Things to look for in a drysuit? Budget drysuit?

[Peter_C]

The wrist rings are for gloves, not seals.

These are probably what they are talking about, and yes they are for seals. We have them on one of our drysuits. I have a set to go onto my Fusion when needed.
Si Tech Permanent Wrist Rings for Dry Gloves

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

These are probably what they are talking about, and yes they are for seals. We have them on one of our drysuits. I have a set to go onto my Fusion when needed.
Si Tech Permanent Wrist Rings for Dry Gloves

Yep, i googled that after to see if that was an option now, the only ones I had seen were gloves only.

 

[gcbryan]

Yep, i googled that after to see if that was an option now, the only ones I had seen were gloves only.

Viking uses a system that allows for seal replacement as well.

To the OP, with a few dives as you have a class would be a good idea but at the least have anyone drysuit diver as your buddy and keep the dives shallow until you get things dialed it. For many newer divers (this included me) learning to dive with a drysuit was almost like learning to dive for scratch.

 

[tregrrr]

Advice given to me by smart people was to make sure I got something that will keep me warm when it's wet, because sooner or later you're going to flood, and hypothermia is nothing to mess with.

amen... I did a demo up here a couple months ago and I guess the previous miscreant using the suit I demo'd did not have the courtesy to inform them that is was a leaking:

I waded in in the suit and commented that it sure felt like I was getting wet as it cooled from boiling hot summer day air to frigid Vancouver water, but my buddy who has her own (Turbosab) assured me that the sensation was normal. We went through the dive and felt that it did not have ENOUGH foot buoyancy for my neoprene suit tastes.... well that was because the feet didn't have buoyancy because they was full o water. That being said, with whatever thermals they had supplied I stayed warm enough to not gripe terribly much with a 50% suit flood in 48-52F water on a 40 min dive.

Not too shabby, but still have my own suit that I am accustomed to and still in love with.... but that whites might be a contender for a lighter weight, travel-able suit.

I am willing to bet the OP enjoys his suit