The best and worst of your dry suit

[Tjack]

Whites Pro Dry III 7mm Neoprene, 5 years, 150 dives ($250 on Ebay)

Likes: super durable, warm using light thermals, built in boots simplify don and doff, no pinching, psi tech valves great, cool looking with whites bears on knee pads.

Dislikes: not self donning my buddies complain it is hard to zip, neoprene requires lots of lead, bulky for travel.

I used to envy my dive buddies laminates but hearing about all the problems they have with their suits I think I lucked out with this bombproof neoprene drysuit.

 

[offroadr1]

I have a Whites fusion with the tech skin. I love it. To me, it dives like a wetsuit. Its not bulky or bubbly. I have never gotten cold in it, but I am in alabama so i dont see super low water temps.

I have found that when I don the suit, if I sit down and pull the drycore legs up so that when i stick my foot in, i am only able to insert my foot and calf before my foot hits bottom, that it is much easier to put on. i let the skin and boots hang off of it and flop around until my foot is entirely in the drycore. At that time, I will pull the skin and boot onto my foot. Then I stand up and pull the whole suit up and put the suspenders on. smooth sailing at this point.

my only gripe so far, and its probably more likely a problem with my configuration then the suit itself, is that i tend to burp the neck seal and have some water intrusion there. This weekend I discovered this was happening when I lean my head down to look at my spg. I dive sidemount and have my spgs pointed down along the cylinders. I may try to point them up around my chest where i can see them better and see if that takes care of the neck seal problem.

 

[CaboJim]

Own a Bare SB system drysuit. I have about 15 dives on it. Bought in in 7/12.
Likes: The outer suit is stretchy & it moves like a wetsuit. Easy to put on. Zipper in front.
I love the latex seals. I don't feel or move like "Robbie Robot" on the surface or in the water.
First under layer wicks sweat away.

Dislikes: Do not buy the second (mid) layer undersuit. Its a polyester fleece & way too buoyant(unless you like carrying alot of extra lead).
I bought a Lavacore full suit to replace the mid layer. It is neutrally buoyant & keeps me very warm.
Make sure you snap the zipper in before jumping in the water...

 

[Mr. Willoughby]

I have an Oceaner Polar which is nice and toasty warm even when ice diving. Oceaner Polar Drysuit

Likes: Warmth; good valves (so far); durable, though not hard boots which are helpful when climbing over rocks for local dives.

Dislikes: Neoprene seal can leak at the wrist; requires assistance to don due to back zipper; and for some odd reason it seems to shrink over the years

I am thinking of getting a Bare Nex-Gen but haven't fully committed yet.

 

[mselenaous]

I got my Whites Fusion Sport skin in Jan of 09. WOW almost 4 years ago when I worked in SoCal. I have about 100+ dives on it (it helps when you move to FL and dive in just a rash guard half the year, 3mm most of the rest of year).
In the Keys in winter I wear it with just underarmour and a polarfleece vest, cave country add a layer, CA add about 3 more layers.

+ it is very flexible, more than my 7mm suit.
+ 4sizes fit everyone (no one makes a stock jumbo shrimp size), custom cut suit is cost prohibitive
+it still fits as I get "fluffier"...it did not shrink like my wetsuits
+I dont get bouyancy or air in the legs problems
+ the dam around neck means i can use any hood and tuck it in
+neoprene seals (latex allergy) ...seals are now finally due for replacement

- no pockets
-ok the arms & legs are too long, but the skin bunches it up so no performsnce problems
-i dont like the socks much, tend to bunch up a tad. But I need the space when I wear 3 pairs of socks in cold CA waters. I use wetsuit booties or chuck taylors. I did not like the lace boots or their other velcro version.
-how much more time it takes to bear up in a dry suit than a rash guard.

Oh, ++, I look like a Power Ranger when I wear it...but sshhhh dont tell the Star Treckies on the Rodennberry Dive Team :sly:



Pardon this touch screen's annoying autocowrecktions sent via Tapatalk.

 

[altaskier]

White's Fusion, with 73 dives in 2.5 years. No leaks whatsoever.
+ price
+ compact and light for travel when using the Sport skin
+ seems durable enough with Sport skin
+ easy to don after I watched the Dive Right In Scuba video (that's my home shop)
+ Power Ranger look as noted above

- Some DUI people sneer at it
- Bullet skin takes a really long time to dry, and the crotch sags down when walking around after a dive
- Waterproof liner can feel clammy when cold and mildly moist due to condensation

By the way, someone mentioned the difficulty of removing the dump valve when changing skins. I made a quick and dirty tool (Apeks dump valve removulator) to help with this.

 

[seattlepaul1975]

Whites tech with 60+ dives no leaks, easy to don now that I have done it enough. Comfortable to wear
The crotch sag is annoying and SI.

Best thing I just got were the new whites bungee system for the evo boots. Best upgrade I have so e easy slip on stays tight and nothing comes untied

 

[JohnN]

Bare NexGen + SiTech neck seal.

Easy to get on (except for the back zipper)

Doesn't leak (knock on wood)

Dries quickly

I got it for $160 (with no dives on it)

Seems to get smaller every winter

 

[buddhasummer]

Santi e.motion custom cut. I only have done 5 dives in it so far so still early days

Likes:
Awesome fit
Amazing quality
Hasn't leaked yet
Very easy it get into
Great pockets
Looks way cool lol
Light
Drys quickly

Dislikes:
None so far
wasn't cheap (thanks mum xxx)

Not the suits fault but wearing base layer and santi BZ200 I'm coldish in 57f water.

 

[TSandM]

I'm going to add to this, because I now have another dry suit, a Santi E-Lite.

I've had it for not quite a year, and have probably put about 40 dives on it.

My favorite thing(s) is the number of thoughtful little things on the suit: The rubber-lined key pocket in the suspender pad, the thumb loop for pulling on the boots, the stiffeners in the pocket flaps.

The only thing I don't like about the suit is that I elected to forego the user-replaceable seals (having experience with them) and now I have to send the suit in every six months for a neck seal Not the fault of Santi or the seals -- I have ALWAYS gone through a neck seal in about six months. Toxic skin oil or something.