How important is a test dive before choosing a drysuit?

[Marie13]

Just making sure I understand,
Is it because you can dive it with no undergarment, or for other reasons?

My local shop offers mostly DUI and Aqualung. Both have many good options, but in the 1500-2000 range, I'm not sure if I'm willing to spend this much.
I will keep looking and thinking.

If you want to dive local in cold water, it’s usually not cheap. So you either cough up the cash for a drysuit (even a used one) or you freeze your butt off. Your choice. How badly do you want to be warm when you dive and extend your diving season? I dive year round in the Midwest.

 

[TzTz]

If you want to dive local in cold water, it’s usually not cheap. So you either cough up the cash for a drysuit (even a used one) or you freeze your butt off. Your choice. How badly do you want to be warm when you dive and extend your diving season? I dive year round in the Midwest.

I want to dive as much as possible and be warm and comfortable while diving. IMHO being cold while diving is not safe and not fun.
I know that I will end up buying a drysuit, the question is how much I'm going to spend on it.
I'm getting used to the idea that I'm about to spend a lot of money on a suit.
Probably a new one, mid-range.
I might decide to drive a few hours to a place with various options I can see and feel If such a thing exists during the pandemic with the broken supply chain.

 

[stretchthepenn]

Just making sure I understand,
Is it because you can dive it with no undergarment, or for other reasons?

A correctly fitting shell suit is going to have more room inside than a correctly fitting neoprene suit. The former will have room for a base layer, a fluffy air-trapping layer, and maybe another thin layer between those two. The latter will have room for a base layer.

Thus, if you're diving in cold-ass water with a shell suit, you can adapt your insulation to the ambient temps very easily, but if you're in cold-ass water with a neoprene suit, you may not be able to wear enough insulation.

OTOH, if you're only in coolish waters, a neoprene suit has some advantages.

• A neoprene suit is usually faster to don than a shell suit, so there's less sweating in the sun.
• Neoprene has inherent insulating properties, so you may not need to wear underwear (a major plus for both convenience and, again, reducing the amount of time you spend sweating in the sun).
• Neoprene will act as a wetsuit and keep you warm(ish) even if you get a leak.
• Neoprene doesn't have folds, so it's less poke-y than a shell suit, especially if you're wearing just a base layer.

 

[elan]

I would skip the neoprene. Unless you do hardcore wreck penetration where crushed neoprene provides good protection. Neoprene suits have drawbacks of both drysuits (bulk and drag) and wetsuits (buoyancy loss with depth, no warmth at the bottom). What is as important as getting a good fit is getting good undergarments. I.e thinsulate based. Thinsulate will keep you warm even when the e suit leaks, just as wool. But wool is way too fluffy.

 

[Still Kicking]

I would skip the neoprene. Unless you do hardcore wreck penetration where crushed neoprene provides good protection. Neoprene suits have drawbacks of both drysuits (bulk and drag) and wetsuits (buoyancy loss with depth, no warmth at the bottom). What is as important as getting a good fit is getting good undergarments. I.e thinsulate based. Thinsulate will keep you warm even when the e suit leaks, just as wool. But wool is way too fluffy.

Sorry to be contrarian. There's no such thing as a perfect drysuit but I would stay stay away from trilaminate unless you are traveling.

Properly fitted crushed neoprene is smoother and more flexible (less drag), more durable, more inherent insulation (thinner undergarments, greater mobility) with a minimal buoyancy shift at depth.

My custom trilam suit was generally cold (i could tolerate it but it was definitely not comfortable unless i went 400g thinsulate which killed the range of motion), invariably damp from pinhole leaks and required a lot more effort to swim.

My crushed neoprene back entry fits and swims like a wetsuit. The main drawback is that i need help zipping and unzipping.

 

[elan]

My custom trilam suit was generally cold (i could tolerate it but it was definitely not comfortable unless i went 400g thinsulate which killed the range of motion), invariably damp from pinhole leaks and required a lot more effort to swim.

