Whats the perfect drysuit, without drying out my wallet

[Dan Gibson]

I use my cave cut in 40 degree water up north as well as 72 degree water. The measurements are sent in with the thickest undergarment you plan to wear. Mine was sent in as using 400 g thinsulate. It fits like a glove. I have since switched to the DC undergarments as I like the fit of those better. They stay put and don't ride up at all. I use those undergarments in the caves and don't really get too hot as long as I suit up and get right in. If I switched to the new DUI Grey Ghost or older DUI Green Monster, it is a little more roomy, but not to bad. As long as you keep your weight within a 10-15 pound range, it should still fit.

I can tell you the latest version of the 400 g thinsulate (more pinkish in the sleeves than the old burgundy style) are thicker and I can't fit in my cave cut with those. That is another reason I chose to switch to the DC undergarments.

At 5'-10" and 175# when measured, my cave cut shares many of the same measurements as a small. People we fit in Indy were place in a stock medium if they measured as a stock large. This required them to be in relatively good shape weight wise. Any excessive baggage would ruin that type of fit. This way they also bypassed the custom fit any loss of seven year warranty. Of course, I don't know that DUI enforces that warranty. I recently busted the zipper and is was replaced at no cost after owning it for about two years.

I agree the low profile leaks quite often. I use the high profile dump. The number of suppots on the high profile are greater than on the low profile. This has been stated by Dave Sweetin as the real cause of the problem.

Well, according to DUI's sizing charts I'm a stock large.

I tried a stock medium in the pool. It was ok, provided I never wanted to dive with heavy undergarmets. I could have literally never gotten it on though if I did - and that would be a problem. So I bought the stock large.

A "cave cut" is fine if you're going to dive only in caves around here where the water is 68-72F all the time. But most people who buy drysuits don't do that - I know I don't. I use mine in the salt of the gulf in the winter, where it might be in the mid 50s, and then I use it in springs, which is the usual 68-72F. If I can't put that second layer of underwear on, its useless, and I ain't buying two suits. So I live with SLIGHTLY big (to fit the bigger undergarmets....)

The NexGen doesn't fit too badly, provided you get the right one. The NexGen I had was a stock size and fit me ok - until I lost 30lbs! THEN it fit like a potato sack - but that wasn't due to the suit, it was due to me losing a bunch of weight. So I sold it.

Fit is EVERYTHING on a Drysuit.

As for DUI's leaking, the stock low-profile exhaust valves indeed do. I've had the DUI folks tell me otherwise, but 15 minutes in the pool, emerging with a sopping-wet left arm, closed their yaps, and I got my suit with the high-profile Apeks valve, which DOESN'T leak. IMHO DUI ought to quit putting those pieces of junk on what is otherwise a wonderful piece of kit.

 

[Genesis]

Well, like I said, I tried both. I fit the stock medium with my lightweight polypro undergarmets, but I had almost no extra room. I'm "right up the middle" on most of the stock large measurements, but a bit large in one or two (hips, if I remember correctly)

I attempted to get into the medium with a wooly bear on and it was flat impossible. No chance in Hades. I have a 100gm thinsulate that I wear over the polypro for colder water (I hate being cold!) and I doubt I could have gotten in it with that on top of the Polypro - it was pretty tight with just my "lighter" insulation.

So overall, I'm happy. I could have probably gone custom if I wanted to, but the differences weren't great, and I like the way the suit I have now dives.

 

[ShizzA]

Sorry for asking such a simple question...but what exactly defines a "cave cut". I can figure out basically what it means form the name, but how much smaller is it compared to a normal cut? How cold would the water need to be before my undergarments constricted me too much?

 

[Genesis]

I wish someone could tell me.

One of the problems with asking for a "cave cut" is that its a custom suit AND you must waive ALL responsibility for fit from DUI.

That is, if you get it and its too small, you just ate the suit.

That kind of risk is so outrageous that I can't imagine why someone would be willing to do it, unless there was absolutely no other choice - and there are.

 

[mwilding]

Hard to beat this deal!

 

[Genesis]

That is an AWESOME suit IF it fits you for the price.

I had one (there were a bunch of closeouts around a while ago) but it didn't fit right - sold it for what I paid for it, but it only had two dives on it. Heh, nothing ventured, nothing gained. These guys have some of the larger sizes - I gambled on a ML and it was too small for me.

Good find on locating someone with some of the remaining stock on these.

It is made of an EXTREMELY tough fabric and has a protective Velcro flap over the shoulder zip - the construction is VERY nice.

 

[mwilding]

I got in on that "other" deal, too. I am about an inch too tall and the neck seal is not tight enough, but for $400 it was a steal. I will see how it goes with it this season...

 

[Dan Gibson]

I wouldn't put too much into the release you have to sign. DUI is very easy to deal with after ordering a suit, be it custom, cave cut or stock. They want you to be in a good fitting suit and be happy with it. A poor fit reflects on them and they understand it isn't good for business. Faith is great on the customer service end. My buddy ordered his cave cut and DUI totally remade it at their cost when it came out too small (not measured by Dave Sweetin). Another buddy had a custom suit and Faith took care of him as well when she saw how the suit came out.

The easiest way to make sure you get a good cave cut is to go to one person only for the fitting. Dave Sweetin in High Springs is the man and supposedly does 90% of the cave cut sizing. I don't know if that figure is true, but I have never heard of anyone who was unhappy. He is very good at sizing. From my understanding, the cave cut name was just a name DUI gave it after so many suits were done for people in cave country to fit this way. I have also heard it referred to as a DIR cut. The even give names to the pocket choices (i.e. WKPP style).

With a cave cut, the telescoping portion is virtually eliminated. A stock suit may have a lot more material that can trap air. The legs are cut close with no exessive material. The arms are the same. The shoulders are snug, but you must be able to easily reach the valves. Look at a stock suit sometime and see where the excessive material is. Cave cut virtually eliminates this material. I don't have to worry about excessive gas in my suit as it is so close to a perfect fit that it acts like an OPV if I add too much gas.

It's would still best to try on a stock suit and if it fits like a glove, no need to go further.

I wish someone could tell me.

One of the problems with asking for a "cave cut" is that its a custom suit AND you must waive ALL responsibility for fit from DUI.

That is, if you get it and its too small, you just ate the suit.

That kind of risk is so outrageous that I can't imagine why someone would be willing to do it, unless there was absolutely no other choice - and there are.

 

[Genesis]

Well mine doesn't fit THAT well, but if it did, I couldn't choose various underwear selections for various dive conditions, and that was important to me.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Well, I got a signature series suit that used to fit me very nicely. Then, I gained 25 pounds. Now, I have a cave cut...
LOL...