You will be using it for the next 20 years. You will replace drysuit zippers every 3 - 5 years with regular to heavy use. YMMV
Looking for the Toughest, Best Zippered Dry Suit Available
- Thread starter DeepSeaDan
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OP
My favorite drysuit by far has been the Waterproof D7 PRO ISS with a plastic T-Zip. Seals can be replaced in less than a minute in the field and I've never had a zipper leak since going with the T-Zip a few years ago.
20 years, eh? I'll be 83! Guess I'll only need one more suit after that...
You either wear out the suit or it will wear you out.
OP
Best in your DUI CF200 with brand new zipper, what do you think of that???
I wish you MANY decades to come and you are in great health, prosperity and happiness with fantastic awesome safe enjoyable diving.
I had a Viking pro rubber dry suit...basically like diving within a tire...rugged as hell but not comfortable. I then got a DUI CF200 with knee pads...elbow pads..pockets...etc...I would think the Viking Pro suit would work for you...Viking Pro Diving Dry Suit | Viking Dry Suits | Deep Sea Diving Gear | Commercial Deep Sea Dive Gear | Diving Equipment | DESCO Diving Equipment and Supply Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Just a bit outside of the posted price range but I had a DUI CLX450 made to measure for me. Instead of the standard top and bottom made from different materials, I had the entire suit made out of CORDURA®, Butyl Rubber & Polyester. I have made recoveries in some rough places, but the suit still looks great. As noted, neck/wrist seals and zippers are consumables but the suit itself still looks great.
That's exactly how I started with drysuits, Viking Vulcanized Rubber suit then on to DUI CF200. I will NEVER use a Viking Vulcanized Rubber drysuit again. I'd rather not dive than use it. The Viking suit is for commercial divers who stand in one place to do their commercial diving work u/w not for the guy who is swimming around like we do.
This isn't to say that Viking drysuits are no good, not at all. They are just not for the type of diving we do swimming and moving from one place to another u/w. (I am talking about Viking Vulcanized Rubber suit)
Buy a MTM SF Tech (Not Scuba Force Germany, but ST Tech from Switzerland) Kevlar Drysuit. Heavy, extremely well made, let them know your body measurements, what undergarments you are using, and what you want on it.
I'd reccomend:
HD Metal YKK Zip
Viking (SiTech) contaminated water exhaust valve
Viking HD cuffs (much sturdier that the Pro cuffs)
SiTech Inflator Valve
SubSea 90° angled connector for the heating (inside the suit ending in a high quality gold plated Tamiya connector) works much better than the cheap E/O connectors.
HD rubberized neoprene boots
and 2 hoods (use one and after a few hundred dives it'll be noticeably thinner than the unused one. Now throw it away, use the new one and order a new spare.
You shouldn't trust me, give the greatest drysuit repairman in the USA, Gamble, a call and listen to what he tells you.
I'm willing to bet that what he tells you won't be much different than what I posted here.
Michael
I'd reccomend:
HD Metal YKK Zip
Viking (SiTech) contaminated water exhaust valve
Viking HD cuffs (much sturdier that the Pro cuffs)
SiTech Inflator Valve
SubSea 90° angled connector for the heating (inside the suit ending in a high quality gold plated Tamiya connector) works much better than the cheap E/O connectors.
HD rubberized neoprene boots
and 2 hoods (use one and after a few hundred dives it'll be noticeably thinner than the unused one. Now throw it away, use the new one and order a new spare.
You shouldn't trust me, give the greatest drysuit repairman in the USA, Gamble, a call and listen to what he tells you.
I'm willing to bet that what he tells you won't be much different than what I posted here.
Michael
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