Types of Drysuits ?

[jonnythan]

Bob3 once bubbled...
There has been a very comprehensive thread posted here on the board regarding the various drysuit types. See: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7462

"crushed neoprene" is a registered trademark.
It is very similar to Northern Diver's "hyper-compressed - resin injected" neoprene.
Both are tough as nails, and dry.

Actually I've got to disagree with this. I own a hyper-compressed resin injected neo Northern Diver drysuit. It feels a lot like 3mm.. stretchy and squishable, but a little more dense.

My LDS had a CF200 on display.. it feels *much* thinner, less stretchy, and isn't squishable.

 

[ColdH2Odvr]

I gotta say I love my CF200 (crushed neoprene). I’ve got 500+ dives now on this suit, beaten the crap out of it and it just keeps coming back for more. I’ve spent all day in it tromping up and down the beach doing eel grass surveys, scrubbing hulls, climbing up the rocks after shore dives, warm at 200 feet, etc… you get the picture. The down side: I don’t like the non-swivel inflator valve (may have been changed by now). Can’t stand the old rock boots, over priced canvas vans (also may have been changed by now). So, I’m not a total DUI poster child but all in all I still LOVE this suit.

I also have a Whites custom shell suit. This is a fairly new suit to me but so far I’m impressed. I’ve been over to the factory a few times and I liked what I saw. Serious attention to detail and pride in their product. Excellent suit and excellent construction. I ditched the old rock boots and use the Whites boots with whichever suit I’m wearing. Down side: I’m not a big fan of the pocket matrix. No big deal, just order the suit with no pockets and glue on a set of your own (or send the pockets in with the order and they’ll probably put them on for you). http://www.whitescoldwater.com/index.asp?country=&language=English

Both materials (crushed neo or tri-lam) have their proponents and I think they’re both right. I like the warmth and flexibility of the CF200 but I also like the light weight and easy handling of the Whites shell. If you can try it before you buy, so much the better.

Good luck,

Dave

 

[loosebits]

A crushed neoprene suit (only made by DUI as they have the patent) is just a shell suit just like a trilam, vulanized rubber, etc. Like any other shell suit it has little or no insulating properties and won't compress at depth (it has no nitrogen bubbles).

A compressed neoprene suit is just a denser foam neoprene suit (e.g. 7mm compressed to 3mm). It provides insulation and will compress at depth (although not as much as foam neoprene). The only thing that the crushed neoprene fabric has in common with other types of neoprene suits is the weight and the long drying time.

DUI's marketing department really scewed up when they let the term 'crushed neorprene' slip out because everyone gets it confused with compressed neoprene.

The CF200 fabric (DUI's marketing name for crushed neoprene) is tough as nails and is used for the soft socks and knee pads of their other suits.

Poll should read...

Favorite suit:

1) Trilam, bilam, vulanized rubber, CF200.

2) Compressed Neoprene.

3) Foam neoprene.

4) Heafty garbage bad with draw strings.