Trilam vs. crushed neoprene drysuit

[WillieJustice]

I'm going to be buying a drysuit pretty soon and am trying to figure out the best option. I'm not especially concerned about brand for now, just trying to understand the difference between trilam and neoprene as a practical matter. I have used rental trilam suits so far, and have found them plenty comfortable when they don't have the occasional leak. I don't have any experience with a crushed neoprene drysuit.

What are the differences in buoyancy, durability, and ease of repairs?

 

[NauticalNick]

I think most are trilaminate now and the crushed neoprene is maybe an older style and/or cheaper? I have actually never seen one in real life or in gear reviews etc.

Scuba Diver Mag also put out a video in the last year which talks about drysuit options. I'm sure someone with more experience will have much more to say though.

 

[Boarderguy]

Crushed will maintain a level of warmth when you flood your suit since neoprene is an insulated material. They are heavier out of the water and take longer to dry. You don't need as much thermal undergarments because they're naturally a bit warmer. They can be a bit limiting on mobility. Don't think a front zip is an option. Cost is often a bit less than trilam.

Trilam is lighter and dries faster. Can get many different color options. Can better tailer your thermal needs via varying thickness undergarments. Can be had with a front zip. Packs smaller for travel.

I'm sure I'm missing something and someone will tell me I'm wrong.

 

[Outbound]

Crushed will maintain a level of warmth when you flood your suit since neoprene is an insulated material. They are heavier out of the water and take longer to dry. You don't need as much thermal undergarments because they're naturally a bit warmer. They can be a bit limiting on mobility. Don't think a front zip is an option. Cost is often a bit less than trilam.

Trilam is lighter and dries faster. Can get many different color options. Can better tailer your thermal needs via varying thickness undergarments. Can be had with a front zip. Packs smaller for travel.

I'm sure I'm missing something and someone will tell me I'm wrong.

This pretty much sums it up.

Crushed neoprene is very durable easy to repair. Most come standard with a neoprene neck and wrist seals, although some can be upgraded to latex or silicone. Some people love neoprene seals, but in my experience latex and silicone are better.

Back-zip suits are a major PITA.

There's a reason why most drysuits sold these days are trilam.

 

[Landau]

Bare (and probably others) make front zip crushed neoprene suits. I like mine and see them often here in Vancouver.

 

[rx7diver]

... Don't think a front zip is an option. Cost is often a bit less than trilam. ...

Looking at the DUI web site (DUI | Drysuits & Diving Equipment from Diving Unlimited International), crushed neoprene is more expensive than trilam. When I purchased my DUI CF200SP (crushed neoprene, custom) in 1993, crushed neoprene was WAY more expensive than my friends' trilam suits.

My suit is front zip, as were most of the other DUI crushed neoprene suits I saw when I was diving in the Great Lakes in the late 1990's.

DUI crushed neoprene is quite tough, which is why it was recommended to me for penetrating Great Lakes shipwrecks.

My suit fit me very close, yet was sufficiently flexible. I always got the sense that my suit is/was much more hydrodynamic than my friends' "baggy" trilam suits.

ETA: I never holed my suit. But it wasn't uncommon for my trilam-wearing friends to be hunting leaks, using a spray bottle of soapy water, during surface intervals or at the end of a day's diving.

rx7diver

 

[rx7diver]

... Crushed neoprene is very ... easy to repair. ...

Note, though, that you've got to wait for the suit to dry in order to get the best results. And, as @Boarderguy mentioned up-thread, it takes quite a while for crushed neoprene to dry--especially if you're in a humid environment. (Dries much faster if you put the suit in a small bathroom, or laundry room, with a dehumidifier running! Don't forget to turn the suit inside out to dry the inside!)

rx7diver

 

[ColinT3]

Crushed neoprene has some inherent insulation qualities, but is heavier and bulkier. With Trilam insulation is all down to your undersuit. Side by side, with the same undergarments the crushed neoprene will be a little warmer. For me weight and packed size was the main reason I went with Trilam, as I fly with my drysuit.

 

[MarkA]

Are we talking about crushed neoprene or compressed neoprene?

DUI | Drysuits & Diving Equipment from Diving Unlimited International

Drysuits & Diving Equipment Diving Unlimited International | DUI - leader in drysuits for recreational, military, public safety, technical & commercial diving.

www.divedui.com

@rx7diver has crushed.

 

[TrimixToo]

I have two crushed neoprene suits and a trilam. I haven't dived the trilam in quite a while. It's a good suit and it fits well but the crushed neoprene is far tougher for wrecks and other places where there might be sharp stuff.

From a diving standpoint the crushed neoprene suits are warmer, can be closer fitting, and will stretch. The trilam doesn't stretch at all. If you want to reach just that little bit more you want the crushed neoprene. The other big difference in diving the two is that the trilam will tell you, authoritatively and in no uncertain terms, then there's not enough air in the suit. The crushed neoprene will just feel like a wet suit, but if there's not enough air in it you'll get cold and need more air in your wing or BC, which will slow you down in the water. Plus, you'll be freezing! It takes a while to learn how much air to put in it when.

Finally, trilam suits are much less expensive than crushed neoprene suits. If the choice were wet suit vs trilam from a cost standpoint I'd get a trimal suit without a moment's thought. Don't discard the notion of a good used crushed neoprene suit. My favorite suit is one I got used and had tailored from there.