I think those points are not related to the trilam suit itself. if 400g was killing the range of motion it means it was not properly measured for 400. It should not restrict . You normally specify what thickness of undergarment you expect to wear the suit with (at least with DUI). Some suits leak more than others. My trilam never did until it became 12 years old and the seam tape became old dry and started cracking. I just reglued the seams.

My approach is dry suit is not to keep you warm. Its to keep you dry. Undergarments which you can change according to the conditions(200g, 400g, heating) will keep you warm

 

[sabbe]

Since you have big feet, avoid built-in boots. Get a suit with soft feet and buy a pair of rockboots.

Don't get hung up on choosing between a front-zip ("self-donning") or back-zip suit. Both will work just fine.


Aim for $400-900. I've owned and used six drysuits (some I bought new, some used), and they all fit in that price range. The sole exception -- suit #7 -- was a $200 eBay "bargain" that turned out to be a massive lemon, and I demanded a refund.

Agree on the rock boots over a specific fitted boot. More durable, easier to buy used, and easier to re-sell.

Definitely do not agree on zipper. I will never buy a back zip dry suit. My first one was back zip and to solo dive I have to get very creative with a street sign and bungee cord to dress myself. Absolutely value being able to dress or undress myself without assistance and all my friends with back zips have buyer remorse over that feature.

Sam

 

[rx7diver]

Properly fitted crushed neoprene is smoother and more flexible (less drag), more durable, more inherent insulation (thinner undergarments, greater mobility) with a minimal buoyancy shift at depth.

+1.

 

[Edward3c]

The last couple of dives in a two-piece 7ml with water in the low 50s made it clear that wet suit season is ending any day.
Air temps are now below freezing, and it doesn't help as well.
I know that in an ideal world, I should at the very least try different styles of suits before deciding on which one I should buy.
But in my area, there is only one shop, and I prefer buying something they carry if there are any issues with leaks, etc.
I dove with DUI TLS 350 during my drysuit course, and besides that, I have no experience with other suits.
My size is a regular Large, with larger feet, so I can't easily find suits with integrated boots that will fit me.
I'm not picky when it comes to comfort and can do well with some bulkiness. The DUI is my only reference point, and I liked it.


What I'm trying to ask is, how much of a difference is there between different suits?

Before buying one, I will try it on to make sure it fits, but I probably won't have a chance to dive in the same style suit before buying.
I'm not sure what my budget is, but trying to keep it down. So it's not going to be a high-end /customized one.

What should I look for when choosing a suit?
If I decide to go with buying one online, used or new, any tips on that?
Any thoughts?
I know it's a slippery slope, but is there a minimum sum for a good suit? something to avoid?
I don't want to buy one and regret not spending a little more, but I don't want to spend too much for benefits I don't feel.

Thanks!

Hi @TzTz,

Both membrane and neoprene suits are equally as good in cold water, with no undersuit clothing a membrane can be used in warm waters i.e. Florida.

People will normally recommend the type of suit they use.

Getting made to measure is worth the extra cost.

Why not hire different types of suit to see what you prefer.

 

[TzTz]

Hi @TzTz,

Both membrane and neoprene suits are equally as good in cold water, with no undersuit clothing a membrane can be used in warm waters i.e. Florida.

People will normally recommend the type of suit they use.

Getting made to measure is worth the extra cost.

Why not hire different types of suit to see what you prefer.

Thanks for your reply.
The more I think about it, the more confused I get. I do lean towards DUI on the upper-level range, but it might change.
I realized that for every product they'll be the ones who advocate for and the ones who dislike it.
It seems like for the more popular brands, they'll be more bad reviews (as a rule of thumb, not just with diving suits or diving gear in general), and that is because more people get them and people tend to post bad reviews. You don't buy a Mercedes and post all over about how smooth it drives.

That's why I'm asking in general and not about specific models.

For your question: I'm limited to renting probably only one model of the mid-lower range Aqualung.

I'll keep thinking...