Why are there so few drysuits made from rubber?

[Dr Herring]

This days the drysuit market seems dominated by trilam drysuits.

A couple of decades ago, vulcanized drysuits seemed to be the norm.

That made me wonder. Why are there so few drysuits for non commercial diving available made from rubber these days?

To me, they offer some advantages over trilam suits that should make them worthwhile even for non working divers. Namely that they’re easy to repair, that they dry in an instant, and they’re durable as well.

Viking is the only maker left that’s somewhat easy to come by. There are Loitokari too, but good luck getting one of these unless you live in Finland.

 

[David Wilson]

Aquala (http://www.aquala.com/) has manufactured rubber drysuits in the USA since the 1950s, when its predecessor company Bel-Aqua was founded by the great American diving pioneer Bill Barada (below).

Read more about him and other "greats" in the field at Scuba Hall Of Fame. Aquala, now headed by Ty Alley, not only makes "modern" rubber drysuits fitted with valves and zip fasteners but also an historical model dubbed "The Coronado" replicating the tunnel-entry model worn by Bill Barada in the picture above. As a sea snorkeller and Aquala customer, I can confirm that the Coronado is a robust and very well-made suit, perfect for snorkelling or surfing here in North East England, where the seas are as chilly as they will be in your native Scandinavia. Aquala sells internationally.

As for your initial question, the demise, downsizing and outsourcing of natural rubber manufacturing in western countries have contributed to recent declines in the production of rubber consumer goods here, including diving equipment such as drysuits, masks and fins. Japan is perhaps the exception that proves the rule, because all-rubber fins continue to be popular, and hence to be manufactured, there by Kinugawa's subsidiary Gull.

 

[almostDIR]

Normal divers probably just don't need a super durable drysuit and a normal trilam or neoprene works fine.

If doing heavy work in contaminated water and potentially sharp objects around then a rubber suit makes much more sense I could not imagine someone diving in the sewers with a trilam suit and wet hood for example

.... not specifically rubber but I there is for example Pursuit suits made from PU which are meant to pretty similar use than latex suits. I believe it could be possible to fit one with a dry hood if you ask nicely

 

[Dr Herring]

...

Thank you for a very informative post. Really intriguing to read. I almost forgot about Aquala. They have a really cool vintage look, however, I wonder how they'd work for tech diving (ie, needing a p-valve, pockets, etc).

Normal divers probably just don't need a super durable drysuit and a normal trilam or neoprene works fine.

If doing heavy work in contaminated water and potentially sharp objects around then a rubber suit makes much more sense I could not imagine someone diving in the sewers with a trilam suit and wet hood for example

.... not specifically rubber but I there is for example Pursuit suits made from PU which are meant to pretty similar use than latex suits. I believe it could be possible to fit one with a dry hood if you ask nicely

Well, I don't see how durability would be a downside? I dive a lot, and don't want to have any downtime relating to a leaking drysuit, nor do I want any leakage during the dive. Especially if I have a deco obligation. What I'm looking for is not the decontamination capability, but the durability, and ease of repair.

Full disclosure, I've tried most drysuits on the market, including Viking and Loitokari. My absolute favorite is the Loitokari because of the hood (which is super comfy in cold water), and the fact that it's made to measure (which the viking certainly is not)

 

[taimen]

As for your initial question, the demise, downsizing and outsourcing of natural rubber manufacturing in western countries have contributed to recent declines in the production of rubber consumer goods here, including diving equipment such as drysuits, masks and fins. Japan is perhaps the exception that proves the rule, because all-rubber fins continue to be popular, and hence to be manufactured, there by Kinugawa's subsidiary Gull.

Interesting. I recently learned that the textile lined rubber fabric used by Loitokari is locally made in Finland specifically for them. Somwhat explains why they are so unique.

 

[David Wilson]

I almost forgot about Aquala. They have a really cool vintage look, however, I wonder how they'd work for tech diving (ie, needing a p-valve, pockets, etc).

Contact Ty Alley via the Aquala website. I only mentioned the Coronado historical suit as an example of the company's products and because I own one. The firm's Monterrey and Cordell drysuits look rugged enough for serious use and the suits are handcrafted by Ty and his team, not outsourced. If they don't have all the accessories you want, I'm sure Ty would consider customising them to meet your requirements. Drop him an email.

 

[David Wilson]

Interesting. I recently learned that the textile lined rubber fabric used by Loitokari is locally made in Finland specifically for them. Somwhat explains why they are so unique.

I didn't know about Loitokan until fairly recently and not at all about the local sourcing of its raw material. The days of huge rubber companies manufacturing drysuits as one of the products in their vast range are probably over and we're returning to the days of drysuit making on a cottage industry scale like it was during the 1950s. This may be no bad thing if it brings the manufacturers closer to their customers.

 

[namelz52]

至 heavy ~

 

[David Wilson]

至 heavy ~

Today's vulcanised rubber professional dry suits may be heavy, perhaps even "至" so, because of the thickness of the material, which is designed to withstand rugged environmental conditions. Mid-twentieth-century rubber dry suits, however, were often surprisingly compact and lightweight, because the material used to construct them was relatively thin, which also served to enhance mobility. Users of such suits depended on underclothing for warmth. They were always prepared to apply patches from the supplied repair kit too when the suits snagged on underwater objects, which was an accepted occupational hazard back then and since in the case of Soviet spearfishermen, who often preferred to swim in simple, thin, easily repairable rubber drysuits when braving harsh Russian winters.

 

[Sbiriguda]

an historical model dubbed "The Coronado" replicating the tunnel-entry model worn by Bill Barada in the picture above

You can't believe how much I like the Coronado... It looks like the guy inside is wrapped up in a black plastic bag of the type for waste handling, and it's closed by tying up a knot with surgical tube... and that's its charm. I never had the chance to try one myself, I have always wondered if this thing would work like (or perhaps even better) drysuits of more modern and sophisticated design... Newer is not always better