The full DRY monty for under $2000 ??

[orcatwiggy]

I am stuck.

I could probably ramble on for two pages, but I just want to give enough info to start off.

I know you get what you pay for but I don't always have to get the most expensive. I have initially looked at the top of the line DUI suit and with boots, hood, under garments and ll the trimmings, it came out to about $3700 (full custom suit)

That is just too much for me. I have been looking at the TLS-SE or the CN-SE. Enough about just DUI. THere are alot of other great suits out there.

I want to get everything including undergarments for $2000 or less. This would ideally include enough variety on unders to satisfy year round diving in the northeast, i.e. Rhode Island.

Comments, reasoning and specifics would be most welcome.

Thanks
John

 

[Mako Mark]

I got the dive rite 905 trilam last year and love it. Of the shelf sizing fitted me fine. It has the vibram neoprene boot not the rock boots, which is good as I didnt have to get an larger set of fins. The undergarments are lightweight as I dont dive very cold water, just cool water for a long time. I asked for a factory installed P-valve, but it didnt come with one and I havent missed it yet and I have done numerous 100+ minute dives.

I am not sure what full retail is as I got keyman pricing, but it cost me about half of what you are talking about

 

[joecad]

I am stuck.

I could probably ramble on for two pages, but I just want to give enough info to start off.

I know you get what you pay for but I don't always have to get the most expensive. I have initially looked at the top of the line DUI suit and with boots, hood, under garments and ll the trimmings, it came out to about $3700 (full custom suit)

That is just too much for me. I have been looking at the TLS-SE or the CN-SE. Enough about just DUI. THere are alot of other great suits out there.

I want to get everything including undergarments for $2000 or less. This would ideally include enough variety on unders to satisfy year round diving in the northeast, i.e. Rhode Island.

Comments, reasoning and specifics would be most welcome.

Thanks
John

I posted this a while back, still using the suit, still loving it. There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of someone else making a wrong purchase:

I had a very recent and very good experience on ebay, bought a Whites Nexus suit for only $500, EVERYTHING included (hood, LP hose, four different undergarmets, carry bag). The key is to deal with someone with lots of excellent feedback (the guy I dealt with had over 200 transactions), and ask questions of the buyer. I had never bought anything on ebay before, and was more than a little nervous. The suit was as advertised, three years old, and NEVER been wet. Also key is to nail down the actual size, visit the manufacturer's website for their sizing charts. The suit I bought was custom, and in questioning the seller, I found out that we are both 6'2", and 195 lbs.
I went into this knowing I was taking a bit of a gamble, but for the price, I figured if there were any fit or other issues, I could probably sell it (on ebay) for near what I paid.

 

[orcatwiggy]

THat sounds like sound advice. However, there are so many brands out there. How did you know that you wanted a whites, or did the price convince you.

I would buy on ebay if a similar situation came up...but I wouldn't know if the suit is a piece of crap.

 

[orcatwiggy]

That is...not a piece of crap as far as the condition, just the style and brand.

 

[Morg_NZ]

I am stuck.

I could probably ramble on for two pages, but I just want to give enough info to start off.

I know you get what you pay for but I don't always have to get the most expensive. I have initially looked at the top of the line DUI suit and with boots, hood, under garments and ll the trimmings, it came out to about $3700 (full custom suit)

That is just too much for me. I have been looking at the TLS-SE or the CN-SE. Enough about just DUI. THere are alot of other great suits out there.

I want to get everything including undergarments for $2000 or less. This would ideally include enough variety on unders to satisfy year round diving in the northeast, i.e. Rhode Island.

Comments, reasoning and specifics would be most welcome.

Thanks
John

http://www.drysuits.co.uk

Great suits that DON'T cost the earth

 

[Tekdiver10]

Look at Andy's. Im getting a stock size, but their custom sizes are quite cheep for the quality suit you get. I think the custom suit I was looking at ran about $1600 and my undies are only $300. That would keep you under $2000. I know a lot of people around here that use DUI and Andy's, they consider them to be the two best Drysuit companies around.

 

[darylm74]

It all depends on what you want. I got a Viking Extreme from Bob3 for $650. Excellent suit and a lot of the guys at my LDS that dive DUI were impressed with how durable but yet lightweight it is. I bought polar fleece sets from EMS and I already had polyprop long johns since I backpack/camp all the time. My wife is making me a polar fleece full garment right now so knowing someone that sews might be beneficial. She's even doing the nylon shell. Thinsulate is very expensive, $20 a yard, but she's making me just a vest with thinsulate since you really only need it around your core. Check out online stores such as Campmor.com for the polyprop longjohns on sale. I just don't see the point of spending a lot of money on undergarments when you can layer which keeps you warmer and often less bulky. If you want to buy more suit, spend the money on that and save it on the undergarments by layering.

 

[large_diver]

$3,700...holy over-inflated LDS margin, batman......was that thing made of gold?

I think you need to shop around....you can find a DUI TLS 350 signature series for well under $2,000, leaving plenty of spending room for undergarments.

 

[joecad]

THat sounds like sound advice. However, there are so many brands out there. How did you know that you wanted a whites, or did the price convince you.

I would buy on ebay if a similar situation came up...but I wouldn't know if the suit is a piece of crap.

I found it was helpful to read back issues of some of the various dive magazines, for instance, this from scubadiving.com:
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/exposure_protection/cut_&_dry:_13_dry_suits_for_under_$1,000/