Henderson drysuit and other neoprene questions

[diveandclimb]

I can get a great condition Henderson 7mm neoprene drysuit for $180 which seam worth it to make the move to dry. Right now I am diving a Bare 7mm fullsuit and while I don't get particularly cold during dives, as the summer months end it sure is chilly on the shore and I would like to extend my diving season into the the late fall and early winter. Anyway, before I go for it I have a few questions. 1) Does anybody have any experience with Henderson drysuits? It seems pretty good with SI Tech valves etc. 2) Is it any harder to install a P-valve on a neoprene drysuit then it is on a trilam one? 3) What should I be inspecting before I buy in terms of zipper etc? What are warning signs of a bad drysuit? 4) Given that I am not cold in a 7mm wetsuit, do I need much in the way of insulation under a 7mm drysuit? I was thinking Under Armor and a flease would suffice until the winter and than I could add some thermals. 5) How does maintenance differ in a neoprene drysuit from a shell type drysuit. 6) What kind of weighting should I expect to need? Is adding 5lb to the current 22lb I use enough?
Thanks.

 

[SteveAD]

For my money the first sign of a bad drysuit is 7mm neoprene. Neoprene DSs are HUGELY bouyant. Their bouyancy and insulation vary significantly with depth. The material WILL break down over time and start seeping.

Now $180 might be cheap enough to almost consider it a disposable suit, but I'm more inclined to spend big money on good stuff than to take a "great deal" on a POS.

I speak from experience, my first DS was a 7mm neo.

 

[diveandclimb]

For my money the first sign of a bad drysuit is 7mm neoprene. Neoprene DSs are HUGELY bouyant. Their bouyancy and insulation vary significantly with depth. The material WILL break down over time and start seeping.

Now $180 might be cheap enough to almost consider it a disposable suit, but I'm more inclined to spend big money on good stuff than to take a "great deal" on a POS.

I speak from experience, my first DS was a 7mm neo.

Is the bouyancy waay more than that of a 7mm wetsuit?

 

[SteveAD]

Yes

Wetsuits have bouyancy because of the material they are made of. Drysuits have bouyancy because of the airspace inside the suit. Neo drysuits have the two added together. I currently dive with 26 pounds of lead in a DUI CLX450 15 years ago I was using 40+ in in my neo and my body was in much better shape back then.