Who can do a custom cut suit better: DUI or Santi?

[Scubatude]

If customer service matters, DUI hands down. This is from dealing with both.

18 months ago I was selling Santi. I have to say they build a quality product. I have now changed to DUI as my drysuit of choice for my shop. Both manufacturers build a quality product (I was not a total fan of my DIU TLS-350, but LOVE my FLX), customer service, and turn around time were 2 major reasons. The fact that they are an American company is a plus for me. I had some customer service issues with Santi and a suit that came with a factory defect. Luckily I was able to repair it for my customer but it was not handled well.

Your mileage my vary.

 

[RJP]

FYI, Halcyon is now promoting SANTI and no longer DUI, if that means anything to you.

More than "promoting" the brand (which I don't thing they actually did in any official way for DUI, at least not in the US) Halcyon are now the US distributor for SANTI.

Santi & Halcyon Global Alliance | SANTI

 

[Hatul]

More than "promoting" the brand (which I don't thing they actually did in any official way for DUI, at least not in the US) Halcyon are now the US distributor for SANTI.

Santi & Halcyon Global Alliance | SANTI

It's a Polish conspiracy.

 

[lucca brassi]

& bottom timer xdeep too !

 

[RJP]

It's a Polish conspiracy.

A priest, a rabbi, and a Polish guy wearing a drysuit walk into a bar and sit down next to a pretty girl. The bartender says to the Polish guy "Diver?"

The Polish guy replies "Dive 'er? I don't even KNOW 'er!"

:d

 

[Wookie]

I have a custom DUI measured by DUI at a DUI event. 10 years and 30 lbs and I'm still in it, although with thinner undergarments (which is OK, as I am in Florida). My wife has an off the rack DUI which went back to have the sleeves shortened. It went back later to get the new silicon neck ring for zip seals. In each case, the suit was back in less than a week, and they had gone completely through the suit and found a bad vent valve and fixed that too.

I know the person TS&M does whose suit didn't fit. It went back for alterations. 3 months later she finally got it, after the 3 months she waited for the suit in the first place.

Santi treated Ocean Edge poorly when they decided to go with Halcyon, in my opinion. The blue H doesn't impress me much, any more then the big blue S does. Then, I'm not very brand conscious.

 

[TSandM]

I agree with you about Santi and the move to Halcyon. I like the Ocean Edge folks, and almost all the suits that get measured by them come out as they ought. But business is business, and I'm sure the company saw something they thought would be to their benefit with the move. DUI has certainly benefited from their association with the WKPP over the years.

These suits are extremely expensive (both brands) and it's really annoying to spend a lot of money on something and not have it be right from the beginning and continue to serve well. I have heard stories of ill-fitting suits coming from both companies, but it seems as though there are fewer from Santi. In addition, I've heard almost NO complaints of leaking problems with the Santi suits (NW Grateful Diver I think had a problem with his boots), whereas my DUI friends always seem to be hunting leaks and patching them.

 

[RJP]

Santi treated Ocean Edge poorly when they decided to go with Halcyon, in my opinion.

I agree with you about Santi and the move to Halcyon. I like the Ocean Edge folks, and almost all the suits that get measured by them come out as they ought. But business is business, and I'm sure the company saw something they thought would be to their benefit with the move.

 

[Dsix36]

I have talked to a lot of DUI owners and my opinion was formed that the older suits were of much higher quality and were almost bullet proof. The users were able to get decades of use from their suits with very very few issues. The same people who had to replace their decades old suits naturally went with DUI again simply from their great experience previously. The new suits have been nothing but problems for 7 out of 7 of the divers. Leaks being the most common issue.

I talked to many Santi owners also and could not find a single bad review. Naturally I decided to go with a Santi and must say that my experience has been good. I have had problems, but I can tolerate them for the amount of use and abuse that I put my suit through. After the VERY FIRST ocean dive the small (1/4") grommets at the top edge of the pockets rusted. I mean WTF, for this kind of money they could use SS or brass. I still have not replaced them though. One of the boots developed a very small leak that was a minor annoyance until I realized the suit was already 4 years old and i fixed it. The zipper developed a leak after about 6 years.

Considering that I come back from wreck diving with rust all over my suit (even the neck seal at times), I would not hesitate to recommend a Santi if the pocketbook can handle it.