Neoprene Dry Suits? What's good, What's bad?
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I had a couple hundred dives on my DUI TLS350 trilam suit. I now have a Diving Concepts crushed 2mm suit. I will never dive trilam again. I wear the same weight, yet never have to worry about tearing the suit every time I enter from a rocky shoreline. It is also warmer than a trilam and stretches. Plus I can move through the water almost as easily as I can in a wetsuit. Couldn't do that in the Glad bag I had before. The only negative I've found is the drying time between dives. My suit is often still wet the next time I go diving. The TLS350 was usually dry before I even got out of it.
ba_hiker
Contributor
I just purchased a Diving Concepts crushed neoprene drysuite and have had it fitted (boots changes to the correct size for me and the seals all trimmed), but due to work constraints have not yet tried it out...
Friends, and aquaintences that have similar suits like the crushed (compressed??) neoprene. I will let you know what its like when i get a chance to try it..
Friends, and aquaintences that have similar suits like the crushed (compressed??) neoprene. I will let you know what its like when i get a chance to try it..
daveman692
Registered
Some people have touched on this, but finding a way to make the suit flexable is really important. If I'm going to spend the money on a drysuit, I want one that will adjust to different temperatures and enviornments.
This means at least something like zip seals on the wrists. Also really like the idea, though the cost seems prohibitive, of a zip seal on the neck incase the seal is ever torn. If you could do super-strech neoprene for seals, so you don't have to fold them under, that could also be a good alternative to latex. Seems like a fairly easy boot solution is having the suit not have built-in rock boots, but selling them as an easy addon.
Also would be really cool if you could solve the issue of how much water these sorts of suits hold. They become quite heavy out of the water and take a good deal of time to dry, versus a trilam which you can just towell off.
All in all, the more options for flexability the better.
This means at least something like zip seals on the wrists. Also really like the idea, though the cost seems prohibitive, of a zip seal on the neck incase the seal is ever torn. If you could do super-strech neoprene for seals, so you don't have to fold them under, that could also be a good alternative to latex. Seems like a fairly easy boot solution is having the suit not have built-in rock boots, but selling them as an easy addon.
Also would be really cool if you could solve the issue of how much water these sorts of suits hold. They become quite heavy out of the water and take a good deal of time to dry, versus a trilam which you can just towell off.
All in all, the more options for flexability the better.
JustinW
Contributor
I haven't heard this one expressed as much as I would have thought, but self entry is very important to me. Also, if the self entry design has a zipper that goes down far enough I can pee during surface intervals without pulling the seals off my wrists and neck. Not sure if it is a DUI patent or not, but the telescoping torso is a nice idea too, gives a bit more mobility without pulling in the wrong places. Other ideas:
-latex seal option
-flex neoprenes
-valve options
-boot options
-entry and high end level neoprene suit
-warm neck collar for latex neck seal suit
-pockets etc. not stock for those of us who want to be more streamlined
I really want to avoid the snotty "we are too good for small shops unless you make a huge commitment" attitude of that company from San Diego and the crummy service reputation of that Canadian company that named their company after the color of snow. So if you can make a good neoprene suit, I'll buy it.
-latex seal option
-flex neoprenes
-valve options
-boot options
-entry and high end level neoprene suit
-warm neck collar for latex neck seal suit
-pockets etc. not stock for those of us who want to be more streamlined
I really want to avoid the snotty "we are too good for small shops unless you make a huge commitment" attitude of that company from San Diego and the crummy service reputation of that Canadian company that named their company after the color of snow. So if you can make a good neoprene suit, I'll buy it.
Mark Vlahos
Contributor
JustinW:
You mean there is a dry suit company named Yellow?
Mark Vlahos
OP
USIA
Contributor
I don't think that will be a problem. Small shops are the life blood of our industry. We don't require minimum purchases.JustinW:
SeanQ
Contributor
JustinW:
Mark Vlahos:You mean there is a dry suit company named Yellow?
There isn't much snow on the West Coast right now. You might say the ground is bare.
Jerseybred
Registered
I don't think your going to find any 2 divers to agree on anything. Diving is so varied in what one's activities involve underwater and the method by which they get there, i.e. boat diving or shore diving. Also going on vacation and having to transport the gear on planes seems to be an issue.
Diving now for 30+ years in the North Atlantic both commercially and as a serious wreck diver and always from a boat I have my preferences along with others I dive with. The majority favor full 7mm neoprene with neoprene seals and attached boots. Attached hoods are 50/50. Neoprene is simply warmer, more comfortable, holds up better and is easier to repair. Cuff dumps simply get in the way.
My preference is the old style Poseidon Unisuit period. I don't care much for the new style. I'm continually scanning Ebay for the old suits but they have been out of production so long now that the rubber is becoming an issue as we all know it deteriorates with age.
I realize that your looking to sell a "one suit fits all". That's impossible and just from reading the above posts proves that. My suggestion would be to provide a basic 7mm suit and build it to the customers desires. That would be, attached or detached hood. location of the dump valve, latex or neoprene seals, hard or soft boots, rubber or kevlar kneepads standard and lastly location of the zipper. Provide these options at no additional cost as there is no additional cost to you. Provide a semi-custom suit and I think you'll have a market.
Diving now for 30+ years in the North Atlantic both commercially and as a serious wreck diver and always from a boat I have my preferences along with others I dive with. The majority favor full 7mm neoprene with neoprene seals and attached boots. Attached hoods are 50/50. Neoprene is simply warmer, more comfortable, holds up better and is easier to repair. Cuff dumps simply get in the way.
My preference is the old style Poseidon Unisuit period. I don't care much for the new style. I'm continually scanning Ebay for the old suits but they have been out of production so long now that the rubber is becoming an issue as we all know it deteriorates with age.
I realize that your looking to sell a "one suit fits all". That's impossible and just from reading the above posts proves that. My suggestion would be to provide a basic 7mm suit and build it to the customers desires. That would be, attached or detached hood. location of the dump valve, latex or neoprene seals, hard or soft boots, rubber or kevlar kneepads standard and lastly location of the zipper. Provide these options at no additional cost as there is no additional cost to you. Provide a semi-custom suit and I think you'll have a market.
OP
USIA
Contributor
Great points. I would never do a one size fits all, or just stock sizes. Dry suits need to fit properly. One of the things that make USIA pretty popular with our dealers is that we offer a lot of choices and options with not a lot of extra costs. From the info I'm gathering, that is not the case with a lot of other companies, especially over sea suits.Jerseybred:
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