Thoughts on Pinnacle Drysuit - The Liberator

[BoundForElsewhere]

Ok, so one thing I've learned about drysuits (other than don't put one on in a warm room) is that fit and performance are everything. While I can overcome little annoyances just fine on warm water dives with a wetsuit or just trunks, put me in a drysuit and my brain goes 4-year-old in a puppy pen pretty fast. I need things right where I want them and no extra bagginess getting in the way, especially while donning and doffing gear in the water.

I know compressed neoprene is pretty streamlined but I plan to travel with the drysuit and that is just not going to happen. I am looking at trilam suits in particular. I came across a Pinnacle Liberator on line for pretty cheap and was wondering about the quality. Fortunately I can try it on and return it if it doesn't fit proper but I was wondering more about the quality, ease of use, flexibility, and just general performance.

Anyone own one of these or knew someone who does that can give me a little feedback before I dump the money?

 

[Jcp2]

Boot/sock fit very important. Are you handy enough to replace latex seals the hard way? One thing that I didn’t expect to have a preference for is whether the front diagonal zipper comes down from the left or right shoulder. It turns out I like it on the right side so that right arm goes on first.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I can put most ikea pieces together after a bottle of wine or half a bottle of JW Black. I would put myself as pretty handy, as far as active alcoholics go.

Totally agree on the sock and boot fit. Squished piggies would make any dive horrible. Especially if I neglected to cut my toenails for a while. I just get so out of breath these days bending over.

Good point on the zipper. Zipper placement is one of those little things that would drive me crazy up there with the exhaust valve. Why they put it on your bicep is beyond me. You have to basically come out of trim to release any air. Seems like behind my head between my shoulder blades would be a better location.

 

[lexvil]

These are good tough suits, good latex seals but glued in and subject to ozone like any latex. Fit is important and hard to get right with a off the rack suit, you need room to move but not to much.

I prefer the bicep position of the exhaust valve, I use the suit for buoyancy but either way you don’t want air burping out until you want it to.

overall you would be better off buying a Seaskin but the pinnacle is ok if it fits well.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Seaskin is a little pricey, no? I would only be using the drysuit maybe 5 to 10 times per year. But mos def on travel to places like Malta and North Africa. I heard the Canary Islands have exciting diving, too and the water is a wee bit chilly.

Also, if I ever decide to dive the cattle chute sh*tshow of Silfra, I'd want a travel drysuit like tri-lam.

 

[lexvil]

Seaskin is a little pricey, no? I would only be using the drysuit maybe 5 to 10 times per year. But mos def on travel to places like Malta and North Africa. I heard the Canary Islands have exciting diving, too and the water is a wee bit chilly.

Also, if I ever decide to dive the cattle chute sh*tshow of Silfra, I'd want a travel drysuit like tri-lam.

They come ready to dive at the listed price, I went through the motions a few weeks ago (about to buy another one after almost 9 years on the first) and with all of my adds, sitech Trigon, oval wrist system, plastic zip, telescoping torso, one pocket and going with a neoprene neck seal it came to just over 1k after all is said and done probably in hand for $1300 or so.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Hmmm. So for an extra $200 I can get custom. Ahh hell.

 

[lexvil]

Hmmm. So for an extra $200 I can get custom. Ahh hell.

Don’t get carried away on reinforcement points and pockets etc. and the price is impossible to beat.