New DUI question :)

[andrewy]

Guys/Gals i finally took the plunge thanks to Rob Lee and got my own spanking 20 dives new DUI TLS350 in black with pockets . i used to my mobbys 4mm compressed neoprene and have no idea what undergarments to wear when. any ideas?
my general dive profile is 45 -90min, currently i can do 2 40min dive @ 47F wearing nothing under my 4mm mobbys, i do get bit chilled on second dive.
do i get 200g or 400g or??

 

[Hinalo]

With my TLS350 I am comfortable most of the year, except for Apr/May/June, in a DUI Polartec 300 jumpsuit. During the period of 44 - 48˚ temps I get cold in the 300g and switch to at least 400g undies.

 

[Peter_C]

I wear a layer of fleece sweats under a DUI 400g. Barely enough for me, but for others they would be cooking.

This thread needs a mention of the Otter Bay hoods!

 

[elan]

Guys/Gals i finally took the plunge thanks to Rob Lee and got my own spanking 20 dives new DUI TLS350 in black with pockets . i used to my mobbys 4mm compressed neoprene and have no idea what undergarments to wear when. any ideas?
my general dive profile is 45 -90min, currently i can do 2 40min dive @ 47F wearing nothing under my 4mm mobbys, i do get bit chilled on second dive.
do i get 200g or 400g or??

200g will be good for a 40 min dive but will be on a colder side for 90 min. I would get a 200g undies with 200 g vest. This way you can adjust the undergarment depending on the dive. I can dive in 250G + 300g vest in 36 water for 60 mins, a bit chilly at the end of the dive. .

 

[dannobee]

Ok, others may not agree, but with over 500 drysuit dives under my belt, here's my recommendation:

Buy a 400 gm suit

Buy an Otter Bay 12 mm hood

Buy a polartec jumpsuit

Buy some kind of undergarment that goes directly against your skin. Thermal jumpsuit or something. It'll save wear and tear on the laundering of the other undergarments.

Mix and match these, depending on conditions. If you go diving in So Cal, take some thinner ones with you so that you don't overheat. If you go anywhere else, you'll have the flexibility to stay warm (not hot, not cold).

 

[fisheater]

Another nod for the awesome Otter Bay neoprene "helmet."

 

[Adobo]

I would say that the preferred solution would be some type of 400gram thinsulate. That level of thickness provides great thermal insulation for dives that last longer than 60 minutes and the thinsulate material performs better than other materials when there is a leak in the suit. In my case, I dive with a 400 gram thinsulate undergarment and 200 gram vest.

With regards to options for 400 gram thinsulate undergarments, the new DUI XM450 is really nice in that it has stretch panels that allow greater flexibility. This is the undergarment I use. It seems that the Santi 400 gram undergarment is also available locally now. I personally do not have experience with the Santi though.