DUI pricing itself out of the market?

[Mark Vlahos]

Great feedbackk all, much appreciate it. Now on the undergarments. Steve you mention Whites... I have heard not so many good things about the DUI undergarments and mixed reviews about Weezles. How about the rest of you, what are you using?

Thanks, Jim

For undergarments in coldish water I use Diving Concepts TPS Thinsulite Extreme. It fits snugly and is stretchable to keep folds and unwanted bulk in check. I add good quality polypropolene long underwear in varying thicknesses to help when water temps really get low.

For warmer water I use a stretch polartech one piece undergarment in a 100 weight, and for temperatures in between a 300 weight stretch polartech one piece is most appropriate.

I also can choose between no gloves, thin or thick wet gloves, or dry gloves. I also have two different wet hoods available.

Remember, the dry suit is there to keep you dry, and the suits you are talking about will provide no additional warmth, the warmth comes from the undergarments you choose, combined with, socks, gloves, and hoods.

Good luck,

Mark Vlahos

 

[renpirate]

I think he means they test new suits prior to shipping.
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Yes, they do test their suits before shipping, but they charge you extra for it.

 

[TheSmoothDome]

Yes, they do test their suits before shipping, but they charge you extra for it.

Are you talking about new suits? I would expect the suit to be pressure tested after it's assembled, but no one ever said anything to me about them charging "extra" for it. The way I'm reading it, the test and evaluation mentioned on their service pdf only applies if the suit is sent in for repairs, not on new suits.

 

[renpirate]

Are you talking about new suits? I would expect the suit to be pressure tested after it's assembled, but no one ever said anything to me about them charging "extra" for it. The way I'm reading it, the test and evaluation mentioned on their service pdf only applies if the suit is sent in for repairs, not on new suits.

Yes, you are correct. It is on any repairs that they make, not on new suits. My point was that when you send it into them for repairs or an alternartion, they charge you to test the work that they have done. So you send it in to them to fix something, then once they have fixed it, they charge you to test the fix that they just made.

As I have mentioned before, they make a very high quality product and their service is very good. The reason I started this thread was not to bash DUI, but to get a feel for others opinions. I just keep hearing more and more people that I know looking for alternatives.

 

[jdelprete]

The CLx450 fabric is somewhat less flexible than the material used for the TLS series suits. The CLx is probably more abrasion resistant, but either suit can be cut on a sharp edge. The TLS fabric dries more quickly than the CLx fabric, but they both dry much faster than the CF fabric. One relatively minor note, the socks used on all of the DUI dry suits is the CF material, this means that the socks on the suit can dry rather slowly. A well placed fan or hanging the suit feet up can speed this process.

For diving close to home the TLS will be nearly completely dry before you get to the car. The CLx will be dry not long after you get home, and the CF will still be damp the next morning. If you plan on traveling by air or car factor in your packing schedule to help choose the best material for you.

The TLS material also packs in the most compact space since the material is far less bulky than even the material used on the CLx.

For me the CLx450 was the best choice, and the older of these suits was cut slightly smaller in the chest and abdomen. This size difference while small made a difference to me. I also liked the way the old zipper was installed. When it comes time for me to buy another suit I will probably look for a used XL TLS350 so I can have the two different styles to choose from for the specific dive I am planning. Of course since I use the ZipSeals for the wrist and neck I sill have the flexibility of having the same set of spares work for each suit.

Mark Vlahos

Mark, thanks much for your feedback, I appreciate it. I recently purchased some Caprilene 3 undergarments. Mainly a polyester blend highly rated among mainly members I have seen here on Scubabaord and bought them at REI. This will be my primary layer and seconday layer for warmer dives. I will add on a thinsulate for the colder dives.