what to look for in tri-lam suit

[fjpatrum]

I'm going to go look at a DUI TLS350 in a couple hours and was hoping I might get some hits on what to watch out for in a used suit. The price is ridiculously cheap so if it even remotely fits I'll probably buy it no matter what but I've never taken a dry suit class and I'm not sure what to look for in a tri-lam suit.

Here's what I'm thinking:

1) wear and tear... no obvious frayed spots or holes
2) valves have no or very little corrosion (I'm completely comfortable doing repairs on these kinds of things)
3) seams still have decent glue seal--very easy repair
4) zippers have full range of motion without any binding


The questions:
How exactly should this fit, in an ideal world?
What should I look for in neck and wrist seals? (They have supposedly been replaced recently but not sure I'll be able to tell if they've already been trimmed, for instance.)
Where would I find a p-valve and what should I look for on such a thing? (I have no idea if the suit has one or not but I assume it would be somewhere near the nether regions for "easy access")
How easy is it to get different size boots with these? I believe the DUI website lists shoe size for this particular suit as maxing out at 11.5, which is a little small.
Did I miss any concerns I should look for?

 

[TSandM]

Seals and zippers are replaceable, and go to price. A delaminated suit or one where the seams are failing is not a good buy at any price. If this is a TLS 350, DUI did have a bad bunch of fabric that delaminated -- I'm not a DUI owner, so I don't remember the details of how you tell if it's one of the suits using that particular material, but there may be something on the DUI site about it, or you could write to them.

Zippers should be inspected to make sure all the teeth are present and evenly spaced, and that there is not too much fraying of the center sealing surface. Look at the stitching, particularly at the ends of the zipper, where the most stress is put on it. Seals should have a soft shine and feel elastic, not flabby. A trimmed seal should have an even cut -- small sharp-angled divots will turn into tears. But again, replacing seals is a very reasonable DIY project, so I wouldn't let bad seals stop me from buying an otherwise good suit.

I don't know about DUI boots, but you can put rock boots of any make on a suit with a sock, and I'm sure somebody makes boots in your size. I have the Bare boots, and Whites makes two different boots, and I'm sure there are others as well.

 

[rlynch]

i bought my TLS350 used at a good price, i guessed and got it right on the size (5'6" 160# so a stock size small fits me with Artics on)

that was the good news

I've since repalced the following
Zipper
Seals (all of them)
changed socks for boot (Dive rite ones i would not suggest)
both valves had to be done

After all this its dry and preforms well but i would never buy a used suit again - i've got the same into it now as a new suit, almost
basically unless its perfect i would go with a new one - or expect to replace stuff and use it as a back up when you buy a new one. it can be ok for learning with though

ymmv...

btw i love my drysuit, i just don't like what it took to get there. My next suit will be antoher DUI (FLX extreme though)

 

[fjpatrum]

I just got back from picking up the suit... thanks for the information. $200 is a hard deal to pass up though, and the wrist seals have never even been cut. Neck seal is in great shape, very elastic, never been trimmed. There is a bit of minor corrosion on pee valve nut but other than that no worries. Elastic on the suspenders are good and I can fit my feet in the socks though they are a wee bit small.

1 thigh pocket and add-on kevlar knee and elbow pads all seem in reasonable shape too. One of the elbow pads may need a dab of aqua seal on one edge as there is a little bit of glue peal-back.

I'll probably put it on in the shower tonight to see if there are any leaks to be concerned about.

Now that I have it, any suggestions on length for inflator hoses? This inflator is the middle of my chest, so I can always measure it...

 

[PfcAJ]

I'm going to go look at a DUI TLS350 in a couple hours and was hoping I might get some hits on what to watch out for in a used suit. The price is ridiculously cheap so if it even remotely fits I'll probably buy it no matter what but I've never taken a dry suit class and I'm not sure what to look for in a tri-lam suit.

Here's what I'm thinking:

1) wear and tear... no obvious frayed spots or holes
2) valves have no or very little corrosion (I'm completely comfortable doing repairs on these kinds of things)
3) seams still have decent glue seal--very easy repair
4) zippers have full range of motion without any binding


The questions:
How exactly should this fit, in an ideal world?
What should I look for in neck and wrist seals? (They have supposedly been replaced recently but not sure I'll be able to tell if they've already been trimmed, for instance.)
Where would I find a p-valve and what should I look for on such a thing? (I have no idea if the suit has one or not but I assume it would be somewhere near the nether regions for "easy access")
How easy is it to get different size boots with these? I believe the DUI website lists shoe size for this particular suit as maxing out at 11.5, which is a little small.
Did I miss any concerns I should look for?

