Which drysuit brand?

[Valerii Vakshul]

I dive in Ursuit, great suit for travel. Great seams, great flexol.

 

[happy-diver]

serious - Google Suche

acting or speaking sincerely and in earnest, rather than in a joking or half-hearted manner.

sarcasm - Google Suche

the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

Sarcasm refers to the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say, especially in order to insult someone, or to show irritation, or just to be funny. For example, saying "they're really on top of things" to describe a group of people who are very disorganized is using sarcasm.

 

[grantmac]

I wouldn't touch DUI for the zip seals alone. But after hearing the problems people have I'd want one even less.
Locally people consider Santi the very best and I see a lot with hundreds of dives showing little wear.

 

[stretchthepenn]

Locally, DUI seems to be the goto brand for those with deep pockets. <snip> I've also looked at Hollis, but they don't seem to be very popular - any idea why?

DUI suits tend to vary tremendously in quality. I got drysuit certified in a rental CFX200 (crushed neoprene) that I later rented for a trip; the neckseal failed on me in a spectacular way, but the suit itself was rugged AF. My buddy used a Yukon (trilaminate; their entry-level model) for 100+ dives; it's basic but he consistently stayed dry. At the same time, I was diving a CLX450 (trilaminate, a bit nicer than DUI's standard TLS350); it tended to spring pinholes.

DUI's proprietary ZipSeal system is also a turnoff for some people. On the good side, the seals themselves work well and are relatively easy to install or remove. On the downside, replacement seals are expensive and can be challenging to find at short notice if you rip one. The dryglove options suck, too. If you use the ZipSeal gloves, you're stuck having permanently-installed gloves that you can't easily remove and invert to dry.

I owned one Hollis drysuit (the 300X), and it didn't please me. It was fuzzy on the outside, so it gathered debris and was slooooow to dry. And the inner layer felt weird.

 

[evandroairton]

O'three are by far the best suit i've ever owned, well made, custom made, ultra high quality. Can't say anything bad
Second to it the no longer made DUI CNSE
The cressi desert is comfy, but rather dificult (at least to me) to keep completlly horizontal in CCR, and the exhaust position is not the best, but it's ok if you want a rec suit in a budget

 

[Walde]

My Ursuit Softdura has 157 dives and haven't had any problems so far.

 

[ontdiver]

Buy the best fitting, most durable dry suit you can afford. Stick with brands that have good warranty/support and don't get sidetracked by brand loyalty unless the features offered are ones that you really want and need for the diving you will be doing. But...do not forsake features over fit or you will quickly join the ranks of those looking for a new dry suit.

 

[NothingClever]

If you are curious about the brands, ask Ted. He'll give you feedback from the viewpoint of someone who deals with all the good and the bad.

Word.

 

[FrankVita]

DUI is definitely a solid choice, but if you're looking for alternatives, check out Santi and Fourth Element. Both have great reputations for reliability and good customer service in the US. As for Hollis, they make decent gear, but I think their drysuits haven't gained as much traction compared to others, possibly due to competition with more established brands. Hope that helps!

 

[Shanti]

For suit repairs, go to Ted at Stay Dri Scuba. Mail the suit Lake City, FL. You'll get it in top shape back. If you are curious about the brands, ask Ted. He'll give you feedback from the viewpoint of someone who deals with all the good and the bad.

As for DUI - I'd rather dive wet ;-)

+1 on DUI. They didn't insure our suits we sent in for "factory service" when they shipped them back. UPS lost them and then DUI gave us a pittance back. They wouldn't share any info on what compensation they received from UPS and I'm wondering if they made a profit on the deal. Lots of "sorries" and worthless platitudes but in the end we are out a bunch of money on drysuits that were lightly used. Will never trust DUI again. Be warned if you ever contemplate sending your gear to them for service.