UK drysuits...........

[Pyromaniac]

Be nice to live in the US and get these at a decent price, but even if I got one from there by the time I paid customs duty and delivery costs it would amount to the same price I'd pay here.............

So - any UK bods have any recommended drysuit suppliers with an online presence so I can view what they have:?

Dont intend to buy online as I would prefer to get one that fits rather than a best guess fit, also as I am a newb to all this I am not sure exactly what I want.

I am guessing here after trawling through various threads, and also surmising that the majority of my UK diving would be on the South coast - particularly Portland as it is just 10 minutes away. But I would want a Tri-lam suit, with a shoulder dump.

I also like the idea of one that comes without boots fitted - that I can wear my own boots with, I have Jets and like a boot with a hard sole but the wellie type boots I have seen fitted to drysuits dont appeal to me very much for some reason.

Open to all suggestions - not looking for anything too expensive - functional is all I require, not seeking to pay a premium for a fancy name !

 

[espenskogen]

Be nice to live in the US and get these at a decent price, but even if I got one from there by the time I paid customs duty and delivery costs it would amount to the same price I'd pay here.............

So - any UK bods have any recommended drysuit suppliers with an online presence so I can view what they have:?

Dont intend to buy online as I would prefer to get one that fits rather than a best guess fit, also as I am a newb to all this I am not sure exactly what I want.

I am guessing here after trawling through various threads, and also surmising that the majority of my UK diving would be on the South coast - particularly Portland as it is just 10 minutes away. But I would want a Tri-lam suit, with a shoulder dump.

I also like the idea of one that comes without boots fitted - that I can wear my own boots with, I have Jets and like a boot with a hard sole but the wellie type boots I have seen fitted to drysuits dont appeal to me very much for some reason.

Open to all suggestions - not looking for anything too expensive - functional is all I require, not seeking to pay a premium for a fancy name !

If you are looking at a suit with dry socks rather than boots, it limits the scope somewhat - As far as I know, only DUI produce these suits.

The good news is that DUI is amongst the best suits you can possibly buy. I dived bodyglove for years and thought that was nice - But then I tried a DUI. Different world altogether.

The bad news is that DUI is expensive. You would probably benefit from something like the TLS350, or CLX450. You might be able to get some of these second hand - A lot of cave divers prefer them, and they get them in 'cave cut' which basically means that if you gain a few pounds, it will be too small.. So hence it's a few second hand suits around.

(Check this one out: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DUI-Flex-50-5...238224038QQcategoryZ73994QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)


Anyway, good luck with your drysuit, and happy diving.

E

 

[Pyromaniac]

Thanks for that espenskogen, didnt realise DUI were the only ones doing suits with the dry socks, this does drastically reduce the choice then !!

Ok - to add to my first query - if the rest all come with boots, are they all either 'soft' like neoprene wetsuit boots or the bulky wellington type?

I have 'thin' ankles and welly type boots would slop around all over the place, but with the jets I find I like having a harder sole as only the front of my foot is supported by the pocket in them.

Am I going to have to live with welly type boots?

Are this sort of boot going to be larger than your normal shoe size? I have size 8 (UK) wetsuit boots that fit ok into my XL Jets, what size would I be looking at in drysuit boots to still fit me and into the Jets?

 

[dbg40]

The sock type foot from DUI comes with rock boots

 

[espenskogen]

Ok - to add to my first query - if the rest all come with boots, are they all either 'soft' like neoprene wetsuit boots or the bulky wellington type?

I have 'thin' ankles and welly type boots would slop around all over the place, but with the jets I find I like having a harder sole as only the front of my foot is supported by the pocket in them.

Am I going to have to live with welly type boots?

Are this sort of boot going to be larger than your normal shoe size? I have size 8 (UK) wetsuit boots that fit ok into my XL Jets, what size would I be looking at in drysuit boots to still fit me and into the Jets?

Afraid you might have to live with the bulky wellington type - There are some that are insulated with Neoprene on the inside, but the outside is usually some kind of rubber. You typically wear a lot of socks in that kind of boots, but I too found that it's somewhat uncomfortable not having the snug fit on the foot. As for the fin size etc - Find which boot size you need with thermal socks (like Weezle socks or 4th Element hotfoot's) and if that makes the fins too small, then get bigger fins. The other way around rarely work

I would strongly recommend the DUI though - It's the most comfortable drysuit I've ever dived.

E

 

[MarkH]

I know Whites has socks/seperate boots.