liveaboards with no neck irritation at all, a clear win in my book. This is my first set of Silicone wrist seals so time will tell, so far I like them and they leak less than other seals I've used, hopefully they will prove as reliable as the Silicone neck seal.
Pockets:
The new DUI Exploration Pockets are, let's face it, nearly identical to Halcyon Exploration pockets - which is not a bad thing, as I loved the Halcyon pockets on my TLS! One thing that Karim did on this suit, is he had the suit made with the pockets much higher up on my hips, as opposed to DUI's stock position further down on the thighs. I really prefer this position, hopefully DUI makes this the stock position going forward as it really is much more comfortable and makes reaching your pocket contents that much easier.
TiZIP:
I believe I'm one of the first production DUI owners with a TiZIP installed at the factory and I'm glad that I got this on my suit. They initially had to delay production a bit as they were sorting out the best glue mixture to ensure a strong bond to the material - which was fine with me. I like that they thoroughly test their products before putting them into production. So far I like the zipper, it has been dry and seems easy to maintain. I will post back after I have more time on the suit.
Customer Service:
Janet Mariscal at DUI was great to work with and always extremely responsive to my questions about my FLX and TLS. The fact that they are in San Diego makes it easy for me, in LA, to communicate with them as well. Karim Hamza at Hollywood Divers also deserves a shout-out as a great guy to work with, he also spent a ton of time answering my emails, texts, as well as taking a good chunk of time to measure me and discuss the finer points of the suit.
Conclusion:
Like I said, I've tried to be as objective as possible in my review of my FLX Extreme and time will tell how this suit performs; I assume it will hold up as well as my TLS and in all likelihood fair much better over the years and many dives I plan to put on it. The material seems to be a great upgrade over the TLS, netting one a more robust, reliable suit with virtually no drawbacks and similar flexibility. I like the new TurboTec Soles and new Exploration pockets - and the fact that I can now order a TiZIP on the suit is great! I also am a big believer in the Silicone Neck Zipseal, just much more comfortable and without the wicked rash I used to get from Latex. The icing on the cake is of course the great customer service, from both Janet at DUI and Karim at Hollywood Divers - this is an expensive purchase and it's great to deal with people who want to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for.
Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with DUI, Hollywood Divers or any dive shop, manufacturer and have no conflicts of interest - I've tried to be as objective as possible in my review and hope you find it useful; I'm just a diver sharing his 2c.
TIZIP!!
Configuration:
I ordered my FLX with Silicone neck and wrist seals, two DUI bellows pockets, Apex high profile dump valve, TurboTec Soles, full tough duck overlay and a recent addition to their stable, the TIZIP! My TLS was very similar in construction but had Halcyon pockets, a cloverleaf crotch pad, MexicoMod turbo soles, and of course the YKK metal zip.
Material:
This is the big question in most divers minds, and mine too. How does the FLX material compare to the TLS and vice versa. I should start off by saying, I had very few problems with my TLS and I didn't baby it - I dove it in salt water and freshwater, caves, boats, livebaboards, beach dives. I tried to rinse it regularly but it would get hung out in the sun to dry after a day's worth of diving. I had a couple holes and a couple seams that lifted a bit, after around 200 dives. DUI was great and stepped up and sorted me out in no time with great customer service.
The material on the FLX is slightly heavier and feels much more robust. I didn't notice any meaningful loss of flexibility or movement and could reach my valves just as well as in my TLS. The additional 1.5lbs of weight is negligible, and worth it for the increased robustness. The glue seems to stick much better on the inside of the suit and I can't see seam-lifts being an issue on this suit.
I have only 10 dives on the suit but before purchasing I questioned many instructors who had been diving the suit for a number of years with many hundreds of dives what their thoughts were and their response was overwhelmingly positive. All the benefits of the TLS, more reliable, more resistant to leaks, with none of the drawbacks was echoed by everyone.
TurboTec Soles:
Honestly, I was recommended these but a bit hesitant to order them - I had the MexicoMod soles which have extra layers of CF200 material on the high wear areas and felt it lacked some flexibility and felt a bit cramped at times. I did appreciate their added robustness but felt that it did come at a cost of a tighter fit which could be tough with thick socks. The TurboTec are much more comfortable! The kevlar is flexible and not stiff like I imagined, and the boots feel very comfortable easy to fit in my jetfins. I'm glad I made this upgrade, I'm looking forward to seeing how they perform with more dives going forward.
Fit:
DUI is known for getting a good fit on their custom suits and mine was no exception. I got it cut for a XM450 Thinsulate undergarment but often dive an XM250 or lighter polartec when the water's are warm. The suit fits very well with full range of movement but not so loose that you feel it is extremely baggy. When I wear my XM450 it is a perfect fit. The only thing I would adjust would be having the sleeves taken in an inch or so, as they are just a hair long but no complaints about that. The legs are the perfect length and the fit around the torso is very good, not too tight, not too loose.
Silicone Zip Seals:
I've been diving a Silicone neck seal for a year or two and well over a hundred dives. Quite simply, I love the thing. I used to get wicked neck rash from latex, and Neoprene, while warm, is not as comfortable in my opinion. I can't imagine diving any other seal at this point, I've gone from one or two long dives in latex and a hangman's neck to 3 days of 4 dives a day saltwater liveaboards with no neck irritation at all, a clear win in my book. This is my first set of Silicone wrist seals so time will tell, so far I like them and they leak less than other seals I've used, hopefully they will prove as reliable as the Silicone neck seal.
Pockets:
The new DUI Exploration Pockets are, let's face it, nearly identical to Halcyon Exploration pockets - which is not a bad thing, as I loved the Halcyon pockets on my TLS! One thing that Karim did on this suit, is he had the suit made with the pockets much higher up on my hips, as opposed to DUI's stock position further down on the thighs. I really prefer this position, hopefully DUI makes this the stock position going forward as it really is much more comfortable and makes reaching your pocket contents that much easier.
TiZIP:
I believe I'm one of the first production DUI owners with a TiZIP installed at the factory and I'm glad that I got this on my suit. They initially had to delay production a bit as they were sorting out the best glue mixture to ensure a strong bond to the material - which was fine with me. I like that they thoroughly test their products before putting them into production. So far I like the zipper, it has been dry and seems easy to maintain. I will post back after I have more time on the suit.
Customer Service:
Janet Mariscal at DUI was great to work with and always extremely responsive to my questions about my FLX and TLS. The fact that they are in San Diego makes it easy for me, in LA, to communicate with them as well. Karim Hamza at Hollywood Divers also deserves a shout-out as a great guy to work with, he also spent a ton of time answering my emails, texts, as well as taking a good chunk of time to measure me and discuss the finer points of the suit.
Conclusion:
Like I said, I've tried to be as objective as possible in my review of my FLX Extreme and time will tell how this suit performs; I assume it will hold up as well as my TLS and in all likelihood fair much better over the years and many dives I plan to put on it. The material seems to be a great upgrade over the TLS, netting one a more robust, reliable suit with virtually no drawbacks and similar flexibility. I like the new TurboTec Soles and new Exploration pockets - and the fact that I can now order a TiZIP on the suit is great! I also am a big believer in the Silicone Neck Zipseal, just much more comfortable and without the wicked rash I used to get from Latex. The icing on the cake is of course the great customer service, from both Janet at DUI and Karim at Hollywood Divers - this is an expensive purchase and it's great to deal with people who want to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for.
Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with DUI, Hollywood Divers or any dive shop, manufacturer and have no conflicts of interest - I've tried to be as objective as possible in my review and hope you find it useful; I'm just a diver sharing his 2c.
TIZIP!!
