Self entry suits

Jimmer · Jan 26, 2007

I'm finally in the market for a drysuit, after diving wet since 1993. Obviously a self entry sounds the most appealing, and I've been looking at Whites drysuits quite a bit. The Whites appear to have an across the chest/shoulders self enty, as opposed to the shoulder to hip style. Has anyone had any experience with that type and can compare the two styles?

TimK · Jan 26, 2007

I dive a semi dry with a shoulder to shoulder zipper and I almost always need help to get the last couple of inches zipped. When you try to do it yourself, material bunches at the shoulder making it all but impossible to get the last couple of inches done. I have thought about putting a longer chord on the zipper so that I can pull it with the same arm (left) but haven't tried it yet. All the guys I dive with that have dry suits with the diagonal zippers seem to be able to get zipped up without help. Even though I'm in a wetsuit, I can see the same material bunching problem in a drysuit. In fact, my dive instructor had a drysuit with the shoulder to shoulder zipper and I had to help him on several occasions -- same issue with the last couple of inches.

Jimmer · Jan 26, 2007

hmmmm seems to me if the front shoulder to shoulder zippers are that hard to use, then I might as well just get a back entry, or a diagonal front entry. Anyone else have any input?

JustinW · Jan 26, 2007

I don't like the idea of an easy to damage zipper going across my back, particularly if diving a backplate. The zipper seems more protected from that sort of abuse when its in the front, either diagonal or across the chest.

King_of_All_Tyrants · Jan 26, 2007

I've used both kinds of self donning zipper, albeit not extensively. One was an Andy's trilam, the other a DUI TLS 350.

I thought the DUI was easier to use; but that may just be material quality. Either way, the difference in terms of ease of use was not significant and I could don both of them just fine by my lonesome (your mileage may vary; some aren't flexible enough to do it). I would be fine diving with either one.

My advice: try whatever drysuit you're thinking of before you buy if at all possible. In fact this was what got me to choose DUI - they had a demo day, I like the TLS and they conveniently gave me all the sizes I needed. Bare, Whites &al. didn't give me the same opportunity.

Jimmer · Jan 27, 2007

yeah I'd like to try a few, I'm just not sure what will be available in my size to try out. My instructor and I wear the same size wetsuit, and he's retiring his tired old neoprene and getting a Pinnacle tri-lam, so I should be able to give that a shot. I'm also looking at White's, partly because I like to support Canadian companies, and partly because I have a feeling I might need to go custom. Either way I think I should be ok with both types of self entry, I'm reasonably flexible. Thanks for the advice guys.

TSandM · Jan 27, 2007

I don't know how the cross-chest zipper on the White's is oriented, but I have a Mobby's suit with a cross-chest zipper, and it's extremely easy to get on and off without any help whatsoever. Whereas my friends with the front zip DUI and Bare suits seem to need a great deal of help getting in and out of them, and getting the zipper started.

Jimmer · Jan 27, 2007

TSandM, I remember seeing your post about diving Vancouver, but it got a little long in the tooth to read it all lol. Did you feel a difference using argon in the suit?

crpntr133 · Jan 27, 2007

Since you said you would like to support a Canadian company what about Bare?
I dive a Bare trilam HD and love it. It is shoulder to hip and it does take some getting use to getting out of. I have a semi dry that zips across the back and I like it as well but don't care for having to wait for a buddy to zip me.
Also Bare has more standard sizes.... medium large tall is what I wear. If I would have gone DUI or Whites I would have had a custom suit and twice the money.
A buddy dive has a DUI and someone usually has to help him with his "self donning" zipper. I can zip mine myself.

Jimmer · Jan 27, 2007

Well I haven't crossed Bare off the list, but my LDS does very little business with them, primarily White's and Pinnacle for exposure suits, so that's why those two are on the top of the list. Now I'm just going off the word of my shop owner, but she told me she has had a few minor issues with Bare drysuits fit guide not being quite as on the money as White's and Pinnacle. I've had a chance to try on a few drysuits they have had in the shop, no Bare's, and so far everyone has had a problem getting over my thighs. The height and length of arms and legs were great, but I had zero clearance on my thighs, which is why I'm thinking I may have to go custom.

Self entry suits

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Jimmer

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TimK

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Jimmer

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JustinW

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King_of_All_Tyrants

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Jimmer

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TSandM

Missed and loved by many.

Jimmer

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crpntr133

lost, even with a compass

Jimmer

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