X Shorts

[shadragon]

I was searching through the Internet and found these:

They are shorts that pull over your exposure suit and give you a pair of pockets for gear without having to modifiy your suit. Plus, they are interchangeable between wet or dry which I like. And if you don't need them you just leave the on the beach.

The listed features are:

• Sturdy Cordura Expandable Bellows Pockets attached to shorts
• Velcro down edges of pockets to maintain streamlining when empty
• Grommets for drainage
• Sized to wear over your exposure suit
• Increase your safety by standardizing you gear and bringing the same safety gear on every dive!
• Easily add capacious pockets to any wetsuit, without expensive or time-consuming sewing.
• Pockets are now easily moves from one suit to the next when needs change or the suit wears out, so no need to throw money away on customizing each suit!

Which is all marketing fluff, of course. So they look good on first inspection, but has anyone had any experiences with them? Velcro is not as efficient when wet so I am not sure about that either.

Also, does anyone know where to buy them?

 

[TSandM]

They are made by Dive X-tras.

The ones in your photograph are the old ones, the first iteration by the company. There were some quality control issues with the way the pockets were stitched onto the shorts, and sometimes they come off. Dive X-tras sold the last of these at very low prices on e-bay, and they have reworked the design and now sell a much sturdier garment.

My husband and I both have these and use them for warm water diving. I've found them an excellent solution.

I can't find any purchase information on the Dive X-tras website, but I know you can buy these through Northwest Sports Divers.

 

[johnnyseko]

The new version is on ebay here.

I got the old version when they were selling them off cheap. Wish I had bought several pair. I've been keeping them together with aquaseal...

The pockets will pretty much stay closed, but do not trust them. You need to run a bungie through the inside of the pocket and then clip off anything you stow in there (shears, spool, SMB). I learned the hard way when I stowed my car key in there without clipping it off....that's another story.

I won't dive without mine....love 'em. And anyone that makes fun of you putting on shorts over your wetsuit is just jealous!

 

[*Floater*]

I love mine too (old version, the $20 slghtly defective ones off ebay). Super convenient. I use size M with my wetsuits (snug fit), but need larger ones for drysuit diving. How does the sizing of the new ones compare to the old ones? Or what is the equivalent of the old size L in the new x-shorts?

And what's up with the horrid new logo? :11:

The price is not bad compared to what individual glue on pockets cost these days, but those are over priced too by most manufacturers or retailers so my only hope is that XS Scuba or some company like that will put out their own, cheaper version of these shorts.

 

[JeffG]

I won't dive without mine....love 'em. And anyone that makes fun of you putting on shorts over your wetsuit is just jealous!

Yes, I remember making fun of you.

You can have the last laugh though. I bought the new version of the shorts for warm water trips.

 

[docmartin]

...Plus, they are interchangeable between wet or dry which I like...

i got them and i like them but they are not interchangeable between wet or dry. you'll need different sizes.

 

[D_B]

The new version is on ebay here.

I won't dive without mine....love 'em. And anyone that makes fun of you putting on shorts over your wetsuit is just jealous!

Yes, I remember :11: ... and yes, I am

just can't seem to bring myself to buy them for $80 ... when you can get pockets from Phill for $23 ... but, unless you velcro them on, your not gonna be able to switch them, or put them on a new suit ... Dilemma :laughing:

You can have the last laugh though. I bought the new version of the shorts for warm water trips.

Hmmmm ... Can I stand in for Johnny?

 

[*Floater*]

i got them and i like them but they are not interchangeable between wet or dry. you'll need different sizes.

If they are snug with your 3mm wetsuit then they wouldn't fit with a drysuit and heavy undergarments. On the other hand if they are snug on the drysuit then you can always use them with your wetsuits but they would be a little loose.

 

[johnnyseko]

Yes, I remember making fun of you.

You can have the last laugh though. I bought the new version of the shorts for warm water trips.

...See! I was right...Jealous!! We'll be diving warm water soon!!

Yes, I remember :11: ... and yes, I am

I agree, $80 is a bit steep....but considering what you have to pay for all the other gear...

On the other hand if they are snug on the drysuit then you can always use them with your wetsuits but they would be a little loose.

That's where the crotch strap helps...keeps your shorts up! Always funny when they slide down to your ankles off your wetsuit when you're on a packed dive boat...:doh: