White's Fusion vs. DUI

[fdog]

My prior suit was a DUI CF200. Now I have over 400 dives on my Fusion; I wouldn't go back.

All the stuff said so well above is true. It is amazingly durable...far more than you'd think from handling it. Two layers are really better than one.

As for versatility, here's two photos of the exact same suit. They were taken two weeks apart:

Lake Tahoe, 39 degrees F, 160' 52 minute run time

Red Sea, wreck of the Salem Express, 78 degrees F


With all this raving, I would strongly recommend that you try before you buy. It's a lot of money, you owe yourself that. At our LDS, you can dive a DUI and a Fusion before making a decision.

...I've watched a lot of folks do just that; so far they've walked out of the store with a Fusion every time.

Something that hasn't been touched on is how the Fusion ends up like a custom fit. Wow.


All the best, James

 

[bigbugz]

Thanks for all the great feedback, everyone. Drysuit diving is a big investment so I want to make an informed decision. This has helped me see some different sides. I continue to welcome your replies while I weigh my options.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I did a suit try dive in a fusion w/ stock skin and no pockets when Whites came through Minnesota. I already was pretty well convinced going into the tryout that I would end up in a Fusion based off testimonials online.

I would have never expected it to be durable but it has been through hell and back with me including river diving, spearing fish, wreck diving and plain ol' ow diving without a leak besides me not zipping the suit up all the way or not fully seating my dry gloves while donning.

I ordered mine with the pockets and tech skin and installed a P-valve (H) myself. I got measured up for a custom DUI CLX450 (the most durable one they make from what I have seen) and it would have cost about double what I paid from my fusion assuming I installed the P-valve myself in either suit. The fusion is a stock size which fits me but anything else would have had to been custom cut.

The graphics on the fusion are lame, but considering everything else I can live with it.

Something that impressed me was how fast a fusion can be patched if you should need to. They make a patch kit and though you need some tools you can still have the suit patched in a few minutes and ready for the next dive. Though I have never needed to patch one myself.

I have pretty much 3 complaints, all of which have been mentioned by others:

-stupid graphics
-tight ankles
-pockets are not the greatest

though at least 2 of those things have since been overcome with the development of a new skin which is thicker, hold the pockets better without sagging, and lacks graphics for the most part. If I had the cash I would buy that option for myself if I thought my tech skin had resale value with a p-valve hole in it. If I was ordering a new suit I wouldn't hesitate to get this newer skin.

I wouldn't get the whites pockets either, not that they are bad, I just want zipper pockets for myself. The Whites ones work pretty well and hold anything I have needed them for (SMB, spools, wet notes, slates, arrows, spare mask, etc) but I like zippers for cold water diving which is mostly what I do. Plus I already got some zipper pockets a while back for a drysuit but have never been able to use them.

 

[RJP]

Thanks for all the great feedback, everyone. Drysuit diving is a big investment so I want to make an informed decision. This has helped me see some different sides. I continue to welcome your replies while I weigh my options.

Will your diving be in Maui? If so I can highly recommend the DUI 30/30 as an option...

See my review at the bottom of this page:

DUI 30/30 Suit

My suit of choice for "warm" cold water...

 

[Byte Me]

I haven't dived both but I did try all the drysuits I could on at Our World Underwater show in Chicago a couple months ago. Once I put the Fusion on it was over for the other suits. And with the special they had going then (buy one get one 50% off) it was a no brainer for my buddy and I.

We got the suit, tech skin (w/ pockets), MK2 John and jacket undergarments, boots, 3mm neoprene booties, duffel bag, MK3 socks, hose and wax for less than the sale price of the DUI suit mentioned earlier in this thread.

Since then I've gotten the Fusion wet 4-5 times and really like it. Other than the already mentioned comments about getting your foot through the smallish ankle area passage it's been awesome!

As for the looks - diving isn't a fashion show and really, how many people look GOOD in a 3mm wetsuit?

 

[Teamcasa]

Yeah, that's the thing about the Fusion -- I have, so far, seen ONE person who looked good in it. But with my stringy hair and snotty nose after diving, the suit is a minor issue

My wife uses one and I use a more traditional Whites Catalyst. She is tough on a suit and it has help up very well - no leaks so far.

Here are the two happy divers that enjoyed several nice and warm Catalina dives.

 

[mark00020]

I don't have either, I plan on diving both before choosing but really the whites look AWFUL and the DUI suits look pretty good. It matters a little bit, otherwise I'd wear sweatpants everywhere. The pockets are a big deal to me, Whites should find a way to attach pockets through both layers so they are held more firmly.

 

[bigbugz]

Thanks for your feedback, I like your line of thinking. The shrek comment is frikkin' hilarous too. Bugz

 

[mikeguerrero]

My vote goes out to the DUI CLX450; it has a robust feel to both top and bottom, it has zip zeals to interchange your type of gloves, and you can add crushed neoprene to all your high wear areas: elbows, knees and crotch...

I dive mine in Monterey and have really taken it against the rocky bottom and abrasive sand without a problem...

Yes it does have drag but the comfort of being a robust safety suit outweighs this for me, I'm not in a race down in the water as are the wetsuit divers to end their dives because they are really cold...

I'm on the left side at Point Lobos, Carmel, CA...

Here is a quick video of the suit in action, I'm the one in the front..
YouTube - 05.14.09 Pt Lobos - Middle Reef

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeWkYgRsUcE

 

[RJP]

Here is a quick video of the suit in action, I'm the one in the front..
YouTube - 05.14.09 Pt Lobos - Middle Reef

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeWkYgRsUcE

Looking good! Now we just need to get you horizontal and work on finning technique a bit...