Possible future dry suit purchase, What things to look for?

[tstormdiver]

I am looking at possibly getting a dry suit in the coming months, so I can extend my diving seasons. I know I will need to get some training to learn how to handle the suit & have no problem with that. From what research I've done, it looks like I will be looking at a shell style drysuit, so I can adjust the amount of insulation I use according to the conditions I'm diving at the time & for comfort factors. I do not like suits (wet suits anyway) that are bulky & binding. I'm looking for suggestions into brands, options, good points, drawbacks and any other general information that you may have. I'm just trying to thoroughly do my homework before I make such a large investment. Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[RJP]

Well, I have owned two in my short dive career so I can compare and contrast them for you.

BARE Trilam HD Tech Dry:

Good suit, material on the heavier side for trilam which seemed like it would be good and hold up well. I got it on-line from one of the well know e-tailers. Good price: for around $1500 I got the suit, plus a pocket, plus cuff rings, plus neoprene boots, plus suspenders, plus the CT-200 undies, plus a 7mm hood. Suit was fine, and kept me dry and warm down to 43degrees. Dried quickly

Downsides: suit was heavy. Almost as heavy as a neoprene suit. Suit was stiff, not very flexible. Didn't like the way the legs connected to the boots, had a cuff that came down over the boots, sort of like pants. Didn't like the "anti-inflation" built in gaitors, didn't work that well but added bulk and weight. The hose was a bit cheesey - plastic "wing nut" like thingy on the valve end would get snagged frequently and pop the hose off the valve. Didn't like the neck seal which was NOT the way it is pictured in the photo. Looks like a "warm neck" seal, but it actually came with one of those "bellows-like" neck seals. With/because of all that it didn't seem like it fit me that well, and had really restricted range of motion especially in my arms. I bought a "TALL" size for my 6'2" frame which should have fit me perfectly on paper anyway.


DUI TLS-350:

I tried one of these at my LDS for kicks, just to see what all the hubbub was - all the owners and instructors wear them. I told them that I didn't think the mens large stock would fit me - on paper it should only go to about 5'11" and should be too wide for my 180# frame.

Fit me like a custom suit! Material is super-light. I'd say it weighs half what the Bare suit weighs. Much thinner material, the whole suit folds/rolls down tiny and fits with undies in the smallish bag that DUI provides, as oppsed to Barely (get it - "Bare"ly!) fitting into the duffle bag the Bare suit came with. Suit dries quickly, and is very comfortable. Range of motion is fine. I got the turbo soles as I don't care for the rock boots.

Downsides: Price. Package was about $300 more than the Bare suit. For ~$1800 I got the TLS-350 plus the "sport package" which included CF-200 knee pads, two pockets, and a "warm neck" hood. Not a lot of money difference, and well worth the extra to me.

 

[tstormdiver]

Thanks! that's something to go on. I do mostly quarry diving down here in KY & the water temp. below 60' stays at 40-45F year round. I'm looking at extending my diving season from March- Nov. instead of late May- Oct. I'm rather cold natured to begin with & even with a 2pc 7mm I can't take the cold water for more than 15- 20 min. (I know, I'm such a wus) I really dislike the bulkiness of the 7mm wetsuits, as it impedes my flexiblity (& I'm very flexible for my age). What kind of neck/ wrist seals & hoods do you recomend for comfort. I had to have a custom thick wet suit hood made for myself, as the "off the shelf" would never fit me correctly around the neck (always felt like it was choking me- even an extra large hood), as I have rather a double chin.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I would say that the single most important thing to look for in a dry suit is the fit. If the suit does not fit nothing else will matter.

I have a DUI CLx450 size XL and if fits like a custom suit. Most suits from reputable manufacturers are well made, just pick quality materials and good construction methods and you should be happy with almost any thing out there, just try to stay away from "Bi-Laminate" fabric as that material will probably not hold up over time as well as a "Tri-Laminate" material.

I dive a backplate and wing, so I need pockets on the suit to carry odds and ends. If you use a BC with pockets then pockets on the dry suit may not be important. Even if you get a suit without pockets and want them added in the future it is not that big a deal. DUI has ZipSeals, if you want them then you will limit your search to DUI brand suits.

You may be able to use your wet suit hood with a dry suit, so long as it is a separate hood and the bib is not too huge. Knee pads are probably a good idea on a dry suit, and quality valves. If you can rent a dry suit to try the fit, that would be great. The undergarments you choose are almost as important to overall fit and comfort as the dry suit itself. Whatever suit you get it will need to fit over a range of undergarment thicknesses, when you try on suits make sure that you factor in the thicker undergarment.

Fit is the key, almost everything else is secondary. Try not to break the bank, but these things are expensive.

Good luck,

Mark Vlahos

 

[scubadobadoo]

I would say that the single most important thing to look for in a dry suit is the fit. If the suit does not fit nothing else will matter.

Yep. All else is minor and preference. I like both and see no major dif. between the two. Price and preference.

 

[RPanick]

There appear to be at least two kinds of shell suits out there now. Those that are very tough, and those that use a thinner material.

The tough suits will probably last longer because the material is really strong. The downside to them is that they don't have much if any stretch. So when you have the air squeezed out they can have some limits on mobility.

The thin suits have some stretch to them, which gives you more flexibility, and some people say more comfortable. The downside here is that the thinner material is likely to be prone to getting holes, and may not last as long.

Best thing to do is consider how many dives a year you do and what kind of conditions. If you are in areas where you may have to deal with sharp edges (like Zebra muscles), you might want to consider one of the tougher suits. Otherwise the thin suit might be appealing.

 

[Biodiversity_guy]

Another brand to consider besides DUI is USIA. They are popular out in the PNW and, like DUI, have an excellent reputation for quality manufactoring and customer service. They are also a tad more affordable than the DUI line.

 

[nucem]

Take a look at Norther Divers Dry suits. Their web site is www.ndiver.com. I just purchased their Cortex model with the front entry and love it. I have about 15 dives in it and no complants. The neck and wrist seals are latex with a neoprine cover to protect them and for added warmth. My LDS swears by them. Also Scuba Diving Mag compaired about 20 dry suits in last months issue if you can get a copy of that it might help with your decision. Good luck with your choice and once you go dry you will not want to dive any other way.

 

[Pathfinder]

I have the same Bare drysuit as RJP but in the "light" model. I guess the thicker material does make quite a bit of difference in the overall feel of the suit, mine is definately not heavy at all and the material allows for unrestricted movement. Much better feel to it than the neoprene drysuit I used to dive with. I have just the socks attached to the legs instead of boots and wear the trek boots over the socks. That set-up works great for me. I have had the hose pop off a couple of times as well because of the "cheesy wing nut type thingy" catching on gear. Overall, however I like the drysuit and would recommend it.

Dave

 

[Rick Inman]

Finally, on my forth drysuit, I bought a custom, and I will never by another one that isn't a custom fit. Mine is a Diving Concepts trilam shell, and I think they charge just $200 more for custom.

Yes, as Mark said, fit is everything.