Guys, the link I provided in post 3 is for the OLD style skin. Velcro only. You can tell they're the old style since they're still the Whites brand name. $299 and they seem to have all sizes.
Fusion Tech skin
- Thread starter nldiver1984
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nldiver1984
Contributor
I don’t know what DRIS threshold for free international shipping is. Check their website or simply contact them.
DRIS is $500 for free international shipping. You might want to consider USA to Canada - we bring your packages into Canada
DRIS will ship free for orders over $75.00 in the US and you can use the above service to bring it across the border and ship it to you with a Canadian carrier. No brokerage surprises and the cost is probably less than shipping direct from the US. It is also a lot quicker than USPS as there is no hold-up in customs.
DRIS sells both models, the one with the zipper and the one with the velcro. They advised that I call them if/when I order to ensure I order/they send me the correct one as I think only one version is listed on their website.
The reason this item is not as widely available as you expect is because Whites (and later Aqualung/Apeks) underestimated the durability of the skins. The idea what that the skin would act as a sacrificial layer that could be/would be replaced...in reality the skins (as used by most divers using their suits) lasted much longer than they had expected...when the suits first came out shops did not need to stock up on the extra skins and since there was little demand for them they would order them as needed instead of investing capital in them. I believe it is more common for folks to purchase a skin, not because theirs has worn out but instead because they are looking for a feature that their skin does not have, such as a sport skin owner looking for tech/bullet skin because they want pockets or a bullet skin owner wanting a sport skin because they plan to travel and want the lighter/quicker drying lycra skin instead of taking with them the heavier longer to dry neoprene skin they already have.
-Z
The reason this item is not as widely available as you expect is because Whites (and later Aqualung/Apeks) underestimated the durability of the skins. The idea what that the skin would act as a sacrificial layer that could be/would be replaced...in reality the skins (as used by most divers using their suits) lasted much longer than they had expected...when the suits first came out shops did not need to stock up on the extra skins and since there was little demand for them they would order them as needed instead of investing capital in them. I believe it is more common for folks to purchase a skin, not because theirs has worn out but instead because they are looking for a feature that their skin does not have, such as a sport skin owner looking for tech/bullet skin because they want pockets or a bullet skin owner wanting a sport skin because they plan to travel and want the lighter/quicker drying lycra skin instead of taking with them the heavier longer to dry neoprene skin they already have.
-Z
Ioannis
Registered
Hello,
I am an owner of an older version Whites Tech Fusion too.
I have never seen the Aircore version with its skin here in Greece. Fusion suits are not so widely known here anyway.
But looking at photos or videos reviewing the Aircore, I can only understand that the newer skins with the zip seem to have a velcro on the chest too. And they are attached with velcro to the part that have the one side of skin zipper.
Does the Aircore have only zipper for skin attachment at the chest area?
So the skin zipper is an attachment part after the chest velcro and between the core.
Is it possible for the newer skins and the older whites cores to just use the velcro at the chest the same way with older skins?
Maybe I get something wrong, with the attaching way of the skin to the newer Aircore.
Please help me clarify this, as I will be looking for a skin for my old Whites too in the near future.
It would be nice if someone with an Aircore version making a small video or share some photos of the attaching area at the chest (skin-velcro-zipper-core).
Thank you all
Ioannis
I am an owner of an older version Whites Tech Fusion too.
I have never seen the Aircore version with its skin here in Greece. Fusion suits are not so widely known here anyway.
But looking at photos or videos reviewing the Aircore, I can only understand that the newer skins with the zip seem to have a velcro on the chest too. And they are attached with velcro to the part that have the one side of skin zipper.
Does the Aircore have only zipper for skin attachment at the chest area?
So the skin zipper is an attachment part after the chest velcro and between the core.
Is it possible for the newer skins and the older whites cores to just use the velcro at the chest the same way with older skins?
Maybe I get something wrong, with the attaching way of the skin to the newer Aircore.
Please help me clarify this, as I will be looking for a skin for my old Whites too in the near future.
It would be nice if someone with an Aircore version making a small video or share some photos of the attaching area at the chest (skin-velcro-zipper-core).
