USIA Aqua Pro Drysuit

[wetvet]

Was wonderin if anyone out there has an opinion on USIA drysuits. It's a shell suit, seems pretty good to me, but I dont know much about drysuits. It seems to be middle class in price, and I cant afford crushed neoprene. I figured Id rather not have to deal with the bouyancy of neoprene suit, and the USIA comes completely custom to my measurements. Any input is appreciated, since I want to make the decision soon so I can get into it and enjoy the spring diving.



Wetvet

 

[jonnythan]

wetvet once bubbled...
Was wonderin if anyone out there has an opinion on USIA drysuits. It's a shell suit, seems pretty good to me, but I dont know much about drysuits. It seems to be middle class in price, and I cant afford crushed neoprene. I figured Id rather not have to deal with the bouyancy of neoprene suit, and the USIA comes completely custom to my measurements. Any input is appreciated, since I want to make the decision soon so I can get into it and enjoy the spring diving.



Wetvet

Their website is kinda scary, but.. the best drysuit is the best fitting drysuit, right?

 

[GreenDiverDown]

I have an Oceanic Biodry which is made by USIA. In fact, it is the same suit that USIA markets as their military USIASYS6000DS. This is an expensive suit...$2500 to $3000.

In general, I would have to say that I've been pretty happy with it. It keeps me dry. It is comfortable. It's a VERY durable trilam suit and workmanship is top-notch. It has quality valves, seals, seams, boots, etc. It allows freedom of movement yet isn't baggy. It is quiet...it doesn't rustle when moving about top-side.

But...



The heavy cordura and bioflex material take a long time to dry...not as long as neoprene...but certainly longer than some other trilam suits.

I was under the impression that the USIA suits were custom sized when I purchased mine but later found out that they are more like semi-custom. In other words, they don't cut the material to your individual measurements. Instead, they mix and match different pre-cut sections and then make some adjustments. For instance, my suit is an extra-large bottom and a large top. Don't get me wrong...the end result is a pretty good fit...but it could be better. OTOH, I suspect that other "custom" suits are done in a similar way.

Also, I have the Exotherm III thermal wear. It is very thick and I suspect more bouyant than some other thermalwear available.
I am 6' 175 lbs and pretty lean and dive with a 15-20 ft. squeeze, yet I still need significantly more weight than others of similar build wearing different undies. I suspect that there might be a better choice of thermalwear...at least for what I have in mind...warmer and less bouyant.

All in all I would have to give a thumbs up to the USIA suits. But if you have other options it would be wise to check them out as well.


SA

 

[scuba-punk]

I used to have a USIA shell drysuit. It was a very nice suit, but it didn't fit very well, and I got sick of having to baby the latex seals and boots all the time. I sold it and got a custom made neoprene suit (mostly just to try something different). I figure that now I am going to stick with it for a while, so spend the money for a custom suit. If the neoprene suit doesn't hold up that well, I'll probably get another shell suit. I got the USIA suit for a decent price, plus I didn't know if I was going to stick with it or not. If I had had the chance to buy it new, made for me - I would probably still have it. It was a nice suit. Good luck.

-Frank

 

[ERP]

I dive one.

It keeps me warms and dry.

Things I don't like about it
I'm skinny and the suit is big on me, so it traps more air than I would like.
The exhaust valve is also slow, so you have to stay on top of the venting.

I just ordered a DUI TLS350 Signiture series, but if I hadn't just got a big tax refund I'd still be diving it.

 

[Scottri]

I own a USIA Aqua Pro and I love it. It's a pretty tough suit. I have no complaints. Several of my buddies use them as well. I am a Divemaster and use mine a lot in rocky locations with Oyster beds and the only repair I have had to do was fix a small hole in the boot. USIA does a good job with their warranty. I would recommend them highly. I would buy the Aqua Pro rather than the Aqua Lite. The lite is, well, lite. They are fine for a casual diver but the external "shell" isn't very strong.

I've never had problems with the seals, zipper or boots. You can order them with the heavy boots. They come standard with the Exotherm II undergarmet, suspenders, bag, inflator hose, wax and talc. The Exotherm II is a very nice undergarmet. I use the Exotherm I and never get cold.

As far as fit, I'm pretty sure they are all custom sized. The size will only be as good as the person that measured you. Mine fits great.


Scott