Used DUI TLSse -- Would you buy it?

[tmassey]

Hello!

I would like to increase my local diving, and diving in Michigan (and being a pansy) means diving dry much of the year. So far, my plan was to rent: my FLDS rents for $50 a day, which was my short-term plan.

I've also been keeping an eye out to possibly purchase a *very* cheap suit. I don't want to spend much money right now, and at $50 per rental, I'd rather rent than buy a suit even decently below $1000. In fact, I would be very happy with a beat-up and ugly suit--that holds air--but is cheap. It seems if you're patient and careful, such suits can be found for $250 or so, or under $400 with underwear.

However, I have an opportunity to purchase a used DUI TLSse drysuit for $450 out the door (without underwear). I've got no real budget to buy a suit, but if it's a good deal I could make it happen. It seems to be in good shape, only used a few times, with seals in good condition.

I've measured myself carefully and compared it to the DUI sizing chart. I'm 6'2", 210 lbs. I have proportionally shorter legs and a long torso. I'm exactly on the short edge of the crotch to floor measurement (35") and exactly on the tall edge of the girth measurement (76", and no beer belly: all height). (Measurements found on page 10 here: www dui-online com/pdf/drysuitmanual.pdf ). The shop rents the TLS 350, and with the telescoping torso girth is not an issue, but I worry about it with the TLSse. The rest of the suit should fit just fine: it does on the TLS 350.

So, a few questions:

1) Is $450 a good deal for this suit? If it's merely an OK deal, I'd rather wait, but if it's a good deal, I'd do it.

2) What suit would you buy for $450? Would you prefer a beat-up suit and underwear for the same price--or a beat-up suit without underwear for even less--and save up for a nice suit in a year or two, especially after gaining some more drysuit experience? Or is there a better suit than the TLSse that could be had for the same price?

3) What do you think about the fit of the TLSse for me, with the long torso? Like I said, the TLS 350 fit is fine, but with the telescoping torso girth size is meaningless. Am I going to have a problem?

Thank you very much for any help or advice you might be able to give me! I am really excited to be able to do more local diving, and a drysuit is really going to be a necessity for this, whether I buy or rent. Right now, I would just like to get by with the reasonably lowest cost.

 

[RJP]

3) What do you think about the fit of the TLSse for me, with the long torso? Like I said, the TLS 350 fit is fine, but with the telescoping torso girth size is meaningless. Am I going to have a problem?

I know this won't sound helpful, but it is: the only way to know if it will fit is to try the exact suit in question. Either it fits, or it doesn't...there is no "think" involved.

Right now, I would just like to get by with the reasonably lowest cost.

The fastest way to waste a lot of money in this sport is by getting a good price on the wrong gear.

:cool2:

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Why are you fretting about measurements? Just try on the drysuit with appropriate undergarments. Then you'll know if it fits.

I wouldn't buy a used drysuit without knowing whether it fits me. I also wouldn't buy it without inspecting the drysuit zipper, seams, valves, and seals. Repairs for any of these things can be expensive (especially the zipper -- professional drysuit zipper replacement costs $300+). The last thing you want to do is blow $450 on a piece of dive gear that you can't use.

Bear in mind that a used drysuit probably comes with no warranty (although there may be some exceptions). Most new drysuits are guaranteed not to have any issues for at least one year. Seams may be warrantied for the life of a new suit to the original owner. New valves often are guaranteed to function properly for about 3 years. All of this should be considered when look at the price of the used suit.

If I were you, I'd consider saving up for another year. For a little over $1000, you can purchase a new drysuit with the manufacturer's warranty. Unfortunately, at $50 per drysuit rental, I don't think it makes economic sense to rent. Make do with whatever wetsuit you have...for now.

 

[tmassey]

I know this won't sound helpful, but it is: the only way to know if it will fit is to try the exact suit in question. Either it fits, or it doesn't...there is no "think" involved.

If it were on my side of the continent, I would... That's one of the reasons I'm even considering this one: I've tried on DUI suits in this size, and they fit, but the telescoping torso doesn't test the girth measurement.

The fastest way to waste a lot of money in this sport is by getting a good price on the wrong gear.

I agree, which is why I was asking if this was a good deal. Given that it would take exactly 9 dives to literally pay for this suit (vs. rental), even if I only dive with it a few times and resell it (even for less than I paid for it), I really wouldn't be wasting much money.

That's a big part of why I'm looking at cheap suits. If I'm going to spend, say, $800 on a used suit, I'd rather spend twice that on a new one. So in order to take a chance on a used suit, it's gotta be a real good deal.

Unfortunately, buying a $1600 suit is out of the question, and a drysuit is realistically required to dive locally 8 months out of the year. Given all that, what would you do in order to get in the water?

 

[tmassey]

If I were you, I'd consider saving up for another year. For a little over $1000, you can purchase a new drysuit with the manufacturer's warranty. Unfortunately, at $50 per drysuit rental, I don't think it makes economic sense to rent. Make do with whatever wetsuit you have...for now.

Until recently, all of my diving was in the Caribbean: all I've got is a 3/2 full and a 2.5mm shorty... Not gonna dive locally here in that. I dove in *September* in Lake Huron (when the lake is as warm as it's ever gonna get), and below the thermocline it was 46 degrees.. By the second dive I was frozen in a (rented) 2-piece 7 mm suit.

So I gotta buy something, and even if I buy a 2-piece 7mm suit, it won't be warm enough. So now what?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Until recently, all of my diving was in the Caribbean: all I've got is a 3/2 full and a 2.5mm shorty... Not gonna dive locally here in that. I dove in *September* in Lake Huron (when the lake is as warm as it's ever gonna get), and below the thermocline it was 46 degrees.. By the second dive I was frozen in a (rented) 2-piece 7 mm suit.

So I gotta buy something, and even if I buy a 2-piece 7mm suit, it won't be warm enough. So now what?

Rented wetsuits can be ill-fitting and may have already lost their capacity to insulate. I have no idea what kind of condition your rental suit was in. Buy a new, well-made 2-piece 7mm wetsuit as a stop-gap measure before getting the drysuit. Until you have enough money to get a drysuit, limit your dives to one per day...or keep repetitive dives short.

 

[tmassey]

I do appreciate the splashes of cold water: bring it on! But in all seriousness, if a used drysuit is a bad idea, and if I don't have $1600 (or even $800) to buy a drysuit, what else might you suggest?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I do appreciate the splashes of cold water: bring it on! But in all seriousness, if a used drysuit is a bad idea, and if I don't have $1600 (or even $800) to buy a drysuit, what else might you suggest?

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my last post. I suggest you give the wetsuit another chance. It's possible that the wetsuit you rented last September wasn't up to snuff...for one reason or another.

There are things that wetsuit divers can do in-between dives to stay warm. After the first dive, get out of the wet gear ASAP, dry off, and put on warm clothes. Extend your surface interval if necessary so that you aren't cold when starting the second dive.

I don't know the depth of the thermocline (not familiar with the Great Lakes scene), but perhaps you can take this into consideration during your dive planning. In other words, maximize your time above the thermocline. Just a thought...

 

[aquaregia]

Hey, is that drysuit on my side of the country then?

 

[dave4868]

I've also been keeping an eye out to possibly purchase a *very* cheap suit. I don't want to spend much money right now, and at $50 per rental, I'd rather rent than buy a suit even decently below $1000. In fact, I would be very happy with a beat-up and ugly suit--that holds air--but is cheap. It seems if you're patient and careful, such suits can be found for $250 or so, or under $400 with underwear.

However, I have an opportunity to purchase a used DUI TLSse drysuit for $450 out the door (without underwear). I've got no real budget to buy a suit, but if it's a good deal I could make it happen. It seems to be in good shape, only used a few times, with seals in good condition.

SNIPPED some stuff....

Thank you very much for any help or advice you might be able to give me! I am really excited to be able to do more local diving, and a drysuit is really going to be a necessity for this, whether I buy or rent. Right now, I would just like to get by with the reasonably lowest cost.

I'd wait.

The fit is uncertain for you and the fit definitely won't be as forgiving as that of a TLS350 with the telescoping torso. Fit is very important, and $450 is not a great price for a TLSse (without undergarments). Resale won't be as easy as with a TLS350.

Since you know the TLS350 fits well, I think you could confidently wait for a better deal to show up locally or on eBay, then pounce on it. It won't take long. Just be sure the suit won't need an expensive zipper replacement soon.... Seals aren't costly, but a new zipper can run you $300 to $400....

I have a DUI TLS350 and a CLx450.

By waiting and watching for deals, I purchased the secondhand CLx450 with Weezle Extreme Plus underwear, all in unused condition for the seller's asking price which was less than 1/3 of the cost new. The suit had never been in the water....

Can you wait and dive wet until finding a better deal on a TLS350? Renting a drysuit for fifty bucks a whack wouldn't appeal to me.... :shocked2:

Dave C