DIR- Generic New Santi Avatar Drysuit ordered—full review to follow soon.
- Thread starter Hartattack
- Start date
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I would. The emotion or elite would be a more durable suit if you’re planning on wreck diving or dealing with restrictions on caves. The reality is you’re going to end up with more than one suit eventually. So I think avatar fits a nicely as a travel suit.
The avatar has all the require tech features with nice pockets, dump valve location and tech boots
travisfull
Contributor
travisfull
Contributor
Hello Hartattack, any new feedback after 3 years use?
Im evaluating to buy it as a 2nd drysuit after my elite+
QUOTE="Hartattack, post: 9167585, member: 461108"]
Hi, I paid the regular price—I wish I got a deal! I genuinely like the suit and think it fits price-wise for those of us already spending a lot on gear.
For the zipper, the Emotion +, and I believe the Elite + ‘s zipper travel goes downward from your right shoulder to your left hip. IMHO, this channel change makes it a bit easier to doff and don. In contrast, the older way—left shoulder to the right hip can be a bit awkward.
[/QUOTE]
Im evaluating to buy it as a 2nd drysuit after my elite+
QUOTE="Hartattack, post: 9167585, member: 461108"]
Hi, I paid the regular price—I wish I got a deal! I genuinely like the suit and think it fits price-wise for those of us already spending a lot on gear.
For the zipper, the Emotion +, and I believe the Elite + ‘s zipper travel goes downward from your right shoulder to your left hip. IMHO, this channel change makes it a bit easier to doff and don. In contrast, the older way—left shoulder to the right hip can be a bit awkward.
[/QUOTE]
I have mines now for almost 3.5 years, have done about 450 dives? (I don't know exactly as written before)
My suit is still going strong. I have replaced the seals, but that is normal with every suit I have. The zip is still working well, so tizip has improved over the years as before I could get only 80 dives out of a tizip before it started leaking and I had said never a tizip again, till I got the avatar, with the promise that if it started to leak so soon I could get a zip replaced as warranty. I almost never apply the grease that was provided, too lazy.
I have abused my suit quite a lot. In 1 of my pockets is a hole. That has nothing to do with diving, but with caving. I have done some caving between sumps in it. The knees and elbows were protected with extra protection, but the pockets where wider than my hips, so got stucked a little bit.
Easy to repair though. And it was not a leak, just the pocket.
Further I had a very small leak a few weeks ago due to the fabric that goes everytime in the same place in a squeeze, directly near the tape to make it watertight. That was a 5 minute repair with aquasure and will never leak again. Also I have I think one very small leak now somewhere near the crotchstrap, 15 cm more to the left, I saw this last weekend after a dive. I did not feel, but the undersuit looked like it was a really little bit wet. Could also be touching it with a wet hand, so less it was. I have to test it again this weekend (but will not see it then maybe as it are nightdives). Otherwise it is again an small repair, just acetone with aquasure, mix this till it is thin, take a brush and apply it on the insite of the suit. It will not make the suit stiffer, and it is a long lasting solution.
I had the same way leaks in my Otter and in my old Santi Espace. So these are weaker spots in a drysuit for me.
This means the Avatar is still going strong. And I don't save the suit from harsh circumstances. But of course as I do with every suit, when I think I need extra protection on knees or elbows, I will take it. But like last week, I was teaching a drysuit and had to pull down the student, and hit something with my knees, that is not a thing I take extra protection with. I also kneel sometimes when I have to put on my sidemount equipment before the dive. Also then I just kneel. You don't see the fabric is weakening on the knees.
In summer it is dry very fast. And that is really nice. Sometimes I have a dry drysuit between dives. In an airplane it is the most lightweight suit I have ever had.
So my suit is still in use and I think I can do easy another 200 dives with it.
My suit is still going strong. I have replaced the seals, but that is normal with every suit I have. The zip is still working well, so tizip has improved over the years as before I could get only 80 dives out of a tizip before it started leaking and I had said never a tizip again, till I got the avatar, with the promise that if it started to leak so soon I could get a zip replaced as warranty. I almost never apply the grease that was provided, too lazy.
