Drysuits, AGAIN

[RenaB]

Ok, so I have been looking at drysuit, as the old timers know as I have brought this up before.

My instructor has given me some pretty good advice so far on all kinds of things. He thinks that the Whites is a good drysuit. Here is my deciding factors.

First I like the shell of the Essence, because it seems the reason it was made, bubble maintenance, is accurate. I will be in pool in a whites on Monday. I like the durability of the DUI skin, and it seems like a better suit all together. However, looking at the sizing chart, it would appear that I can get into a Whites in the measurements given quite nicely. As a DUI suit isn't going to be as fitting. This is only from the site, not from an actual fitting.

The other big factor is the price. The essense is 1000 bucks with hood, boots, and gloves included. I figure if I get a wessel insulating layer, it would work perfect for at least a couple of years. The cheapest DUI suit is 1600 as far as I can tell, just the suit, not anything else with it.

Anything to add? Or comment on? I will likly be attending the DUI fitting thing in Tacoma in April before I decide.

[Jeff Pack]

A Whites fusion with Bullet skin is a great piece of kit. One of the easiest to dive suits, with little bubble management.

User replaceable seals, and you can can change the skin for tropical climates with a sport skin.

[Penopolypants]

I have a White's fusion and love it. However, the Bullet skin, user replaceable seals, etc. definitely add to the price.

When it comes to dry suits, you have to figure out what you need, and what you can put up with.

The dive expo in April in Seattle will have several manufacturers (most/all of the major ones) that should have suits you can try on. It's hard to go wrong with trying on as much as possible before you buy.

[finnegankp]

So I'll be the first to jump in for DUI. I've had a DUI TLS350 for over 5 years and it's a great suit, and best of all, it can be custom fit to you. I wouldn't go off the sizes on a website necessarily as with most companies (DUI, USIA, and likely even Whites) you can get the suit tailored to just fit you. And you definitely get a tough suit and with the zip seals you can easily replace your own seals in 20 minutes or less including cutting (which is great if you blow a seal and don't want to have to bail on a dive).

Now I will say, DUI does come with a premium, but if you're not in a rush, I would do what Penopolypants said and check out the dive expo in April, the DUI Dog Days in the summer or the divers fair at UWS in July. All of these events would be great opportunities to try on the different suits and find the one that you like and at the expo and fair the reps from the different companies can even fit you for a suit.

At the end of the day I second Penopolypant's - you really need to figure out what you need and want and that will really help you decide which suit/manufacturer is for you.

[Gdog]

+1 on Penelopies post....Hit the dive expo and check them all out, take the time to talk to each rep and try them on. You will be glad you did. It may or may not change what you are currently thinking, but you will be much better informed.

[Jeremy]

I just bought a DUI Flex Extreme...I'm not a fan of drysuits....but must say the Flex Extreme has performed very very well thus far.

[LCF]

High-end dry suits are awfully nice, but they are also awfully expensive. I have a Santi suit; it was custom made, fits beautifully, and has a ton of nice little features. But I could buy two Fusions for what it costs at retail.

The Fusion is a lovely suit, although I loathe and would not recommend to anyone the Bullet skin. The advantages are that the suit is cheap . . . it's forgiving in fit, extremely durable, and depending on the skin and the options you choose, can be very light for travel. The user-replaceable seal system saves you significant money over the life of the suit, because you don't have to send it to anybody or pay anyone to put in new seals, and you can replace seals even on a dive boat, so a blown seal will at most cost you one dive.

I will admit that, at home, I dive the Santi suit. But I took one of my Fusions to MX on our recent trip, and it performed splendidly. If budget is a big issue, the Fusion is a heck of a buy.

[jerryehrlich]

High-end dry suits are awfully nice, but they are also awfully expensive. I have a Santi suit; it was custom made, fits beautifully, and has a ton of nice little features. But I could buy two Fusions for what it costs at retail.

The Fusion is a lovely suit, although I loathe and would not recommend to anyone the Bullet skin. The advantages are that the suit is cheap . . . it's forgiving in fit, extremely durable, and depending on the skin and the options you choose, can be very light for travel. The user-replaceable seal system saves you significant money over the life of the suit, because you don't have to send it to anybody or pay anyone to put in new seals, and you can replace seals even on a dive boat, so a blown seal will at most cost you one dive.

