Nothern Diver dry suit

[buff]

I just bought a pair of Nothern Diver dry gloves(really well built). I was just wondering if anyone has or ever has used a Nothern Diver dry suit.

They are very well priced on line from the U.K.

 

[Campana]

I bought a Viking Xtreme from Bob3 last year at a really good price. He is now a Northern Diver dealer, I believe. My cave buddy just bought one, I think, and he looked into it. Talk to Bob3 and he'll give you the skinney.

 

[budgy]

I bought a Northern diver compressed neoprene suit it wore well but was not dry. The material is tough, easy to clean and withstands abrasion. Neoprene seals are not as waterproof as latex, their tougher and they wont split, but turn your head to look behind you and water gets in. The suit takes ages to dry and they are difficult, if not exhausting to get into. They make a shell suit, called a Vortex it is a good suit, dry's quickly, easy to get into, latex seals, though it is not in the same class in abrasive resistance. I dive from rocky shores and am liable to get a rub against barnacles if there is any swell. They are making a Cordura shell suit, which I have not seen but am told has excellent abrasive qualities, and they are having a sale this January

 

[buff]

A cordura dry suit. Gates makes one right now. It's their cordura 450.

 

[buff]

Those Nothern Diver suits look like they are well made in the U.K.. You know what they say "If it ain't Scott, it's CRAP"

 

[budgy]

Gates suits are made in Scotland, I have never owned one, they look very nice and I have recently thought about buying one, but I have heard mixed reports about them. I wrote to them a few weeks ago and asked a few questions about the material in their suits and as they are close, if I could see their factory. They have not replied. The dive magazine's like them; I would like to see more reports from happy divers, as I find dive magazines often print articles as an editorial when it is paid advertising. They will also suppress news when a product is reported as defective. While we are free to express our opinions.

 

[buff]

Budgy-
What have been the bad comments concerning the Gates' suits?

I have never heard any.

Mike

 

[buff]

Gates has very detailed information on their suit material on their web site. It is very detailed but it is their own data so I take it for what it's worth.

I know a diver who just bought a Gates VSN1100 with built in metal glove ring system. The suits material was so nice-strong but stretchy.

 

[budgy]

Hi Buff,
I never owned a Gates suit and I rarely ever see other divers wearing one. None of the divers I dive with own one. Anythink I say about them would not be based on fact but rumour. In discussion with others, two people have said they have been disappointed, one was a pro diver, the other my local dive shop owner. I don't know what kind of gates suit they had, or really why the suits failed to meet their expectations.
Looking at their web site I was considering between a cordura suit or the VSN 1100, I wanted to know more about the qualities of each and how they compare with each other. The web site fails to explain. The material of the VSN 1100, as far as I know is unique to Gates. Reports about the VSN and the Cordura, all say how comfortable they are. I would like to see some durability reports of 200 + dives, from divers like us.

 

[Belos]

I just bought me a Northern Diver ReefMaster (5mm compressed neoprene).....so far its warm and nice n dry, and a pain to get into but i'll get used to that.
On the whole it seems coola.