I have abused my suit quite a lot. In 1 of my pockets is a hole. That has nothing to do with diving, but with caving. I have done some caving between sumps in it. The knees and elbows were protected with extra protection, but the pockets where wider than my hips, so got stucked a little bit.
Easy to repair though. And it was not a leak, just the pocket.
Further I had a very small leak a few weeks ago due to the fabric that goes everytime in the same place in a squeeze, directly near the tape to make it watertight. That was a 5 minute repair with aquasure and will never leak again. Also I have I think one very small leak now somewhere near the crotchstrap, 15 cm more to the left, I saw this last weekend after a dive. I did not feel, but the undersuit looked like it was a really little bit wet. Could also be touching it with a wet hand, so less it was. I have to test it again this weekend (but will not see it then maybe as it are nightdives). Otherwise it is again an small repair, just acetone with aquasure, mix this till it is thin, take a brush and apply it on the insite of the suit. It will not make the suit stiffer, and it is a long lasting solution.
I had the same way leaks in my Otter and in my old Santi Espace. So these are weaker spots in a drysuit for me.
This means the Avatar is still going strong. And I don't save the suit from harsh circumstances. But of course as I do with every suit, when I think I need extra protection on knees or elbows, I will take it. But like last week, I was teaching a drysuit and had to pull down the student, and hit something with my knees, that is not a thing I take extra protection with. I also kneel sometimes when I have to put on my sidemount equipment before the dive. Also then I just kneel. You don't see the fabric is weakening on the knees.
In summer it is dry very fast. And that is really nice. Sometimes I have a dry drysuit between dives. In an airplane it is the most lightweight suit I have ever had.
So my suit is still in use and I think I can do easy another 200 dives with it.
I have seen now the new Avatar also, the Airon. This one is way much thicker than the dark blue one. Of course also slightly more expensive. The new suit is grey with an orangje pocket. And it comes with the smart seal system. I don't have experience with the option of rings to replace seals yourself, never felt the need for it, because I can replace seals myself easy in less than half an hour. But ok, you cannot do glueing at the divesite.
It is a 260g/m2 fabric now, so thicker than the Emotion. But Emotion is ripstop, here it is other material, but it looks strong.
It is a 260g/m2 fabric now, so thicker than the Emotion. But Emotion is ripstop, here it is other material, but it looks strong.
I own since a few months also the new Avatar. The smartseals work fine, I don't have problems with them. I have already tried to replace a wristseal, just to know how it works and it can be done in 2 minutes. No manual needed.
Further I have done my first cavedives with it and some photography 'dives'. The last ones are no real dives, but I wanted to take pictures of mating toads in very shallow water, so I took the new Avatar,putted a weightbelt on and sat on my knees to take pictures.
As said, the new one is stronger, but also some heavier. I like both.
Further I have done my first cavedives with it and some photography 'dives'. The last ones are no real dives, but I wanted to take pictures of mating toads in very shallow water, so I took the new Avatar,putted a weightbelt on and sat on my knees to take pictures.
As said, the new one is stronger, but also some heavier. I like both.
admikar
Contributor
travisfull
Contributor
I’ve been using my avatar 101 for a few months now, I bought it in december 2023 as a backup drysuit.
I cant say one negative thing about it: super light weight and very comfortable donning and doffing. It is more fragile than the Elite+ and may not last long for hard core penetration in caves or wrecks…but for anything else it is definitely a good choice.
Added plus: it fits within a hand luggage and you easily travel with it, and Im doing it all the time. Very very recommended.
As for the seals: the smart seals are great, and I can swith them between santi and avatar drysuits. As for the neck seal, I recently glued the OMS silicon neck on my santi and love it: it lasts longer, much more flexible than the latex and less skin abrasion (at least for me).
I cant say one negative thing about it: super light weight and very comfortable donning and doffing. It is more fragile than the Elite+ and may not last long for hard core penetration in caves or wrecks…but for anything else it is definitely a good choice.
Added plus: it fits within a hand luggage and you easily travel with it, and Im doing it all the time. Very very recommended.
As for the seals: the smart seals are great, and I can swith them between santi and avatar drysuits. As for the neck seal, I recently glued the OMS silicon neck on my santi and love it: it lasts longer, much more flexible than the latex and less skin abrasion (at least for me).
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