UncleJaybles
Registered
I am interested in selling my Waterproof D1 dry suit.
PHOTOS: http://imgur.com/a/xgD4Y#0
This is a medium, which according to Waterproof will accommodate a male, height 5'9" - 5'11" and chest 3'2" - 3'3". Currently I estimate that it has somewhere between 75 to 100 dives on it and so far I have had absolutely no problems with it that are a function of craftsmanship. In fact, the build quality of this suit continues to amaze me as my friends' suits purchased around the same time with the same number of dives are showing distinct wear patterns whereas this suit seems to be bulletproof (in addition to Waterproof).
Please excuse some of the photos - I took them just after I got back from Florida's cave country and so what you are seeing in the photos is not necessarily wear but most likely dirt/silt from where the suit touched the ground. I was prepping the suit for a wash when I took the photos, so the liner is removed, which gives you a better idea of what is going on inside of the suit. Before shipping the suit will be treated with a gentle anti-microbial & fungicidal bath and thoroughly dried.
I would like to avoid this suit being returned to me, so please only make this purchase if you are sure that this is the suit for you. To help you make that decision, I will give you my honest experience with this dry suit.
First off, I've never come across a dry suit which has been built with such quality. It is amazing to me how durable it is. I do take good care of my equipment, but for the types of dives I do (a lot of wreck diving and some cave diving) I would have expected much more wear on this suit by now. The D1 is called a "hybrid" because it is a butyl-layered trilam on the exterior with a built-in inner liner which provides insulation and squeeze protection. It also allows air to easily move around the interior of the suit, so air pockets do not form. I have found the liner a little bit of a pain to remove and replace for washing (it takes 5-10 minutes to get in or take out), but it performs the function it was designed for and as a result, only thin undergarments are needed. This is true in water all the way down to 34 degrees F, which is as cold as I have gone.
This design has benefits for people who are diving in cold water - particularly photographers like myself as we're not doing as much swimming as the average diver. The thigh pockets can be unzipped to make for a massive storage space, which is really helpful on technical dives when you're trying to jam a lift bag, safety spool, backup lights, etc. all in one place.
The seals are really comfy. This suit comes with the Si Tech ring system, so there is a rigid ring system in place around your neck and your wrists. While this can sometimes be annoying topside, I have noticed that it is not much of an issue underwater and I typically don't notice it. The benefit of this system is that you can easily replace seals on-the-fly (a torn seal will not ruin your dive trip if you are carrying backups). As of yet, I have not had to replace a seal. The silicone seals seem nearly indestructible and stretch really easily. This makes donning and doffing no problem. Also, I often hang my suit in the garage with cars coming in and out. The seals seem unphased by ozone and other combustion productions. I have a skinny neck and wrists, so I have not trimmed any of the seals.
The inner lining (orange part) zips and Velcros into place preventing it from moving around. It has a springy quality to it, so it does provide some protection from squeezes while still allowing air to move around the suit. The only problem with the inner lining I have found is that if water does get inside the suit, the lining prevents it from drying as quickly as I would like. Also, if you're diving this suit in warm water, you will need some minimum base layer of protection (long sleeve t-shirt & long underwear) as the inner liner is really scratchy on bare skin. This suit uses a dry boot, which has been great except occasionally they cause difficulty getting my feet out of my fins. I've heard that the application of silicone spray to the inside of the fin pockets remedies this situation.
Now I will focus on the negative aspects of the suit (mind you these are mostly just my opinions). The suit is back-zipped so you will need assistance getting into and out of it. It is relatively heavy in weight and there is a LOT of space inside of the suit. Particularly for me - I am only 160lbs and about 5'10" - it's a bit too much material. As a result, I'm not as streamlined in the water as I would like. This is not necessarily a bad thing - the suit does squeezes comfortably to your body once you are in the water, but because of the lining there is still a large air-space inside of it. That means more weight is required to get you down (it takes me about 26lbs to get down with a steel 95 in single-tank configuration). Also, as the suit is heavier and more bulky; it is a bit of a pain to travel with if you are taking it on an airplane.
The neck seal and wrist seals are big on me (I have a smaller neck and wrists than average). This means if I am ascending quicker than the valve can vent gas from inside the suit, bubbles will occasionally come out through the neck or wrist seals. This is also a function of the silicone being so stretchy. Another problem with the wrist seals being too large for me and super-stretchy: when I am working with my hands underwater, water will come in through the tendon channel on my wrist. It's not terrible, but it is enough to make my undergarments damp halfway to my elbow.
The only other problem I can complain about is that the water which comes into the suit through the tendon channels travels in between the inner liner and the trilam and usually ends up trickling down into the boots. It's not much water, but it is enough to make the boots damp, which then requires drying post dive. Again, this probably won't be a problem if the seals fit you properly and I have heard that Si-Tech has recently started offering a smaller seal which might solve the problem.
I am getting rid of the suit because I want something less bulky to travel with and I've been doing more technical and cave diving recently where I find a more streamlined suit preferable.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me or look at the waterproof website: Products - Waterproof or video: Waterproof D1 Hybrid Drysuit - YouTube
What's Included:
-Waterproof D1 Hybrid Dry Suit Size Men's Medium ($3,199)
-Suit storage bag (dry-bag) (Included)
-Waterproof H1 5/7mm hood - not pictured but included (Included)
-1 orange replacement wrist seal (Included)
-1 orange replacement neck seal (Included)
-Neck seal replacement tool (Included)
-Light Monkey Tinkle Valve* (already installed on left leg - does not leak at all) ($125.00)
-Waterproof brand undergarments (socks not pictured but are included) ($140.00)
-Small Waterproof bag for undergarments (Included)
-Dive Rite Gaiters ($72.00)
-Antares Dry Glove System** w/ liners ($99.99)
Total amount I've spent on this suit and its accessories comes to $3,636. I'll be generous and say that 1/3 of the suit's useful life is over, which is conservative, and throw in all the extras for free. That puts the price at $2,133. Call it $2,100. In reality, this suit is probably only one-third of the way to needing a zipper replacement, not the end of its life.
I will be willing to negotiate a lower price if you can provide a compelling reason why I should sell it for less. Otherwise $2,100 is the price with $50 for shipping in the lower 48.
*The installation of the p-valve required that a hole be cut through the trilam layer of the suit. A slit also had to be cut through the interior liner so the hose could be routed inside. So far, this slit has not changed in dimension and seems stable.
**Unfortunately, one of the clips on one of the Antares dry glove rings is snapped off. For someone with patience and a DIY attitude, this should be an easy fix. I just haven't had the time to sit down and attempt it yet.
Please send me messages with questions and/or offers.
Cheers,
John
PHOTOS: http://imgur.com/a/xgD4Y#0
This is a medium, which according to Waterproof will accommodate a male, height 5'9" - 5'11" and chest 3'2" - 3'3". Currently I estimate that it has somewhere between 75 to 100 dives on it and so far I have had absolutely no problems with it that are a function of craftsmanship. In fact, the build quality of this suit continues to amaze me as my friends' suits purchased around the same time with the same number of dives are showing distinct wear patterns whereas this suit seems to be bulletproof (in addition to Waterproof).
Please excuse some of the photos - I took them just after I got back from Florida's cave country and so what you are seeing in the photos is not necessarily wear but most likely dirt/silt from where the suit touched the ground. I was prepping the suit for a wash when I took the photos, so the liner is removed, which gives you a better idea of what is going on inside of the suit. Before shipping the suit will be treated with a gentle anti-microbial & fungicidal bath and thoroughly dried.
I would like to avoid this suit being returned to me, so please only make this purchase if you are sure that this is the suit for you. To help you make that decision, I will give you my honest experience with this dry suit.
First off, I've never come across a dry suit which has been built with such quality. It is amazing to me how durable it is. I do take good care of my equipment, but for the types of dives I do (a lot of wreck diving and some cave diving) I would have expected much more wear on this suit by now. The D1 is called a "hybrid" because it is a butyl-layered trilam on the exterior with a built-in inner liner which provides insulation and squeeze protection. It also allows air to easily move around the interior of the suit, so air pockets do not form. I have found the liner a little bit of a pain to remove and replace for washing (it takes 5-10 minutes to get in or take out), but it performs the function it was designed for and as a result, only thin undergarments are needed. This is true in water all the way down to 34 degrees F, which is as cold as I have gone.
This design has benefits for people who are diving in cold water - particularly photographers like myself as we're not doing as much swimming as the average diver. The thigh pockets can be unzipped to make for a massive storage space, which is really helpful on technical dives when you're trying to jam a lift bag, safety spool, backup lights, etc. all in one place.
The seals are really comfy. This suit comes with the Si Tech ring system, so there is a rigid ring system in place around your neck and your wrists. While this can sometimes be annoying topside, I have noticed that it is not much of an issue underwater and I typically don't notice it. The benefit of this system is that you can easily replace seals on-the-fly (a torn seal will not ruin your dive trip if you are carrying backups). As of yet, I have not had to replace a seal. The silicone seals seem nearly indestructible and stretch really easily. This makes donning and doffing no problem. Also, I often hang my suit in the garage with cars coming in and out. The seals seem unphased by ozone and other combustion productions. I have a skinny neck and wrists, so I have not trimmed any of the seals.
The inner lining (orange part) zips and Velcros into place preventing it from moving around. It has a springy quality to it, so it does provide some protection from squeezes while still allowing air to move around the suit. The only problem with the inner lining I have found is that if water does get inside the suit, the lining prevents it from drying as quickly as I would like. Also, if you're diving this suit in warm water, you will need some minimum base layer of protection (long sleeve t-shirt & long underwear) as the inner liner is really scratchy on bare skin. This suit uses a dry boot, which has been great except occasionally they cause difficulty getting my feet out of my fins. I've heard that the application of silicone spray to the inside of the fin pockets remedies this situation.
Now I will focus on the negative aspects of the suit (mind you these are mostly just my opinions). The suit is back-zipped so you will need assistance getting into and out of it. It is relatively heavy in weight and there is a LOT of space inside of the suit. Particularly for me - I am only 160lbs and about 5'10" - it's a bit too much material. As a result, I'm not as streamlined in the water as I would like. This is not necessarily a bad thing - the suit does squeezes comfortably to your body once you are in the water, but because of the lining there is still a large air-space inside of it. That means more weight is required to get you down (it takes me about 26lbs to get down with a steel 95 in single-tank configuration). Also, as the suit is heavier and more bulky; it is a bit of a pain to travel with if you are taking it on an airplane.
The neck seal and wrist seals are big on me (I have a smaller neck and wrists than average). This means if I am ascending quicker than the valve can vent gas from inside the suit, bubbles will occasionally come out through the neck or wrist seals. This is also a function of the silicone being so stretchy. Another problem with the wrist seals being too large for me and super-stretchy: when I am working with my hands underwater, water will come in through the tendon channel on my wrist. It's not terrible, but it is enough to make my undergarments damp halfway to my elbow.
The only other problem I can complain about is that the water which comes into the suit through the tendon channels travels in between the inner liner and the trilam and usually ends up trickling down into the boots. It's not much water, but it is enough to make the boots damp, which then requires drying post dive. Again, this probably won't be a problem if the seals fit you properly and I have heard that Si-Tech has recently started offering a smaller seal which might solve the problem.
I am getting rid of the suit because I want something less bulky to travel with and I've been doing more technical and cave diving recently where I find a more streamlined suit preferable.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me or look at the waterproof website: Products - Waterproof or video: Waterproof D1 Hybrid Drysuit - YouTube
What's Included:
-Waterproof D1 Hybrid Dry Suit Size Men's Medium ($3,199)
-Suit storage bag (dry-bag) (Included)
-Waterproof H1 5/7mm hood - not pictured but included (Included)
-1 orange replacement wrist seal (Included)
-1 orange replacement neck seal (Included)
-Neck seal replacement tool (Included)
-Light Monkey Tinkle Valve* (already installed on left leg - does not leak at all) ($125.00)
-Waterproof brand undergarments (socks not pictured but are included) ($140.00)
-Small Waterproof bag for undergarments (Included)
-Dive Rite Gaiters ($72.00)
-Antares Dry Glove System** w/ liners ($99.99)
Total amount I've spent on this suit and its accessories comes to $3,636. I'll be generous and say that 1/3 of the suit's useful life is over, which is conservative, and throw in all the extras for free. That puts the price at $2,133. Call it $2,100. In reality, this suit is probably only one-third of the way to needing a zipper replacement, not the end of its life.
I will be willing to negotiate a lower price if you can provide a compelling reason why I should sell it for less. Otherwise $2,100 is the price with $50 for shipping in the lower 48.
*The installation of the p-valve required that a hole be cut through the trilam layer of the suit. A slit also had to be cut through the interior liner so the hose could be routed inside. So far, this slit has not changed in dimension and seems stable.
**Unfortunately, one of the clips on one of the Antares dry glove rings is snapped off. For someone with patience and a DIY attitude, this should be an easy fix. I just haven't had the time to sit down and attempt it yet.
Please send me messages with questions and/or offers.
Cheers,
John
