The best and worst of your dry suit

[Captain Bil]

Main suit is a Pinnacle Black Ice. My first neoprene suit, and it is my best suit. Neoprene neck seal, latex wrists. I stay warm and dry with thin undergarments.

The bad is the zipper durability. I've already had it replaced.

Back up suit is my second Bare HD Tech Trilam. Great suit too, just not as comfortable as the neoprene. I use it when I need to be really warm. My weezle fits under it nicely.

Downside is fit's a little loose.

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[NorthWest Hunter]

1) BARE XCS2 Tech Dry. Only a half douzen dives on it so far.
2)Love the self entry, how flexible it is and my faviorite little thing on it is the pull tab for opening my zipper (not on the zipper but on the suit facing the other way).
3)I don't like the attached boots so much.

 

[sunnyboy]

Two suits, both DUI TLS350. One a custom, one off-the-rack size. Both with turbo-soles, kevlar knee pads, large bellows pockets, crotch protector, p-valves, high-profile (old style) dump valve, and old style zippers (zip from bottom to top).

First suit (custom) purchased March 2003. Don't know how many dives. Returned to DUI in Aug 2009 for new zipper (leaked badly at the end). Also had them replace one turbo-sole boot and convert the suit to zip-seals. Have not dove it since it came back because...

Bought the second suit in Aug 2009. This one did have the zip seals. Added my Skaana cuff rings to the zip seal without any problem, so that's a bonus. I did have to repair the suspender (stitching came undone on left front tab) last week, but otherwise still going strong!

Likes:

zip seals - love them; suit is fast to dry; suit is very light; fits well, love the front zipper entry. I personally love the turbo-soles as there's 'no muss, no fuss' getting ready.

The suit is NOT as fragile as I was led to believe. Since 2003 I've had a total of 2 leaks in the first suit, none in the second. Leaks were a) stubbed toe on wooden dock. tore a small, very hard-to-find hole in the turbo-sole toe. b) crotch strap area due to wear from scootering around lake Minnewanka in Banff, AB. (hence the crotch protection added to both suits)

Dislikes:

1. I wish the zippers would last longer than 4-6 years. I hate it when the zipper starts to fail and you start diving 'damp' instead of dry.

2. Shell suits are not warm in the winter - at least not as I get older. I think I'm going to have to get an electric vest this year as I was freezing on long (90 min) dives last winter.

I did buy a used CF200 from a buddy of mine (almost brand new, maybe a dozen dives) just to see if it's a nicer suit to dive. I understand about the wet weight and longer drying times. I already hate the rock boots (won't fit my XL Jets) and bought some neoprene sneakers to try instead.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Very good thread IMO:
first suit was a Bear Supra: over 200 dives to include caves, wrecks, deep and Cooper river
Pros: Can take a licking better that the other suits I have tried.
Easy to repair
Almost self venting while ascending
Cons: Long dry time
Rock boots start to dry rot and have cracks
Lost of freedom of movement
Back entry
no pockets
(Had to put it away due to seals needing replaceing, boots needed to be replaced, zipper missing a tooth but still did not leak. Steve Gamble would not repair it due to cost.

Second suit Hollis Biodry FX 100: About 50 dives to include caves and deep
Pros: very good suspenders
Easy to get in and out of
Streaching material with easy movement
Well made socks but a little large
Cons: worst fit for my frame...fits great from waist down but upper chest area could fit a professional bodybuilder. Way too much material.
Shoes hurt...not just me but others as well.
Exhaust valve does not vent well due to being floppy from the excess material
Would make a perfect suit for someone about 5'9"-6'2" with a larger upper body mass...it's for sale

Third suit a used DUI TLS350:
Pros: Easy to get off
Fits great and love the telescoping torso
Great valves
Ease of movement
Front entry
Pockets
Light weight and easy to pack with small profile
Can take a licking
Great shoes
Cons: Zipper does not last as long as the Bear
What the hell is up with the pointed toe elf like socks!!!
Suspenders are a joke, get in the way of getting into it an are way too thin.

 

[Wolfie]

DUI cf250
love the zip seals. Hate the smurf gloves. It's impossible to get all sorted out without someone babysitting you before the dive.