I will admit that, at home, I dive the Santi suit. But I took one of my Fusions to MX on our recent trip, and it performed splendidly. If budget is a big issue, the Fusion is a heck of a buy.

Particularly the fusion one, or fusion essence (women's version) for 999.00. It is a back zip, but really, who cares.

Jerry
Hoodsport
Hood Canal

[RenaB]

I actually like the back zip. I know you need help, but kinda like the zipper out of the way. Here's the thing I don't like about the Essence. I have been told that because of the zipper sleeves, no replaceable ziptype seals. So, I was looking at the FIT, which this month comes with the fusion undergarment. If I have the SLT seals placed in the suit at the factor we are looking at $1850 for the suit with the undergarment. I am thinking kinda on the expensive side. I can do it, but I am wondering is it worth that? I mean how much more would it cost me to get a DUI, or SANTI.

[LCF]

It would cost you close to twice as much.

[RenaB]

Thank you, that's what I needed to know.

[ljjames]

I second (or third or fourth depending on how many have already said it) getting to the demo days and dive expo to actually get hands on the suits, and if possible try as many of them on as possible (with some undergarments). You may find things that make one suit that you thought was a no brainer into a big hassle, or something that was originally not on the radar become the suit of choice.

Super quick example: front zip on a small person can sometimes end up needing your dive buddy's help to zip/unzip just as much as a back zip. So if the primary reason you were getting a front zip is to be more self sufficient... well... you get the picture.

Some suits are easy to get into, some suits are a pain in the arse. try them on... but keep in mind as your body get stronger and used to the motions and steps of getting into and out of a veritable space suit, what once felt totally unnatural can become like second nature

Also try on undergarments. they can make or break your flexibility just as much if not more than your outer shell.

[RenaB]

Thank you for the input. I will be doing that. Either way, I will be picking something up that has quick replace seals in it.

[Penopolypants]

I agree about the undergarments - the undergarment itself may fit weirdly, and/or it may not work well with whatever suit you're interested in.

I also believe that quick replacing seals are really nice, but not necessary. In all my years of diving I've only once had a seal completely fail unexpectedly, and that was my own fault (I accidentally punctured it with my inflator valve...long story). I have had them fail when I knew they were nearing the end of their usefulness and was pushing it anyway - again, that was on me.

In general, a torn seal is an annoyance, not a disaster. There is always another day to dive! If you are super worried about it (you're going on The Trip of a Lifetime), make sure you check everything before you go, and keep a set of patches, spare seals, aquaseal, and cotol in your kit. You can always glue a new seal on an old one in a pinch, and the cotol will minimize your dry time (literally and figuratively). Replacing seals is not difficult and is a skill most dry suit divers should learn.

[RenaB]

I just bought a DUI Flex Extreme...I'm not a fan of drysuits....but must say the Flex Extreme has performed very very well thus far.

Hi jeremy, I know you don't care for them. I mentioned to my instructor and LDS that you dove wet (well my understanding semi dry--which he replied was wet) up here and love it. He said he actually isn't surprised, some people can do it. I do like wet suits. I lived in So Ca for my entire life before moving up here, and I have been in many. A correct fitting one worked great for me, and they are inexpensive. I have to say once I was in then out, I didn't get back in again, unless it was around my waist. Anyway, I am no longer young--not that you are either-but the cold has gotten to me the last few years. I would probably love a DUI, and will buy one if I dive enough to justify the cost. I really do want to dive every week. I don't think that will be feasible at this point with my work schedule. And, I now have to find a girl that will put up with me as a buddy. I will look at them closely and try to justify the cost to my husband. He said, "how much??" to the Whites. So, I am trying to break him into cost S L O W L Y.

[RenaB]

I agree about the undergarments - the undergarment itself may fit weirdly, and/or it may not work well with whatever suit you're interested in.

I also believe that quick replacing seals are really nice, but not necessary. In all my years of diving I've only once had a seal completely fail unexpectedly, and that was my own fault (I accidentally punctured it with my inflator valve...long story). I have had them fail when I knew they were nearing the end of their usefulness and was pushing it anyway - again, that was on me.