High dollar items are the zipper and the socks/ turbosoles. The zippers tend to fray a bit as the age, and its all down hill once that starts. Expect a 300 dollar repair bill for that if its in bad shape and needs replacement. The crushed neoprene on the socks/ turbosoles will wear out in time, and its a game of catch up to keep them from leaking. If the material on the outside is starting to wear out, I'd really think long and hard about purchasing a suit like that, esp if you're not interested in making frequent repairs. One of my suits has some turbosoles that are starting to wear out, seems like every few months I'm surfacing with a wet foot! Valves are cheap and expendable, its just the way it is.

Seals could go either way even if they were replaced recently. Look for cracks and stickyness, those are telltale signs that they're on the way out. They should fit snugly without cutting off circulation. Even if they have to be replaced, its not a big deal if the rest of the suit is solid.

P-valves come in two types: Balanced and unbalanced. The unbalanced ones are simpler (and better, imo), just a hose and a bulkhead. The balanced type might have a separate balance chamber or it might be a 'unit' like the newer Halcyon valves. Both types are easy/ cheap to fix if the balance valves leak. I prefer my p-valves to be on the upper leg slightly inside, but not so much that it rubs the other leg when I walk. This keeps it out of the line yet still accessible to open it for use.

Its a real gamble to buy a used suit, but if the price is right and you're willing to do some work, it might be a good buy. Good luck!

 

[TSandM]

If you only paid $200 for the suit, it's an absolute steal, no matter how much work you have to put into it, so long as it isn't delaminating.

 

[asha]

Now that I have it, any suggestions on length for inflator hoses? This inflator is the middle of my chest, so I can always measure it...

Congrats on a good deal! My inflator hose appears to be 32" (I just measured)

 

[fjpatrum]

If you only paid $200 for the suit, it's an absolute steal, no matter how much work you have to put into it, so long as it isn't delaminating.

Yes, when I saw the price I thought it was a typo but I left work early to make sure someone else didn't beat me to it. From what I can tell everything seems to be in very good shape. I'm very excited about it, as I get cold very easily and diving dry will hopefully help that quite a bit.

 

[USFpsychDiver]

Can't go wrong at that price, given that new is 10 - 20x that. I just picked up a used TLS350 and I paid $700 for mine with no pocket or p-valve (does have zip seals though). Trying it on in the shower won't tell you if it leaks or not. Only way to find out on land is to plug the seals and inflate it (there's a video of how to do this online somewhere, maybe the DUI site?). I tested mine by putting it on and jumping in the water -- no leaks. If you didn't get the instruction manual with it that also can be D/L'ed from DUI I think -- it's important to trim the seals right for your neck and wrist size.

 

[fjpatrum]

Can't go wrong at that price, given that new is 10 - 20x that. I just picked up a used TLS350 and I paid $700 for mine with no pocket or p-valve (does have zip seals though). Trying it on in the shower won't tell you if it leaks or not. Only way to find out on land is to plug the seals and inflate it (there's a video of how to do this online somewhere, maybe the DUI site?). I tested mine by putting it on and jumping in the water -- no leaks. If you didn't get the instruction manual with it that also can be D/L'ed from DUI I think -- it's important to trim the seals right for your neck and wrist size.

Yeah I found that out after talking to DUI on the phone. Downloaded the manual and asked a few questions of their customer support. I haven't actually tested it yet, but that's on the agenda for tonight/tomorrow. I picked up a drysuit course manual too, so I read through that last night and it gives some other insights as well. It seems quite outdated, though with some of the information provided. The stuff pertinent to my suit and using it is what I was looking for though, so I don't mind some outdated information in other areas of the book.

---------- Post added April 27th, 2012 at 09:01 AM ----------

I got the seals trimmed to the right size and tested the suit last night. No leaks, woohooo! I do have a question about the exhaust valve though... it seems to exhaust quite slowly. Significantly slower than a dump valve on a bc, for example. Is that normal or should I take it apart and clean it?