Exposure Suit Question

[matt_unique]

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.

Great prices.

 

[Soggy]

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.
--Matt

A neoprene suit also takes a millenia to dry and compresses with depth. This means that you will need to wear more insulation on a 100 ft dive than on a 20 ft shore dive. It also means that your buoyancy will vary with depth, much like a wetsuit. I don't think that there are any safety advantages of a 7mm...you'll get cold just as fast when it leaks as with a trilam and with a proper thinsulate undergarment, a trilam will keep you even with a pretty substantial flood. A neoprene suit is tougher, however, but much more difficult to find leaks when they do occur.

There are plenty of inexpensive trilams out there, too. Bare's ATR-light can be had for < $700 if ordered from the right place and a NexGen is like $400-450.

In fact, I think a trilam is far safer because you will always be overweighted in 7mm neoprene drysuit because of the suit compression. That compression can also cause trim to change from shallow to deep.

 

[matt_unique]

A neoprene suit also takes a millenia to dry and compresses with depth. This means that you will need to wear more insulation on a 100 ft dive than on a 20 ft shore dive. It also means that your buoyancy will vary with depth, much like a wetsuit. I don't think that there are any safety advantages of a 7mm...you'll get cold just as fast when it leaks as with a trilam and with a proper thinsulate undergarment, a trilam will keep you even with a pretty substantial flood. A neoprene suit is tougher, however, but much more difficult to find leaks when they do occur.

There are plenty of inexpensive trilams out there, too. Bare's ATR-light can be had for < $700 if ordered from the right place and a NexGen is like $400-450.

In fact, I think a trilam is far safer because you will always be overweighted in 7mm neoprene drysuit because of the suit compression. That compression can also cause trim to change from shallow to deep.

A neoprene suit is dramatically safer relative to a critical failure. If you tear the suit, it becomes a 7mm wetsuit with a hole in it. If you tear a trilam, there is no thermal protection at all. (Saturated thermals will offer negligible thermal protection). The trilam suit does not fit like neoprene of course so you will be floating a lot more water in the suit compared to neoprene.

The dive characteristics are just like a wetsuit in terms of compression at depth of course. That is a disadvantage.

--Matt

 

[gerardnealon]

dive dry!! check out the DUI's, I dive w/ the FLX 50 / 50 which I am really happy with. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[MASS-Diver]

A neoprene suit is dramatically safer relative to a critical failure. If you tear the suit, it becomes a 7mm wetsuit with a hole in it. If you tear a trilam, there is no thermal protection at all. (Saturated thermals will offer negligible thermal protection). The trilam suit does not fit like neoprene of course so you will be floating a lot more water in the suit compared to neoprene.

The dive characteristics are just like a wetsuit in terms of compression at depth of course. That is a disadvantage.

--Matt

I've never heard of the saftey issue before, I'll have to think about it. I would think with a full flood you'd be done for in either type of suit.

I would think the main advantage of the neoprene suit is warmth (vs the same underwear in a trimlam). That said I love my trilam, although I've never dove anything else.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

A neoprene suit is dramatically safer relative to a critical failure. If you tear the suit, it becomes a 7mm wetsuit with a hole in it. If you tear a trilam, there is no thermal protection at all. (Saturated thermals will offer negligible thermal protection).
--Matt

I disagree. Some underwear will retain warmth when flooded. Fleece will to some extent, and Thinsulate is the best. So, your statement that "if you tear a trilam, there is no thermal protection at all" is inaccurate.

 

[gerardnealon]

also an advantage of trilam suits is that they dry a lot faster. My DUI FLX 50/50 has crushed neoprene on the bottom and trilam on the top, a little bit of both worlds. It dry's pretty fast and I also have the added strength of crushed neoprene on bottom.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

My problem with neoprene drysuits is that every time I dive one, I get wet. Neoprene seals dont work for me very well. Id rather have my trilam anyday over a neoprene suit... At least then I am dry.

 

[gerardnealon]

My problem with neoprene drysuits is that every time I dive one, I get wet. Neoprene seals dont work for me very well. Id rather have my trilam anyday over a neoprene suit... At least then I am dry.

What suit do you use? I have never gotten wet (knock knock on wood) in my FLX 50/50. Maybe its because only the bottom's are neoprene. Who knows!!

 

[decapoddiver]

I never liked neoprene seals either and I do stay dry.