Exposure Suit Question

[LobstaMan]

Looking to make a change in my exposure suit. I currently have a functional and in vg shape, but older, two-piece 7mm wet suit. Should I make the big jump to a drysuit or should I go with an updated wet suit? If so what brands, styles would you folks recommend for diving in NE? Thanks.

LobstaMan

 

[jonnythan]

Get the drysuit. If you don't now, you will later anyway.

There's nothing like going dry in the northeast.

As for styles, there are lots of good ones and lots of opinions on the board. The easy answer is to get the one that fits the best. I'd avoid neoprene wetsuits as they're very buoyant and lose warmth at depth. The Bare ATR HD and DUI TLS350 are common higher-end choices, whereas the Bare Nex-Gen, White's Nexus, and Dacor drysuits are common lower-end choices You can get the Nex-Gen or Nexus, with boots and underwear, for well under $700 brand new

 

[jtrain01]

I havent yet gone to dry yet either, but I will. I am also from mass and I can't wait for the day to buy one. I have been talking to a few people about drysuits and I have heard about a company called Andy's drysuits. The are supposed to be cheap and of good quality too. I was told you can get a custom one for a little over $500. That is the company I am seriously looking into.

 

[Tall Tails]

I have been diving in MA for years, in a wet suit, year round. Only usually cold in Jan and Feb.

I just bit the bullet and bought a DUI drysuit. Only two dives on it so far.

Good luck!

 

[decapoddiver]

What size drysuit would you wear? I own both the CF200 (neoprene) and TLS 350 (tri-lam) in XL so if they fit you, you could give 'em a try someday. I'm not looking to sell either of them but I wish someone had offerred this to me before I bought these

 

[gunnelfish]

I havent yet gone to dry yet either, but I will. I am also from mass and I can't wait for the day to buy one. I have been talking to a few people about drysuits and I have heard about a company called Andy's drysuits. The are supposed to be cheap and of good quality too. I was told you can get a custom one for a little over $500. That is the company I am seriously looking into.

Please let me know where your looking because i just got a price on a andys suit and I was over $1500

 

[jonnythan]

I havent yet gone to dry yet either, but I will. I am also from mass and I can't wait for the day to buy one. I have been talking to a few people about drysuits and I have heard about a company called Andy's drysuits. The are supposed to be cheap and of good quality too. I was told you can get a custom one for a little over $500. That is the company I am seriously looking into.

$500 for an Andy's Custom suit? Methinks someone has been hitting the ol pipe a little too hard.

 

[jtrain01]

$500 was the price that someone told me. I havent actually gone to the store to check them out but a dive buddy had one and thats what she told me.

 

[matt_unique]

Once you go dry, you will never go back. You will also wonder why you ever wasted money on a wetsuit!

I dove wet for two years then bought a dry suit. I just could not believe how much better it was.

I have the O'Neill 7mm neoprene drysuit and love it. It is well made with great reinforced seams. The suit was recommended to me by several area instructors. I bought mine for $700 and another $125 for thermals.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each style of suit. Here are some....

Advantages to neoprene - requires less thermals because the neoprene provides insulation, if you have a critical failure your dry suit becomes a wetsuit (with a trilam suit a critical failure will render the drysuit a windbreaker), and neoprene suits are generally much less expensive.

Disadvantages to neoprene - requires more weight due to the buoyant characteristics of the neoprene, you will be more negative at depth (like a wetsuit), and you have less mobility compared to trilams.

To me the cost and safety benefits of the neoprene outweigh the disadvantages. The shop that offered the best price on my suit was based in Leicester Mass. I can dig up the name and number if you are interested.

--Matt

 

[decapoddiver]

That's the only shop in Leicester that I know of http://www.inlandivers.com/

Also, that's where I bought both my DUI suits and my wetsuits too. Great shop.