Workmanship of different drysuit brands

[Siltout-queen]

I'm looking to buy a drysuit for cave and sump diving in cold water (~6-8°C) and would love some of your opinions on different drysuit brands.

I'd like a drysuit that's not only glued but also sewed together. Also I'd love the zipper to be sewed in too. The price isn't as important as long as the quality is right.
But I'm struggling to get a good overlook over the different drysuit brands and their workmanship of them (do they only glue their materials, is their zipper also sewed in, what materials do they use etc.)
So I'd love to hear your opinion about the workmanship of different drysuit brands (but please keep in mind that I need it for caves/ sumps not open water diving) what do you like/ what do you dislike?

Thanks a lot in advance and happy diving!

 

[Wibble]

Have recently taken delivery of a new Santi Elite+.

Am still getting used to it as it's quite different to my existing membrane drysuit.

My first impressions are that the quality of it is excellent. Am impressed with the quality of the stitching and of the finish. The seam taping seems to be very good and the materials very high quality. The Si-Tec quick neck seal has been very well installed. Zips are glued and all cutting seems to be excellent.

Have some qualms about the dump which seems very close to my elbow not my shoulder. Time will tell. Have only had 5 deeper (>60m) dives with it and need some shallower rummaging dives to see how it dumps.

 

[ofg-1]

As a old man, I have had several different brands of suits. I currently have a Seaskin Nova, the workmanship is excellent and you cannot beat the price.

 

[cathal]

Not sure whereabouts you are located but in Europe two brands that have excellent customer service and customer reviews and appear to be bombproof are SF and OThree. Not cheap though.

 

[billgraham]

I recently bought a Pinnacle Tahoe for cave diving, and I think it ticks off most of your boxes. I've done a couple of dives with it and it's warm and streamlined. It's new so I can't speak to durability but it seems pretty sturdy and I like the zipper covers over the wrist seals.

 

[grantctobin]

I recently bought a Pinnacle Tahoe for cave diving, and I think it ticks off most of your boxes. I've done a couple of dives with it and it's warm and streamlined. It's new so I can't speak to durability but it seems pretty sturdy and I like the zipper covers over the wrist seals.

Isn’t that the one that’s almost impossible to easily detect and patch leaks because of the material on the inside?

 

[lexvil]

Isn’t that the one that’s almost impossible to easily detect and patch leaks because of the material on the inside?

You’re thinking of the black ice, a great suit until it leaks, the bonded wool lining make repair nearly impossible.

 

[grantctobin]

You’re thinking of the black ice, a great suit until it leaks, the bonded wool lining make repair nearly impossible.

I think this is the Black Ice replacement, but I’m not certain. This suit is also wool lined.

 

[lexvil]

I think this is the Black Ice replacement, but I’m not certain. This suit is also wool lined.

The Tahoe is lined with the more typical nylon like a wetsuit or most neoprene drysuits.

 

[billgraham]

The Tahoe is lined with the more typical nylon like a wetsuit or most neoprene drysuits.

That is correct.