 

[mcohendr@comcast.net]

Very good thread IMO:
first suit was a Bear Supra: over 200 dives to include caves, wrecks, deep and Cooper river
Pros: Can take a licking better that the other suits I have tried.
Easy to repair
Almost self venting while ascending
Cons: Long dry time
Rock boots start to dry rot and have cracks
Lost of freedom of movement
Back entry
no pockets
(Had to put it away due to seals needing replaceing, boots needed to be replaced, zipper missing a tooth but still did not leak. Steve Gamble would not repair it due to cost.

Second suit Hollis Biodry FX 100: About 50 dives to include caves and deep
Pros: very good suspenders
Easy to get in and out of
Streaching material with easy movement
Well made socks but a little large
Cons: worst fit for my frame...fits great from waist down but upper chest area could fit a professional bodybuilder. Way too much material.
Shoes hurt...not just me but others as well.
Exhaust valve does not vent well due to being floppy from the excess material
Would make a perfect suit for someone about 5'9"-6'2" with a larger upper body mass...it's for sale

Third suit a used DUI TLS350:
Pros: Easy to get off
Fits great and love the telescoping torso
Great valves
Ease of movement
Front entry
Pockets
Light weight and easy to pack with small profile
Can take a licking
Great shoes
Cons: Zipper does not last as long as the Bear
What the hell is up with the pointed toe elf like socks!!!
Suspenders are a joke, get in the way of getting into it an are way too thin.

Hi, What size suit is the Hollis? I assume it is a XXL or XXXL. Also, could you tell me what your body size dimensions are, so I can determine if it would likely fit me well. (ie: Your height, weight, chest size and shoe size) What is your asking price?
Thanks, Michael

 

[Ouvea]

1. What dry suit do you own? How long have you had it, and how many dives have you put on it?

a. Whites Fusion Sport/Tech (Prefer the Sport for better mobility and less buoyancy)
b. Owned about 1 to 1.5 years with about 50-60 dives.


2. What's your favorite thing about the suit?

a. The mobility and the sheer light weight of the suit are unbeatable (weighs less than a wetsuit).
b. It's form fitting and doesn't trap air, which means easy bubble management.
c. SLT integrated silicone seal system (will never go back to latex).
d. Apeks valves are very efficient (almost too efficient) and truly low profile.


3. What's your least favorite thing about the suit?

a. Neck ring pushes the straps of my BP/W off my shoulders a bit.
b. Sport Skin is fragile (pilling already after about 50-60 dives).
c. Sand gets trapped between the two skins.
d. Apeks valves require Herculean strength or an oil filter wrench tool to remove (required to switch out skins).

**Don't think this suit is any more difficult to don than other drysuits. It just has a different process.

 

[Peter_C]

d. Apeks valves require Herculean strength or an oil filter wrench tool to remove (required to switch out skins).

Here is SI-Tecks instructions on how to remove the valve that requires a set of special tools. That is what came with my Fusion??

http://www.seaskin.co.uk/acatalog/Sitechattachment tools18222.pdf

 

[Jerry_]

Actually using a Bare CD4 Pro drysuit (4mm compressed neoprene) since a couple of years. It is a a good drysuit, comfortable and reliable.
Cons: none

About 15 years ago I bought my first drysuit (don't remember the brand) which was a trilam because of he robustness.

The point with the trilam was that it has little thermal isolation, requiring always to have air in - this was an issue of constant inflate/deflate when diving in shallow depths. That's why I changed to neoprene, however I think that if I was to do regular cavediving I would get an extra trilam, but wouldn't like to miss by CD4.

The other advantage I found with the CD4 is the fact hat I only add very little extra weight, compared to what I am using with my 7mm Bare wetsuit (I have 1 extra kilo in the pocket fixed on the leg, and I put 2x500g as counterweights on my feet), so when changing from one to another I habe to do no other changes in the configuration.

 

[hudson]

I have a Fusion 2nd gen with the Sport skin (I use a butt-ring-attached pocket) and a CF200. They take about the same time to get into.

CF200 is great in the water, but the bulk and the extra long drying times are annoying on the surface. Fusion is better or equal in almost every way. The SiTech system installed on my Fusion is excellent, it is just wonderful not having to worry about the seals. The push-together rings of dry glove system could be improved (I like the Viking bayonets on the CF200 a little better) but it's an insignificant concern.

And it's excellent value for money. I'm looking into a new drysuit, but haven't found a better alternative yet.