In general, a torn seal is an annoyance, not a disaster. There is always another day to dive! If you are super worried about it (you're going on The Trip of a Lifetime), make sure you check everything before you go, and keep a set of patches, spare seals, aquaseal, and cotol in your kit. You can always glue a new seal on an old one in a pinch, and the cotol will minimize your dry time (literally and figuratively). Replacing seals is not difficult and is a skill most dry suit divers should learn.

Hello, thanks for the input. The problem with there is always another day to dive, is I am driving about 3 hours to go. Would hate to get there and not dive due to a torn seal. I also sew (not that there would be sewing involved in replacement), but I have sewn new zippers in garments. I am sure that seal replacement without zip seals would be cake, I just don't want to not dive after that kind of a drive

[RenaB]

Plus I want to spit on a seal to set it.

[LCF]

I don't know how big a person you are, but be aware that the SiTech user replaceable neck ring can interfere with mobility of your arms. I can just reach my dump valve on my left arm when I'm in full cold water regalia (thick undergarment) and reaching my isolator in doubles is a pain. However, I USE the system whenever I travel, for precisely the reasons you state. I know how to replace a seal, and I've patched them and temporized failures in the past, but it's a lot easier to have a spare you can install in under ten minutes. I put up with the small annoyance in range of motion to get that. But I'll also say that at home, where I'm under less pressure to have the suit perform every time, I dive my Santi.

[spatman]

Hello, thanks for the input. The problem with there is always another day to dive, is I am driving about 3 hours to go. Would hate to get there and not dive due to a torn seal.

There are many of us who drive 2.5-3.5 hours each way to dive, and I don't know anyone who had the user replaceable seals because of that factor. Also neither I or any buddy I've dived with here have had to call a dive due to a torn seal in the ~400 PNW dives I've done.

If you take care of your seals and replace them when they start to look worn, your chances of actually needing that system are very slim. And calling one day in few hundred and driving home without getting a dive in is pretty minor in the long run.

[Jeff Pack]

I've torn a few wrist seals, usually when doffing. Since I started putting baby shampoo on the seals before donning/doffing, I haven torn any.

But since i dive dry gloves, its no big deal if they tear, just annoying because teh si tech cuff rides further down my wrist.

I have yet to ever tear a neck seal, but have replaced one that was getting stretched out. Nice to not have to send it for service to do so.

[coulterboy]

Torn seals? That's what duct tapes are for in your save a dive kit. They actually temporarily work. it worked for me, both wrist and neck seals,

[bradmond]

My Bare has a neoprene neck seal and dry gloves. I am liking this setup.

[LCF]

Neoprene neck seals often don't work well for women, particularly thin ones. The reason is that the ratio of the circumference of the head to the circumference of the neck is bigger in women than in men, and neoprene has less stretch capacity than latex. A neoprene neck seal that will go over my head will leak; one which will not leak will make me feel as though I have gone through the birth canal again every time I put on my suit.

[fnerg]

I think user-replaceable neck seals are less about save-a-dive type experiences, and more about waiting the X weeks it takes for the dive shop to replace the seals for you.

[Desert Diver]

High-end dry suits are awfully nice, but they are also awfully expensive. I have a Santi suit; it was custom made, fits beautifully, and has a ton of nice little features. But I could buy two Fusions for what it costs at retail.

The Fusion is a lovely suit, although I loathe and would not recommend to anyone the Bullet skin. The advantages are that the suit is cheap . . . it's forgiving in fit, extremely durable, and depending on the skin and the options you choose, can be very light for travel. The user-replaceable seal system saves you significant money over the life of the suit, because you don't have to send it to anybody or pay anyone to put in new seals, and you can replace seals even on a dive boat, so a blown seal will at most cost you one dive.

I will admit that, at home, I dive the Santi suit. But I took one of my Fusions to MX on our recent trip, and it performed splendidly. If budget is a big issue, the Fusion is a heck of a buy.

Particularly the fusion one, or fusion essence (women's version) for 999.00. It is a back zip, but really, who cares.

Jerry
Hoodsport
Hood Canal[/quote
And if you can buy one from Jerry you get the big discount and get to test all the skins. Thanks again Jerry!