DUI vs Aqualung Fusion Drysuits

[Zef]

Drysuit cert???? sounds unnecessary if one has experienced drysuit divers to dive with and learn from. I can see it when traveling somewhere and wanting to rent a drysuit but who does that? If I am traveling somewhere to dive it will be someplace warm where I will be diving wet.

Not advocating being dangerous or stupid about getting in open water and dropping down to 30 meters the first time in a drysuit without any understanding of how to properly dive in one, but a certification card just seems unnecessary...just go to the pool and practice. A cert course just seems like a way for an instructor/agency to score another couple hundred dollars.

-Z

 

[Marie13]

Drysuit cert???? sounds unnecessary if one has experienced drysuit divers to dive with and learn from. I can see it when traveling somewhere and wanting to rent a drysuit but who does that? If I am traveling somewhere to dive it will be someplace warm where I will be diving wet.

Not advocating being dangerous or stupid about getting in open water and dropping down to 30 meters the first time in a drysuit without any understanding of how to properly dive in one, but a certification card just seems unnecessary...just go to the pool and practice. A cert course just seems like a way for an instructor/agency to score another couple hundred dollars.

-Z

I know a number of divers who don’t want to own a drysuit now but want to have the flexibility of renting if they want to. Need a drysuit cert for that. I was doing some pool work in another area shop’s pool the winter after I was certified. They wouldn’t let me dive my own drysuit if I didn’t show my drysuit card. Someone here once reported that a dive op (I believe) wouldn’t let them on the boat or dive if they didn’t show a dry suit cert card.

And people don’t necessarily always have someone experienced to learn from.

 

[Marie13]

I should have my suit later this week. Will write a review once I have it. Planning on diving it at the quarry Sat.

 

[Scuba_Aaron]

Love my Aqualung Fusion One, light, form fitting and not bulky at all.

 

[Marie13]

Well, mine didn’t come in. Some shenanigans on the part of AL. Gotta love DRIS. Mike gave me a loaner Fusion out of the shop’s rental fleet until my suit comes in.

 

[Marie13]

Just saw that AL’s website shows a lot of the Fusion models out of stock. Not sure when I’ll see mine.

 

[Marie13]

Actually what I’ve found out is that AquaLung is no longer keeping complete finished suits on hand. They have a pile of the inner cores and a pile of skins. They have inventory of each on hand. They assemble the complete suits as they have orders. Just waiting to hear on when my Fit will ship.

 

[Marie13]

Did 4 dives in the loaner Fusion this weekend. 2 quarry, 2 Lake Michigan.

First impressions:

Heck of a lot more flexible and lighter than my USIA trilam. Nice to dive. I had no issues getting my fins on at the quarry.

It felt weird getting into the top half. You have to twitch your shoulders or something to get it on your shoulders. Found it was easier while sitting on the boat than standing at the quarry.

It was HOT. Can’t wait to get mine wth the AirCore and see if it really is
as breathable as advertised. The 61F bottom temp on the second wreck yesterday was very welcome. I wore a workout wicking t-shirt and leggings under the AL MK2 fleece onesie. It was 50F at 45ft at the quarry on Saturday. Felt lovely. It was hot and sunny. Got suited up and then hung out in the water for a bit before getting geared up. Even my buddy in his 7mm did the same.

Since the suit is more flexible, it’s also easier to deal with when packing in its bag and drying at home (hung it on a HangAir and ran the fan all night).

The amount of weight I needed was ridiculous -28 lbs! 4 more than my 7mm. This was with a SS BP and weighted STA (12 lbs) and a steel HP80. But 28lbs is about what I needed with my other drysuit. Hope I can drop some of it soon! Will try it with SM at the quarry Saturday, back on the lake Sunday.

EDIT: still not a fan of the zipper.

 

[Dogbowl]

Did 4 dives in the loaner Fusion this weekend. 2 quarry, 2 Lake Michigan.

First impressions:

Heck of a lot more flexible and lighter than my USIA trilam. Nice to dive. I had no issues getting my fins on at the quarry.

It felt weird getting into the top half. You have to twitch your shoulders or something to get it on your shoulders. Found it was easier while sitting on the boat than standing at the quarry.

It was HOT. Can’t wait to get mine wth the AirCore and see if it really is
as breathable as advertised. The 61F bottom temp on the second wreck yesterday was very welcome. I wore a workout wicking t-shirt and leggings under the AL MK2 fleece onesie.

Since the suit is more flexible, it’s also easier to deal with when packing in its bag and drying at home (hung it on a HangAir and ran the fan all night).

The amount of weight I needed was ridiculous -28 lbs! 4 more than my 7mm. This was with a SS BP and weighted STA (12 lbs) and a steel HP80. But 28lbs is about what I needed with my other drysuit. Hope I can drop some of it soon! Will try it with SM at the quarry Saturday, back on the lake Sunday.

EDIT: still not a fan of the zipper.

Thanks for the update @Marie13 ! I wonder what the reasoning is behind the zipper placement, rather than the shoulder to waist diagonal placement like on other trilams.

 

[Marie13]

Oh, and getting into a Fusion definitely requires what I refer to as “the pantyhose dance.”