Drysuit Confusion

Crazyduck

Just as a suggestion-
Every year DUI does a Dog Rally and they bring out all there Drysuits and you can try things on to your hearts content.
I attended one a few years ago and it was a blast.
They attached a drysuit hose to my 1st stage and held my dive card and a credit card.
Then you can pick and choose underwear, a suit, rock boots and accessories.
As mentioned before it was a fun time for all.
We did two dives and tried on a few different things.
I found that the event made it much easier for me to understand what people were talking about and to decide what kind of suit that I wanted.
Website- http://www.dui-online.com/dog_events_06.html

Andrew

__________________
Howdy Senor- What’s Happening!
Rob Davie April 2005-

Presently in a state of transition from Open Circuit to Closed Circuit.

"You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by it." - Buddha.

CCRDVR

Cool Beans,
I'll have to check out one the dog days events if possible. My next question is; What makes a DUI suit better than an Otter? Would I be paying for a name or is there a real benefit to having a DUI suit vice an Otter? I'm leaning towards an Otter suit at this time due to the lower price.
Thanks to all for your inputs...
Jim

Philippe GERIN

Yes, trying out the suits before you buy is a smart idea.
FYI, you can check this thread too: http://www.rebreatherworld.com/gener...hlight=drysuit

You can also check for this topic on DIR Explorer forum and the decostop. Lots of info there, mainly about "DIR suits" but very informative.

For what it's worth, here are the specs of the suit I just ordered. Note: that suit fits my needs and yours may be different. You can PM me if you want to know about the reasons for these choices.

Best
Philippe

TLS 350 Special production
Standard cut : cut to fit 400g undergarments

Body color: Black
Overlay style:CLx 450 Overlay style with TOUGH DUCK. Royal Blue
Warm neck collar
Zipper:"Old Style" zipper, front entry. NO QUICK ZIP.
Valves: Apeks swivel inflator + Si-tech adjustable exhaust valve low profile.
Hood: Separate warm neck size L.
Rock boots : Socks size: ML + Rock boots size: 9
Pockets:

• Left: Neoprene utility small (9.5x6.5)
• Right: Cordura bellowed small (9.5x6.5).

Knee pads:NO.
Knee Overlay: Cordura knee overlay
Crotch pad: CF200 crotch pad (cloverleaf)
Seals:

• Latex Neck Seal
• Wrist Zipseal Standard thickness.

RMalahowski

I used to use a Bare trilaminate drysuit then switched over to a DUI TLS. The Bare was a very good and tough drysuit. The only reason I switched over is that the DUI does a custom fit with their "special edition" series. I'm tall, so the stock sizes don't fit me real well. Also, the replaceable neck and wrist seals are a nice addition and save a lot of hassles if you rip a seal. I'm not sure if any of the other manufacturers switched over to this zip-lock type of system yet.

We do have a local shop that rents dry suits. If you have someone local who does that, you may want to try a few different types out before you settle on one configuration.

As stated by Deep Thought above, I too like the tri-laminate for the same reasons. Light weight, easy to carry and dries out very quickly. The crushed neoprene is tougher but it is heavier and drying time is significantly longer.

I don't use the rock boots when I'm doing boat dives. What I do instead is use a pair of oversized scuba booties. The rock boots don't fit the fins real well and if you're not doing a beach dive and hiking over rough terrain, the regular booties do a good job at providing sufficient protection for the drysuit feet.

I don't personally use the argon, but there are some discussions regarding this on another thread.

__________________
Bob M.

Genesis

I have a TLS350. It was not my first suit, but may be the last one I have to buy (ok, if I rip or wear it out I might buy another one )

Is DUI perfect? No. I've had issues with their selection of materials, particularly the dump valve (it did NOT like to dump and DID like to leak! I replaced it) but the suit has been fine.

They're expensive though.....

The big deal with drysuits is fit. If they're not right on fit you will be miserable. Everything else is secondary.

Once you have fit, material is next. The TLS or any other membrane suit is easier to cut. Can be a big deal for wreckdiving, but my view is that if you're bashing around inside a wreck you have other issues. I've not holed my TLS, and I do dive it "inside" things with plenty of pointy edges.....

Finally, the argument against the membrane suits is that they have no natural insulating quality, while a crushed-neoprene does. I view that as a feature - it means I can dive in nearly any water temperature simply by varying the underwear......

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

Deepwreck

So will I look funny if I show up in florida and want to dive a drysuit when the water is 75 degrees

Genesis

To some people, yes. To me? No. Especially not if you intend to make a nice long decompression dive in that temperature water.

Warm, good. Cold, bad. I don't have enough natural insulation to avoid the need for external help with the warm part

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

CCR900

So do the Ukranian mafia be careful.

ScubaDadMiami

I prefer not to vary my equipment much so that I can keep a consistent performance in the water. So, I dive dry in both warm and cold water. I never dive wet anymore.

I was even diving dry in 89 F water last Summer here in South Florida. I don't get overheated at all in the water. Besides, it can be 20 or 25 degrees cooler at depth.

The last time I dove wet, over a year ago (and the first time I dove wet in the two years or more up to that point), I swore off wetsuit diving forever.

Now, baking on the dive boat before getting in the water when it is 95 outside is another story. Diving, like all the other great religions, involves sacrifice and suffering.

__________________
Howard Packer
IANTD CCR Instructor
Miami Beach, Florida
CCRDiveTraining.com

Genesis

I love my drysuit but in the 95 degree weather you get in Florida you'll freaking heatstroke before you can get in the water.

I give up when the water temperature gets close to 80F and dive wet. Yeah, its colder on the bottom - a bit. But you're working then (swimming, etc) - and on deco you're back in the bathtub.

Plus, I dont' care how well your drysuit fits, the wetsuit has less drag. I find it very noticable. Not as big a deal with a scooter, but if you're swimming......

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket