Trilam on and in wrecks

[ScubaSense]

Hey there,

Im looking to invest in my first drysuit. I've done most of my diving in 7mm neoprene. I've also heard some pretty good arguments in favour of tri-lam, which make sense to me.

I only wonder about Tri-lams ability to stand up to wreck penetration. I know of course to be penetrating wrecks you should have enough control to avoid getting caught on anything, but here's to risk management.

In particular, I am considering the Bare Trilam HD Tech Dry - Womens.

Any opinions?

 

[tbone1004]

No experience with that suit, but I've been incredibly happy with my USIA Techniflex, which is the same as the HOG suit. Sucker is built like a tank. Installing the P-Valve took a high power soldering iron because we couldn't cut it...

 

[wedivebc]

I have done hundreds of wreck dives using a trilam suit, Whites Catalyst, I seldom stay outside the wreck and believe me it is virtually impossible to penetrate a wreck without snagging or catching on something no matter how good your buoyancy control is. You are wise to get the toughest suit you can for that type of diving. My current suit is a DUI CF200 which I am told is tougher than trilam but I don't have enough wreck dives on it to make an informed opinion.
Get the trilam and have a blast.

 

[RJP]

I have hundreds of wreck penetration dives (real, busted up/wire dragged/depth charged/torpedoed wrecks) on my trilam DUI TLS 350 with no problem, though as you point out, it's sort of "operator dependent" in that regard.

:d

The Bare tri-lam material is a bit more rugged than the DUI material if I recall correctly, having owned an HD Tech Dry for a short period of time a few years ago.

 

[mblazer]

I've been using a Bare Tech since May, and it's built to take a lot of punishment -- not that you want to go out of your way to beat it up. Highly recommended.

 

[robertarak]

I am always just a tad bit more on guard when penetrating a wreck in my TLS350 then in my Pinnacle Evo2. The Evo2 is tough as nails. All in all I like the TLS much better then the EVO2, to the point that I am selling the EVO2 after just having a new neck seal installed. If I was doing nothing but wrecks, I might reconsider that.

 

[evil_xander]

Trilams with cordura, that's pretty much the best you can do in terms of shell suits.

I got one of those, really indestructible, somewhat rigid, but still...

 

[ScubaSense]

Thanks guys,

I figured as much but you always get such passionate answers from so many opposing sources it can be hard to make out what makes the most sense.

I've been thinking over rig balancing/weighting a lot lately and I'm totally turned off the neoprene. You would have to be pretty careless to make such a mess in a wreck to really need something so thick, wouldn't you. Shouldn't be in there at all if that's the case!

Cheers!
SS

 

[Sas]

I only wonder about Tri-lams ability to stand up to wreck penetration. I know of course to be penetrating wrecks you should have enough control to avoid getting caught on anything, but here's to risk management.

Depends on the trilam. I have an older model Otter Britannic (they sell as rebranded Zeagles in USA, not sure about Canada but perhaps it is the same there) and when the guy sold it to me he said I could stab it with a knife and it wouldn't tear Thought a bit of an exaggeration but I have crawled up barnacle infested rocks in it with surf and whilst my hands were torn and other bits of my gear weren't so great my drysuit was undamaged. I also do cave diving and wreck diving with it and no damage despite wriggling through little holes with it. Just love the suit! It is heavy though.

DUI I am very not impressed with. Nearly every person I know with one has had frequent leaks. These days when I see people drying out their thermals me and my buddy take bets on whether it is a DUI and we are usually correct. Perhaps it is model dependent though. Around here they are called 'Dry Until Immersed'.

Bare I have heard very good reports of, seems like a very tough suit.

Used to have a Northern Diver Divemaster neoprene drysuit and was really comfortable but easily damaged... And hrmm about carelessness, if you are going through tight restrictions you are going to make contact with walls/edges and may end up caught in things, it's not necessarily carelessness... And if you are in cold water neoprene is without a doubt warmer. They have their pros and cons.