Thank you all
Ioannis
The "Aircore" refers to the waterproof part of the suit. The older versions of both the Aqualung and Whites Fusion suits was made with what they called "Drycore" material. Drycore was a thin waterproof material (polyurethane???) that was not breathable. Aircore material is a waterproof and breathable material similar to goretex. The material is similarly but not exactly as thin as the drycore material but is supposed to be substantially more comfortable out of the water because it allows water vaport (sweat) to pass through and evaporate while still remaining watertight/waterproof for in water use.
The model known as the Fusion Bullet (outer skin layer of 1mm neoprene) has zippers that attach the skin to the aircore suit around the chest area. This has been the case for the 2017 and 2018 model years...I am not sure about model years prior. The only velcro attachment for this skin, currently, is where the neoprene skin attaches at the wrists and ankles. The velcro at the ankles is slightly above the ankles and is used to attach/integrate Whites or Aqualung's Fusion boots that have a ring of velcro and velcro tabs that hold the boots and suit together.
The Fusion Tech has an outer skin that is lycra with 1mm neoprene in strategic high wear areas. The Fusion sport has a skin that is entirely of lycra. The Fusion Tech and Fusion Sport skins attached to the their respective cores via velcro at the chest area (in reality it is the area that follows the dry zipper of the waterproof layer).
The 2018 model year Fusion Tech and Fusion Sport out skins attach with zippers at the chest area. Previous years models attached with velcro. A discussion withh DRIS a couple of months ago indicated they have stock of both versions of the skins and can order either from Aqualung if need be.
My Fusion Bullet suit is a 2018 model year, and the neoprene skin only has zippers at the chest area. Perhaps the newer Tech and Sport models skins have both zipper and velcro at the chest so the newer skins are compatible with older and newer suits but I am not sure....DRIS' website has an online chat feature that you can use to pose this question.
According to Aqualung the benefit of the zippers is it makes removing/re-attaching the outerskin quicker. In my opinion/experience the benefit of the zippers is it makes attaching the outerskin to the suit easier as the velcro one needs to align the outer skin with the inner waterproof layer as the velcro is laid together.....the velcro used is very tenacious and can be a real pain to realign if one does not get it spot-on initially.
If you have an older version of the Fusion made by Whites then you definitely need the skin with the velcro chest attachment...contact DRIS as they have them in stock last I checked. Other internet sellers are most likely selling the velcro chest models as well since it is my understanding that the zippered chest Tech and Sport skin models came out in 2018.
Just as an FYI, I am not sure what exactly transpired but from my understanding is that Whites sold their patent to and teamed up with Aqualung to continue making the "Fusion" drysuit. Here is some info on the different versions:
Fusion Bullet - 1mm neoprene outer skin, currently made with Aircore material, front entry..
Fusion Fit - 1mm neoprene outer skin, currently made with Aircore material, front entry - this suit is essentially the same as the Fussion Bullet but the neoprene skin is tailored more for a woman's body.
Fusion Tech - lycra outer skin with 1mm neoprene in high wear areas, Front entry. Current model is made with Aircore material.
Fusion Sport - lycra outer skin (no neoprene), front entry....Current model is made with Aircore material.
Fusion One - Lycra outer skin with 1mm neoprene in high wear areas, current model made with Drycore material. This model is a back entry with a zipper across the rear of the shoulders similar to other back entry drysuits.
Fusion Essence - essentialy the same as the Fusion One but the lycra and neoprene skin is tailored for women...again this is a back entry suit made from Drycore material.
Hope that helps.
-Z
I had my Fusion Fit (women’s model) out for a Lake Michigan Dive tomorrow so I took some pics before I packed it up. I have the newer AirCore inner layer.
The outer skin for the AirCore is NOT compatible with the older skin that attaches only with Velcro and has no zippers. The new skin has some Velcro but that’s just to keep things tidy. The zippers are the main fasteners. A zipper comes from each shoulder and then terminates in the middle.
The outer skin for the AirCore is NOT compatible with the older skin that attaches only with Velcro and has no zippers. The new skin has some Velcro but that’s just to keep things tidy. The zippers are the main fasteners. A zipper comes from each shoulder and then terminates in the middle.
Per a video online, AL actually bought Whites.
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