which drysuit?

[coppergod]

I want to buy my first drysuit and really fancy a neoprene one. I heard crushed neoprene is good but really fancy the scubapro everdry 4 which seems to be popular. Anyone recommend this suit?? If so, which undergarments would go well with this? I dive in temperatures around 4 degrees and up.

 

[Johanan]

Sorry, I have no experience with Everdry 4, but I almost bought it, because it got so many good reviews. That indicates that it must be a good suit. Finally, however, I bought a Whites Fusion because the arguments about durability, weight and drying time of a shell suit were too compelling. Whites Thermal Fusion is an outstanding undergarment. Good luck!

 

[Mustard Dave]

Have a look at Dry Suits from Seaskin Custom Drysuits home page. I have one and it's great. The basic neoprene suit is £426 and made to measure and they'll deliver to all mainland UK. You can add a number of options for extra cost but you will still get a great quality suit at a great cost. They give instructions on how to measure yourself but if you are ever near Leeds, you could pop in and they'll measure you, show you some examples and give you a factory tour. They are very popular on the UK based diving forums.

Seaskin is a trading name of Aqualand. Aqualand make commercial and military suits (as well as some other interesting products such as suits put on crash test dummies). They used to do a lot for well known manufacturers under license until they moved production to China. Seaskin is the brand they use for their consumer products. I paid about £620 for my neoprene with plenty of extras.

Seaskin can also supply a M2M undersuit but personally I use Fourth Element Arctics. I find that warm enough under a membrane - under a neoprene it will be nice and toasty. When the water gets warmer, you won't need much under a neoprene as they have better thermal properties. I personally prefer a membrane and I can alter my undersuit according to temperature.

 

[Superlyte27]

A student of mine bought me a Bare XCS2 recently. I friggin love it. It's the driest suit I've ever worn. It's flexible, seems to be pretty durable and fits like a glove. Bare offers a lifetime warranty on the seams and zipper, which is stellar. I could not possibly be happier with this suit. I think it's perfect.

I've dove many many many suits in the last 17 years (including more than a decade as a commercial diver) and I've never worn a suit that I thought was perfect, until this one.

 

[Texasguy]

Whites Thermal Fusion looks like uniform from the original star trek.

 

[tkdgodess]

I second the bare xcs2. I would have got it except it didnt come self entry in a ladies cut. I have a hd tech dry trilam and it is very nice. I have used custom 7mm neoprene happily too, and test dove the fusion among others, not a fan.

 

[lindenbruce]

A neoprene suit will naturally be quit buoyant and won't dry as fast but be warm like a neoprene wetsuit. The crushed neoprene will be less buoyant but not as warm and may necessitate the use of under garments. A nylon shell suit will have very little natural buoyant tendency but you will need an undergarment and it will be more flexible. The choice is really up to you and what you are comfortable with. Each suit has its plus' and minus'. I have a Bare trilam that I am very happy with, but I love wreck diving and it gets beat up too especially the lower leg area (I was going to say knees but I knew that would start an fusillade of comments) If I were to buy a drysuit for recreational diving I would get a nylon shell suit with a really nice undergarment. It's lighter, more flexible, and drys fast. Bruce

 

[KD8NPB]

Neoprene drysuits hold up VERY well, are easy to repair, you don't have to worry about latex seals, and they are very warm.

The downside is they aren't great to dive with. They are very buoyant and they're not very good for deep dives due to the loss of buoyancy and insulation.

With that being said, I still have a couple divers that use the oolllddd crotch entry Poseidon Unisuits. We're talking 1970s here...still kickin'!

Me personally, I like lightweight suits or vulcanized suits.

DO NOT GET A BACK ZIP SUIT. You will hate it.

 

[manni-yunk]

Neoprene drysuits hold up VERY well, are easy to repair, you don't have to worry about latex seals, and they are very warm.

The downside is they aren't great to dive with. They are very buoyant and they're not very good for deep dives due to the loss of buoyancy and insulation.

With that being said, I still have a couple divers that use the oolllddd crotch entry Poseidon Unisuits. We're talking 1970s here...still kickin'!

Me personally, I like lightweight suits or vulcanized suits.

DO NOT GET A BACK ZIP SUIT. You will hate it.

Crushed neo suits have the durability of neo - without the buoyancy.

---------- Post added March 8th, 2013 at 09:24 PM ----------

A student of mine bought me a Bare XCS2 recently. I friggin love it. It's the driest suit I've ever worn. It's flexible, seems to be pretty durable and fits like a glove. Bare offers a lifetime warranty on the seams and zipper, which is stellar. I could not possibly be happier with this suit. I think it's perfect.

I've dove many many many suits in the last 17 years (including more than a decade as a commercial diver) and I've never worn a suit that I thought was perfect, until this one.

I have the XCD2, which is the immediate predesessor to the XCS2 - and I feel the same way you do. I absolutely love it!!!!!!