So what is a good dry suit for a beginner ?

[socc]

Hello Everyone,

I am quite new to diving and as many people around I am trying to figure out which dry suit should I buy.
What features should the dry suit have for a beginner and why ?
Is it better for a beginner to buy a dry suit that might be a bit more expensive rather that buying one that is less but will give him more confidence with using it ?

My main though about dry suits is the buoyancy control and I see many people in the forum complaining that some drysuits make your life hard in this particular aspect.

Any help would really appreciated !

Thanks,

Socc

 

[Instructor_Tom]

The best dry suit for a beginner is a used one! Buy a nice second hand suit to learn how to fly a drysuit and what you like and dislike in a suit. Spend your money on quality undergarments, because that is what keeps you warm. A good used suit can run between $400-800, which is a lot less than $1200-3000. There are always suits going up for sale on this board.

Once you have dove the suit and are proficient then invest in a custom fitted suit of your choice which should last you a lifetime if properly taken care of.

Hope this is useful.

T.


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[socc]

The best dry suit for a beginner is a used one! Buy a nice second hand suit to learn how to fly a drysuit and what you like and dislike in a suit. Spend your money on quality undergarments, because that is what keeps you warm. A good used suit can run between $400-800, which is a lot less than $1200-3000. There are always suits going up for sale on this board.

Once you have dove the suit and are proficient then invest in a custom fitted suit of your choice which should last you a lifetime if properly taken care of.

Hope this is useful.

T.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hello DiveMaster_TOM,

Many thanks for your reply.

Do you know any other web-site that I can find used equipment ?
I was thinking to start with a suit like the Scupapro Everdry 4. Is that a reasonable choice for a beginner ? If not can you please suggest some that you might know.

Thanks,

Socc

 

[alewar]

I like the Santi suits.

 

[TSandM]

I think the Scubapro Everydry, if a stock size fits you well, is an excellent choice for a first dry suit. It has a few drawbacks -- being neoprene, it loses some insulating quality at depth. It will also have the same buoyancy swings as a neoprene wetsuit. It comes with neoprene seals, which effectively rule out dry gloves. But it sits at a great price point, and comes with an undergarment. We have had students buy them and be very happy with them.

In the same price range is the Fusion One. This is a suit that is a bit more forgiving of fit, is priced similarly, and is probably more durable. It comes with Latex seals, which permit the use of dry gloves, if you are diving in water cold enough to need them. Fusions are very hard to hurt.

To me, a dry suit is a dry suit -- what makes them hard to dive is if they don't fit and trap gas, or if the dump valve is in the wrong place and makes venting difficult. Both of the suits I mentioned are okay from those perspectives.

 

[Herb-alaska]

a good first dry suit is a dry one. You will have so many opinion changes on what you really want that you may buy several looking for the perfect one for you. A good used suit that fits you correctly is the best deal other than that you may want to check out HOG they have a nice bilam in the 1300 range it would allow you to pick your seal as well as adjust your fit . The key is get something that fits well so that you don't have to play with all the ill fighting suit issues to start with.

 

[socc]

I think the Scubapro Everydry, if a stock size fits you well, is an excellent choice for a first dry suit. It has a few drawbacks -- being neoprene, it loses some insulating quality at depth. It will also have the same buoyancy swings as a neoprene wetsuit. It comes with neoprene seals, which effectively rule out dry gloves. But it sits at a great price point, and comes with an undergarment. We have had students buy them and be very happy with them.

In the same price range is the Fusion One. This is a suit that is a bit more forgiving of fit, is priced similarly, and is probably more durable. It comes with Latex seals, which permit the use of dry gloves, if you are diving in water cold enough to need them. Fusions are very hard to hurt.

To me, a dry suit is a dry suit -- what makes them hard to dive is if they don't fit and trap gas, or if the dump valve is in the wrong place and makes venting difficult. Both of the suits I mentioned are okay from those perspectives.

a good first dry suit is a dry one. You will have so many opinion changes on what you really want that you may buy several looking for the perfect one for you. A good used suit that fits you correctly is the best deal other than that you may want to check out HOG they have a nice bilam in the 1300 range it would allow you to pick your seal as well as adjust your fit . The key is get something that fits well so that you don't have to play with all the ill fighting suit issues to start with.

Hello both !

Many thanks for your replies.
I am indeed between the Scubapro Everdry 4 and the Whites Fusion One but it is really difficult to find a used one. I might prefer the fusion because the use of dry gloves might be important for diving in UK and also it might be better if it does not have to fitt 100% perfectly as TSandM suggested.
Any of you have any suggestions where I can find used ones except from ebay.

Thanks,

Socc

 

[Instructor_Tom]

I would say that you can look on Craig's list, but you should always try on a drysuit. You need to make sure that the seals have not been cut to far back to fit you or you could spend about $400 just to replace the seals.

For me the only thing i cared about was if the suit fit me. Brand name was not an issue. However since diving dry for the last year i definitely would not use a crushed neoprene suit, i like the bi-laminant and tri-laminate suits. The neoprene suits take too long to dry and adds to much flotation on top of the flotation which is added by the undergarments.

I hope this helps and you find a nice lightly used suit that wont brake the bank.

T.


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[rambaldi]

I don't know how often they come up but keep an eye out on the for sale section of this site.

 

[al248005]

If you can get a used one that fits I would go for that to see if you like drysuit diving before spending the big bucks on a new one. As far as the cost of repairs, IMO, replacing seals is the least of your worries. Zippers cost way way more than seals and if your buying used be sure to check the zipper carefully. I've never heard of seals costing $400 to replace. I have the DUI zipseals on my suit which are the most expensive seal to replace and if I replace both the wrist and neck it still don't cost $400. Zippers on the other hand are very expensive to replace.

Again fit is key (not too big nor too small) and remember to leave yourself enough room in the suit for a heavy/thick pair of undies. Another thing to consider too is the expanding torso feature on some suits. If height is your problem you can easily pick up a couple inches with this feature on the suit. Good luck in the hunt for a drysuit.