Swimming ability in different drysuits?

[Bob3]

... This is only for personal use. Recreational diving. Would love to in the near future take some courses and pursue wreck diving.

OK, I hear ya. Keep in mind that work suits are tax deductable! (recycle your old suit to the work locker)
A compressed or crushed neoprene should give you the best "body hugging" performance, & still give you most all the benefits of a bag suit.
What kind of $$ are you willing to shell out?

 

[SparkySFD]

Funny you should ask that. Do you have a wife like mine? I am willing to spend about $1500 on a suit. But it will really cost me about $3000. I will have to spend about an equal amount in extra furniture for the new house......I think we have plenty as it is.

But thats what I was looking at. I have found an authorized dealer that will sell me a CLX450 for $1518, and that includes a sock change for my big honking feet. I didnt ask him but Im guessing a CF200 in going to be a little more. I did get a discount for being a public safety employee.

I really thought I knew what I wanted. But I feel myself being drawn to a crushed neoprene suit. What really concerns me are performance issues. Im really wondering now if these trilams are going to be a big kludge to swim in. I should have been A LOT clearer. I use the analogy of the Viking as its all I have experience in. If a trilam is going to produce the same amount of drag and restriction, I may have to go with a compressed neoprene.

A compressed neoprene doesnt change your trim that much at depth right?

 

[Firediver]

Thanks for the comments guys. Very helpful.

rmediver2002

Yes. The Viking is a work suit only. For what its used for I guess its fine. If I have to use it for work the water can often be contaminated. Day before yesterday I had to hook up a tow cable to pull a backhoe out of the lake. There was some gas and oil in the water.

I am fairly new to drysuit diving. Use as little air as possible. Just enough to ease the squeeze. I am getting way more comfortable diving dry.

Just really like being unrestricted. I really thought a shell was the way to go. I have to really dive one to be sure but I can see now where it could be a real drag. Is it like being in a bag? The Viking sure feels that way.

You might want to look into an Abyss Dry suit..