I did buy my suit with the Smart Rings installed. I didn't realize they can't put that on afterward... couldn't DRIS do it, but you'd have to send them your suit?
Oh yes... DRIS would be thrilled to install the rings for us. They've always done a fantastic job doing whatever modifications we've asked them to do.
The problem is... SANTI does not sell the rings separately. They are available as a factory option only, and not available after that.
That was one thing I liked about the Smart Gloves, you can install them over the Smart Rings yourself. I didn't want to send in my suit! Unlike some of you guys, I only have one.
I think that most people here only have one drysuit... We have the privilege of having multiples only because we dive for a living and can justify the price of having multiple suits in case one gets damaged and needs to be sent off for repair. We also get some pretty big breaks in price - like half off - because we buy factory direct and in quantity. Some of the drysuit companies even send us testers (prototype suits) for free just so that we'll take them out and run them through their paces and give the companies feedback. I can't tell you how many times I've said to a manufacturer, "Oh, go ahead and send us a few of those. We'll break the **** out of them for you and let you know what gave out first." The manufacturers couldn't be happier.
I do 2-4 dives a day, at least five days a week... Sometimes six or seven. I take vacations once a month or so, but they usually involve diving so... I dunno... Maybe 600-800 dives a year? And that's just me - I have 38 guys working for me.
The manufacturers absolutely love us... And we, them. The best part of it all is being able to tell them how to make the gear. They don't always listen, but when they do, it's GOOD... And the latest drysuit from BARE (should be out next month) is very much our own custom creation. I'm not sure how much of what we told them will actually make it to the showroom floor (we have some pretty redneck, radical ideas), but... Even if they adopt only a few, the new suit will be positively bad to the bone.
PM me for some info on the suit if you're interested... I am not yet allowed to talk about it publicly.
Well, the underwater chainsaw did not disappoint! I am a bit jealous of you, diving for work and working outside. It looks like a fun job. Although, I am sure like every job, it's not all fun, and there are lots of unpleasantries that don't make the video. Sometimes it's just nice to daydream about what it would be like to have a massive career change.
Believe me, I understand.
For 15 years I spent every day in an office. When I finally got my own cubicle (and later, my own office with four walls), I decorated it with my favorite hobbies... The primary one being diving, of course.
Every day I was underwater in my mind... Even though I was paid to do something else (I worked in tech - computers, internet, wireless, phones, etc).
Long story short: One day I'd simply had enough. Enough of the politics. Enough of the structure. Enough of going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. Enough of my boss.
...So I was fed up. And in a rash decision of frustration, I pulled a "Falling Down" (old Michael Douglas movie) move and made a giant leap. I told my boss to shove it and told him that I was going diving.
"Okay, but what are you going to do for a living? We both know there's nothing better than working for the government."
I smiled and walked out.
The next morning was hell. I couldn't believe what I'd done... But I put on my gear and rationalized... Even if my income got cut in half, I'd be happier. I went to the local marina and scraped barnacles off the bottom of a boat.
Funny thing was... That day I earned basically what took me a week to earn at my job.
I never once saw a pay cut. I was profitable from day one.
Today the company does something like 3.8 million a year - about $100k for each diver that I employ.
My old boss came to me a few years ago and asked for a job. :/ I told him to go get certified and I'd put him in the water. He didn't.
Moral of the story? Follow your heart... Because that'll make you the best at what you do. And if you're the best at what you do, the money will find you.
Thank you for the compliments on my work... I can assure you that it's the hardest, most difficult, and most uncomfortable thing I have ever done... But I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.
This morning's job was working as a government contractor for the US Coast Guard. I earned more today than my old job paid me in two months. Dive time about 40 minutes.
That said, I still stood on the dock with a cup of coffee in 28 degree weather and wondered why the hell I ever left a job-job.
Once I was in, it all made sense.
Oh - and there was the invoice I sent later.
I will be back with a review (and probably questions) when my glove samples arrive. I'm looking for the best compromise of warmth and dexterity. I'm struggling a bit with doing my valve drill in doubles, and so anything that will give me a bit of an edge on that would be great.
Hm. Well... I don't know that you're going to get better than latex gloves for that... But you CAN do better than latex with a thick underglove (which is how they're really dived).
Yeah - my bet is that you're going to wind up LOVING either the 720s or the 281s.
Ya know, regarding those Xerotherm undergloves, dang it! I *just* ordered some closeout Xerotherm base layers from DRIS a few days ago, and I was mulling over the undergloves, and then took them out of my cart. I probably would have gone ahead and ordered them if I'd already gotten to the page in this thread where you started talking about them!
Can you not still get them? Give them a shot - they're remarkably thin for the warmth they offer. Super comfy too.
I have hard hands to fit since my fingers are long but my hands are small. I was not wanting to get the wrong size and have to send them back, or find out that no size will be a good fit. I wish I could try them on locally. I may still bite the bullet and order them and just hope they fit. I've had some not very good luck with doing that in the past, though. Either the gloves are too loose or the fingers are way too short.
Yeah... You're really going to like the 720s.
