Question about Dry Suits

[CALI68]

Actually "the" was correct. It is politically correct to say that other trilams that meet these requirements are acceptable. But, no one has made one as good as the DUI yet. Of course, even the DUI ones now require some retro modifications to get it back to the quality of the older suits.

Exactally.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Actually "the" was correct. It is politically correct to say that other trilams that meet these requirements are acceptable. But, no one has made one as good as the DUI yet. Of course, even the DUI ones now require some retro modifications to get it back to the quality of the older suits.

Interesting ... over the past three years or so I've seen that position change a few times.

When I first started paying attention to DIR, they were pushing Andy's DS3 as "the" preferred suit. Since then it seems to alternate between the DUI TLS350 and the Diving Concepts Ultraflex Pro ... depending on who's got what deal going with which GUE shop.

As someone already noted, the GUE instructors don't all dive the same suit. I think function is far more important than brand ... proper fit and flexibility being the important considerations.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Boogie711]

Cali - don't tread into waters you're unfamiliar with. Soggy's right - it's 'A' suit, not THE suit.

The Diving Concepts Ultraflex Pro is not only a great suit, it's the preferred suit of a number of GUE instructors. Dan MacKay just wrote a GUE manual on gear configuration, and the featured suits there are the 350 and the DC. Dan's preferred suit is actually a DUI CLX450.

 

[RTodd]

Interesting ... over the past three years or so I've seen that position change a few times.

When I first started paying attention to DIR, they were pushing Andy's DS3 as "the" preferred suit. Since then it seems to alternate between the DUI TLS350 and the Diving Concepts Ultraflex Pro ... depending on who's got what deal going with which GUE shop.

As someone already noted, the GUE instructors don't all dive the same suit. I think function is far more important than brand ... proper fit and flexibility being the important considerations.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I agree that is what has happened with a portion of the NW contingent. However, the guys I consider the real players and everyone that came up with this system pre-GUE has always used the 350.

 

[jonnythan]

That's not what I was told by my instructors. For all considerations the TLS350 was THE suit.

I personally know at least two GUE instructors who will disagree with you - Mike Kane and Dan Mackay.

Send them an email and ask what they have to say.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I agree that is what has happened with a portion of the NW contingent. However, the guys I consider the real players and everyone that came up with this system pre-GUE has always used the 350.

Interesting ... who would that be?

I hadn't realized that Andrew Georgitsis wasn't considered a "real player" ...

.... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dbulmer]

I'm not DIR but Soggy is right (I train with some DIR guys) . It's the features of the suit that are important. Over here the DUI are very expensive (and leak ) - in the UK quite a few DIR blokes use Polar Bear suits. There are blokes who use DUI suits but a couple of price hikes over here recently mean that they are not as favoured as they once were.

 

[Soggy]

I guess we have to define *which* DIR we're talking about....GUE DIR? WKPP DIR? East Coast GUE DIR? West coast GUE DIR? SpecDIR? (yes, that last one is a joke )

WKPP DIR may well be TLS350, but it just doesn't cut it when the water is 40 degrees and there are sharp metal thingies and fishing lures waiting for an unsuspecting diver to swim by. Thinsulate may insulate when wet, but I sure wouldn't want to be facing 30 mins of deco in 40 degree water with a hole in my suit.....

 

[mer]

DIR is not brand specific, however there are obviously some brands that address our concerns better than others.... you know the players.

As for drysuits, DIR concerns are:
- Range of motion in undergarment and suit (reaching valves)
- Good cut for men *and women* (no excess material to create more drag and/or complicate buoyancy)
- Simplistic inflation, deflation and zipper systems
- Inherant buoyancy of material (means less weight, same reason we don't pad BCs)
- Resistance to compression (for undergarments, a concern if suit floods)


There are always other concerns such as ability to repair quickly, price, ease of traveling with the suit that may come into play, but are not necessary prescribed by the philosophy.

We know that the DUI TLS350 with 400g thinsulate works, so we often put people in that direction since we won't have to troubleshoot whether it's the gear or the diver causing a difficulty. This is not to say that you might not be able to find something else that works.

 

[lamont]

one DIR approach:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=51944

if you read what GI3 has written, the TLS350 is pretty much the drysuit which god handed down to the chosen ones, while CF200s are strictly for NE wreck divers who crawl around on their knees...

so, do you want to be GI3 DIR, WKPP DIR, GUE DIR, AG/MHK DIR or something else entirely? there are many tasty flavors of kool-aid to choose from...