How Much Dry Suit Does a New Diver Really Need?

[EzeeDiver]

I would also check out the Hollis Biodry FX100 (full setup <$2K). I chose this one earlier this year after test diving a DUI and White's Fusion. As stated earlier, fit is everything. Really love this suit, matches comfort with super tough material. Good luck and happy diving!

 

[TSandM]

I bought my first dry suit (a Mobby's) for $800, IIRC, and it cost me about $2.50 a dive. When I sold it, I got back what I had put into it for repairs and upgrades.

There are all kinds of dry suits that sell for substantially less (sometimes half!) what a new DUI suit sells for. Perhaps they aren't quite as pretty, or as well cut, but they keep you dry and that's what's important. It IS important to have enough mobility in the suit to be able to do what you need to do in the water (like reach dump valves and so on, or put your fins on) and not to have a huge amount of excess suit to trap air and make venting difficult. You need dump valves located where they can practically be used. After that, everything else is optimization, and sometimes expensive optimization.

 

[elan]

remember you can always get a cheaper one now and save up for a high end suit (read DUI ) in the meantime.

I would not recommend doing it and I think it's a bad advice. Good fitting dry suit makes diving way easier and much more enjoyable. There is no point of buying cheaper dry suit now, as in many cases you just lose those money. I saw many people selling their first dry suits losing money and buying the new good ones anyways. It's better and cheaper to do it from the first shot. You have to be careful , do not hunt for cheapos and deals, do your research, get good undergarment and a good dry suit. Well fitting with proper positioned exhaust valve, right neck and wrist seals, right boots and tight calf areas and made of proper material. and good pockets installed from the first time. Or later you will be paying more fixing that. Id you are lucky and fit into the stock suit it will be cheaper. If you are not do not hesitate and go with the custom cut. If you get a bad dry suit you will hate it as much as you will hate diving in it. If you get a good one you will love it and will be diving more.

 

[elan]

All your suit needs to do is have a good zipper, wrist and neck seals, be comfortable and loose enough so you can wear it along with whatever underwear you want and have the right size boots

It's not that little in fact.

 

[abies]

I've always thought there is two options, buy the cheapest one that meets your minimum needs with the plan to upgrate once you have figured out exactly what you want, or buy the best you can afford, so you don't have to replace it. I go both ways on which is better, I have a hard time selling a perfectly good X (I don't own a dry suit, yet) just to replace it with what I want. At the same time I'm always a little scared that I'll spend a lot getting the best only to be disapointed with something and want a new/different one. I think it is really driven by which risk you are more tolerant of, and how much money you have.

Ben

 

[JanK]

I was in a similar predicament, perhaps my reasoning will help you. Bear in mind that my experience is limited to two dives, one with neoprene and one with trilaminate drysuit, both of which occurred as a part of a drysuit course. And that all that I write about the Fusion (that I ordered a few days ago) comes from reviews and my speculations.

The price was important and I usually choose something in the middle range; cheap may be just that, pricey ditto (general observation - not targeted at any specific brand). I prefer the feel of trilaminate, without the added neoprene buoyancy, and for now I don't need the extra insulation (temperatures will be down to 15C). The difference of prices for the undergarments is not that high. While I didn't have problems managing the air, I like the idea that the suit is highly elastic and keeps the bubble spread out, while the stiff bladder is very oversized (I have a proportionally largeish ass and when I bend at the waist, the usual cut of one-piece dry- and wetsuits choke me as the shoulders want to slide back).

As for the durability - well it hasn't been years since the first ones came out, so meagre statistics, but again, the idea that you can replace the outer skin, which I suppose is the first to suffer, for a few 100 EUR is attractive. And I read that the inner bladder is very tough, so unless the material deteriorates or creasing in the same places weakens it, it should last.

But mostly, from all the reviews I've read, I can remember a single negative one.

[ADDED:] Disclaimer: not in any way conected to Whites, Scubapro,... not even diving it yet

 

[shoot2retrieve]

I was able to attend an event, that allowed divers to dive several different brands of dry suits. I don't believe it was sponsored by any one manufacturer. It was just a conglomerate of different dry suits that I believe were rentals. I dove a Vortex, Whites Fusion, and a DUI TLS350 I believe. All three kept me dry and too me I thought they were all nice.

I don't remember the price of the vortex, but I know it was right at or under 1000. The fusion was in a Tech skin and was about 1500, and the TLS was around 2100 with all the discounts in place. I have nothing bad to say about any of them. I chose to order a Whites Fusion w/ tech skin, because I liked the hugging feeling of the suit. (I know hugging, kind of weird, but that's my best description). I also liked the stealthy appearance of the suit, so that is why I chose it.

The vortex was a little stiffer than the DUI, but like I said I was dry and warm. The DUI was cool with the ziploc style exchange of the seals, very cool idea and nice dry suit. Like I said I thought all were nice, and I just chose on which I liked the best for my own corky reasons. And as someone else mentioned, it has made me way more gung ho on diving locally. However, I am fairly newly certified so I'm pretty pumped about diving anyway!!! Good luck with what ever you decide!

 

[spectrum]

You don't need to spend a kings ransom to be diving dry. New suits like the Next Gen or a neoprene suit can get you dry for a lot less.

The neoprene suits are heavy and require a little more lead but they inherently warm. With just a little under layer they can take you under ice in comfort. In general they will be back zips hence not a sure thing for self donning. An old post.

Be sure to include your desire to or not solo dive in your choice. That can open or close options.

Pete

 

[StreetDoctor]

If you only have between 100-199 dives in 20+ years the suit will likely last another 20 years if it doesn't dry rot in that time. I would not buy anything that expensive for that amount of use. Although I do love my TLS 350, it's not worth it unless you plan on diving a lot more.

 

[kathydee]

Hi there,

Good luck finding a suit! I love my TLS350 DUI

You might check this DUI closeout list from time to time: Factory rebuilt list at DUI - Diving Unlimited International.

Also like others have said if you fit a stock size ebay is great, just remember an older suit will probably require replacement of seals which increases the price.