Used Dry Suit

[jeremyl]

What concerns should I have getting a used drysuit? I am a tropical diver but since I live in Portland, OR I figure I should dive around here a bit more... only did my OW cert. dives here in the PWN. (Really I am doing this to justify getting a DSLR housing, but figure its a good thing to do anyway). My cert dives were cold 30min dives in a 7mm wetsuit w/25lbs of weight. Not something I care to repeat on a regular basis.

I see drysuits pop up on craigslist now and then. I know FIT is key, so being able to try them on is a nice craigslist feature. Most of these seem to not be several years old and people cleaning up the closets. But some are more recent purchases. Reason for used is obviously cost. Dont see myself spending $2K on a suit (or even $1K for that matter). Of course there are closeouts and I will keep an eye open. I am in no hurry for a suit so I can wait for a deal. What do I look out for? What do I need to check in a used suit? I am a total noob on drysuits. Obviously I will take the course, but around here I think everyone expects you to have a suit when you take the course.

Thanks!
Jeremy

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

The biggest thing to watch out for when looking at used drysuits is make sure the suit doesn't have any leaks.

 

[masterof0]

check seals as well. replacing seals can be costly.

 

[TSandM]

As has already been said, you need to get a leak history. And you can confirm it somewhat, by looking at the inside of the suit for patches of Aquaseal or duct tape ) ). But a suit with patched leaks may be fine, if it is the owner's habits that caused the leaks. If it is because the fabric is delaminating or has deteriorated with age, the suit is not a good buy at any price.

Find out how old the seals are, and how many dives they have on them. These are two different pieces of information, because latex seals deteriorate over time, whether they are used or not. Look at the seals -- they should be a little shiny, and elastic. If they are flabby feeling, or tacky, they are old. Also stretch them gently and look for cracking, especially where the wrist seals meet the suit fabric.

Take a hard look at the zipper, because this is one of the most difficult and expensive things to fix. Make sure all the teeth are there and they look undamaged, and look at the placket between the teeth to so how badly frayed it is. They all fray with time, but a lot of fraying says the zipper's old, and you may not have a lot more time on it.

If the suit has attached boots, also look at the material and flex it, and look for cracks.

Used dry suits, if they fit, can be a very good buy. I know a lot of people (myself included) who have simply upgraded to a suit they like better, and sell the old one. They tend to sell for no more than half what they retail for new, so it is a good buy if you get one which has been well cared-for.

 

[pooh bear]

you should look at divers supply got one from them 5 or so years ago the foam noeprene kind. did about 150 dives on it then this past year i took the plunge for a dui. but for the $600 bucks or so u cant go wrong

 

[gene1340]

Hi,
I have been diving dry for a little over three years now. All of my dives have been with used drysuits. I own two Dive Rite 905's(back entry) and love them. I knew I was an off the shelf xl as I had tried one on already. I bought both suits on eBay, from users with good ratings, and couldn't be happier. I have less than $700 into both suits. If you can see the suit in person and try it on that is an added bonus. If you can't, make sure you ask for lots of pictures. You can see by the overall condition of the suit how it was taken care of. Look for the "check" marks on the wrist and neck seals that start when the seal is starting to give. If you stretch the seal just a little you can see them. It appears like it could just be starting to dry rot or something. Seal replacement is no big deal though, so don't let that scare you. As someone else mentioned, check the zipper real good.
Good luck,
Gene

 

[hawksbill]

Look at the knees, boot soles, zipper and seals to see if the said history is believable. The warmest suit I have used is 1/4" neoprene drysuit ($700 Atlan new) which might be a consideration for photography if you are not realy actively swimming. A heavily used neoprene suit is not a good deal though as they wont last as long as some of the others.