I am currently looking into dry suits, and will soon buy my first one. Is there any advice out there that can help me?
looking at drysuits
- Thread starter scuberd
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I own an O'Neill 7mm neoprene drysuit - it works.
I'm lusting after a Dive Rite 905... saving up my pennies.
Rick
I'm lusting after a Dive Rite 905... saving up my pennies.
Rick
Arduous
Contributor
Hi scuberd:
There are many quality dry suits out on the market these days and most are made relatively the same way from relatively the same materials. There are suits made of neoprene that have provide thermal protection with little to no undergarments. These suits help to keep you warm by the thickness of the material. However like a neoprene wet suit, these suits compress with depth and loose some of their insulating properties. They also have high buoyancy characteristics requiring the diver to use more weight to get down. There are crushed or compressed neoprene suits that are less buoyant and less effected by depth, but require the diver to have adequate thermal undergarments to keep warm. There are trilaminate suit that have no thermal protection qualities at all. They rely strictly on the undergarments to provide thermal protection. Neoprene suits tend to be very resistant to abrasion but are heavy when wet and take long to dry. Trilaminate suits are lighter and fast drying but some may not be as abrasion resistant as their neoprene counterparts. There are also vulcanized rubber suits, but may who wear them are professional divers, diving in contaminated waters. Not that you must be a pro or be diving in contaminated water to use a vulcanized suit, as there are people who are not and use them regularly. Wrist and neck seals are made from two types of material, neoprene & latex. Neoprene will be warmer especially in the neck area. However some will argue that neoprene seals are not as reliable as latex at keeping you dry. I know those who use both and they tend to be happy with what they got. In the end shop around, ask questions. Seek the advice of others on this board ( hey its free ) and then make a educated decision on what type of suit you want to buy. I myself use a DUI CLX-450 trilaminate, with Weezle Extreem undergarments & Diving Concepts drive gloves.
Best of luck .Arduous
There are many quality dry suits out on the market these days and most are made relatively the same way from relatively the same materials. There are suits made of neoprene that have provide thermal protection with little to no undergarments. These suits help to keep you warm by the thickness of the material. However like a neoprene wet suit, these suits compress with depth and loose some of their insulating properties. They also have high buoyancy characteristics requiring the diver to use more weight to get down. There are crushed or compressed neoprene suits that are less buoyant and less effected by depth, but require the diver to have adequate thermal undergarments to keep warm. There are trilaminate suit that have no thermal protection qualities at all. They rely strictly on the undergarments to provide thermal protection. Neoprene suits tend to be very resistant to abrasion but are heavy when wet and take long to dry. Trilaminate suits are lighter and fast drying but some may not be as abrasion resistant as their neoprene counterparts. There are also vulcanized rubber suits, but may who wear them are professional divers, diving in contaminated waters. Not that you must be a pro or be diving in contaminated water to use a vulcanized suit, as there are people who are not and use them regularly. Wrist and neck seals are made from two types of material, neoprene & latex. Neoprene will be warmer especially in the neck area. However some will argue that neoprene seals are not as reliable as latex at keeping you dry. I know those who use both and they tend to be happy with what they got. In the end shop around, ask questions. Seek the advice of others on this board ( hey its free ) and then make a educated decision on what type of suit you want to buy. I myself use a DUI CLX-450 trilaminate, with Weezle Extreem undergarments & Diving Concepts drive gloves.
Best of luck .Arduous
TexasMike
Contributor
The best bit of general advice offered to me when I was shopping for drysuits is that spending the relatively few extra dollars for custom fit is well worth it.
And after I got the suit and dove it, I agree heartilly.
Just like trying to find a perfect fit sport coat or business suit off of the rack is very difficult, so is finding the best fit in a drysuit can be difficult. And comfort is the name of the entire game here.
As far as helping you with manufacturers, brands, and models, you'll need to let us know more about where you are diving and what type of diving you are getitng into.
And after I got the suit and dove it, I agree heartilly.
Just like trying to find a perfect fit sport coat or business suit off of the rack is very difficult, so is finding the best fit in a drysuit can be difficult. And comfort is the name of the entire game here.
As far as helping you with manufacturers, brands, and models, you'll need to let us know more about where you are diving and what type of diving you are getitng into.
OP
so far my diving with it would be limited to the california coast, mainly in the monterey carmel area. I have an adequate wet suit, but I have seen the wonders of dry on my buddies
trymixdiver
Guest
As a fellow Californian
I wanted a drysuit that i could vary the amount of undergarments on. During the summer here i would still dive dry and wanted a suit that fit my needs. I ended up buying a Viking drysuit. This suit works great for all water temps allowing me to vary the amount of underwear depending on the temp. I dive all year round and dive Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is as cold as it gets in california and my suit works perfectly for it ( 34 - 50 degrees).
If your doing any serious wreck diving i would say stay away from the viking and look at the DUI line.
Andy
I wanted a drysuit that i could vary the amount of undergarments on. During the summer here i would still dive dry and wanted a suit that fit my needs. I ended up buying a Viking drysuit. This suit works great for all water temps allowing me to vary the amount of underwear depending on the temp. I dive all year round and dive Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is as cold as it gets in california and my suit works perfectly for it ( 34 - 50 degrees).
If your doing any serious wreck diving i would say stay away from the viking and look at the DUI line.
Andy
Dryglove
Contributor
I think a lot of it boils down to how much you want to spend.I wish i could have purchased a DUI self entry suit with rock boots.But unfortunately my budget limited me to a Bare Nex-gen suit with trek boots and a ct-200 polar wear.Dont get me wrong cause i love this set up and would take it over any wetsuit.A matter of fact im selling my wetsuit.I dive in monterey and this fills my needs perfectly.I wouldnt use it for wreck diving or anything like that.Thats where the high end dui and other top end suits come in to play.
If your looking for excellent prices on dui suits check https://www.4uu.com/rexdc/default.asp
Its always better to buy from your LDS but for the price i couldnt pass mine up online.I fully support my LDS and have spent many many $$$$$$ there but sometimes its worth it for me to get a substantial savings on line.So figure out your budget and what kind of diving your gonna be doing.I dont have a need for a high abrasion suit so i didnt get one and saved money by going with the bare.
If your looking for excellent prices on dui suits check https://www.4uu.com/rexdc/default.asp
Its always better to buy from your LDS but for the price i couldnt pass mine up online.I fully support my LDS and have spent many many $$$$$$ there but sometimes its worth it for me to get a substantial savings on line.So figure out your budget and what kind of diving your gonna be doing.I dont have a need for a high abrasion suit so i didnt get one and saved money by going with the bare.
ninja
Guest
If you want something bullet proof...DUI CF200 or an ABYSS pro .....lots of other manufactures make nice suits but these are the toughest!!
Hopes this helps ya !
LEN
Hopes this helps ya !
LEN
ninja
Guest
Bare makes great affordable suits! and have an alternative to the DUI cf200 it's a compressed neoprene front entry suit!!
Here's the link
http://www.bare-wetsuits.com/bareshop/diveproduct.asp?dept_id=21010&pf_id=61316
Len
Here's the link
http://www.bare-wetsuits.com/bareshop/diveproduct.asp?dept_id=21010&pf_id=61316
Len
Scubaroo
Contributor
Anyone got one of those BARE XCD2 suits? They look sweet.
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