New suit report!
My new drysuit finally came. I am deliriously happy with it, although I have yet to get it wet.
First, the stats: DUI CLX-450 Select. Size Large-Tall (semi-custom sizing). DUI Cordura bellows pockets on each hip, and CF200 knee pads. No zip seals, as I decided to try regular ones first, and IF I blow on, I'll probably convert at that point. Classic black, Rule #6 first and foremost!
Now, the user experience: The suit comes in an oversize pizza box (4" thick, roughly) with a handle. Inside is the suit, LP inflator hose (with a stainless hose hat), talc and wax, plus catalogs, reg card a big suit bag and DUI swag (more stickers for my pelican cases!).
Turns out new DUI neck seals are sized to fit your average Chihuahua. And new wrist seals are full cones with no actual opening, so I had to trim the seals before I could even put it on casually to see how it fits. Very frustrating to be holding a gorgeous piece of kit at work and not be able to try it on to see how it fits!
Once I finally made it to my buddy's house (mom has a pool!) I took perhaps three rings off the wrist, can't recall precisely. I think there are 5 visible rings left on the wrists, and I don't know if you count the one right at the edge. The neck seal took a long time to get right... it's a LOT harder to trim (esp to trim well)! I can't recall how many we took off there, either. 6 rings remaining (plus the last one). Sharp scissors worked quite well on the wrist seals, not so much on the neck. I used a razor-sharp Fiskars rotary cutter on a cutting board for the neck, and it did MUCH better the the scissors. Guess I should have paid more close attention to that part of my drysuit class, rather than socializing on the boat since the the seals in the suit I had already fit! All ended well, however, and fortunately all that extra rubber gave me plenty of room to experiment and get the technique down before I got into the critical range.
I did not get a chance to get it wet, sadly, because my friend was late getting off work and by the time I went over and we got the seals all trimmed it was too late to bother his mom (for her pool). Hopefully tonight or this weekend, worst case an evening next week. First real dive will probably be a night dive next week sometime.
But I did try it on, and wow, is it nice! Rockboots (size 10) don't work with my XL Jets, as suspected, and I really hate Turtles, so it looks like I'll be using my plan B: I picked up some Converse (the cool all black ones, of course, size 10.5) which actually fit the XL Jets tolerably well.
I haven't decided if I'll be using the DUI warm neck hood or sticking with my Henderson Gold Core. I'll try both.
One of these days I'll definitely want to install a P valve, but I figure I did ok for the past 6 months without one in my current DS, so it can wait a while.
My current DS has been very good to me, but it was always a bit too big. For a used, basic suit, though, it did it's job very well, and I'll retire it fondly, or perhaps sell it off. The new one is serious luxury, though, and it fits me sooooo much better! It's a seriously sweet suit. I can't wait to get it wet...
Ok, merriment and jubilation over, time to get back to work. (As if I can concentrate on anything other than planning my next dive right now...)
My new drysuit finally came. I am deliriously happy with it, although I have yet to get it wet.
First, the stats: DUI CLX-450 Select. Size Large-Tall (semi-custom sizing). DUI Cordura bellows pockets on each hip, and CF200 knee pads. No zip seals, as I decided to try regular ones first, and IF I blow on, I'll probably convert at that point. Classic black, Rule #6 first and foremost!
Now, the user experience: The suit comes in an oversize pizza box (4" thick, roughly) with a handle. Inside is the suit, LP inflator hose (with a stainless hose hat), talc and wax, plus catalogs, reg card a big suit bag and DUI swag (more stickers for my pelican cases!).
Turns out new DUI neck seals are sized to fit your average Chihuahua. And new wrist seals are full cones with no actual opening, so I had to trim the seals before I could even put it on casually to see how it fits. Very frustrating to be holding a gorgeous piece of kit at work and not be able to try it on to see how it fits!
Once I finally made it to my buddy's house (mom has a pool!) I took perhaps three rings off the wrist, can't recall precisely. I think there are 5 visible rings left on the wrists, and I don't know if you count the one right at the edge. The neck seal took a long time to get right... it's a LOT harder to trim (esp to trim well)! I can't recall how many we took off there, either. 6 rings remaining (plus the last one). Sharp scissors worked quite well on the wrist seals, not so much on the neck. I used a razor-sharp Fiskars rotary cutter on a cutting board for the neck, and it did MUCH better the the scissors. Guess I should have paid more close attention to that part of my drysuit class, rather than socializing on the boat since the the seals in the suit I had already fit! All ended well, however, and fortunately all that extra rubber gave me plenty of room to experiment and get the technique down before I got into the critical range.
I did not get a chance to get it wet, sadly, because my friend was late getting off work and by the time I went over and we got the seals all trimmed it was too late to bother his mom (for her pool). Hopefully tonight or this weekend, worst case an evening next week. First real dive will probably be a night dive next week sometime.
But I did try it on, and wow, is it nice! Rockboots (size 10) don't work with my XL Jets, as suspected, and I really hate Turtles, so it looks like I'll be using my plan B: I picked up some Converse (the cool all black ones, of course, size 10.5) which actually fit the XL Jets tolerably well.
I haven't decided if I'll be using the DUI warm neck hood or sticking with my Henderson Gold Core. I'll try both.
One of these days I'll definitely want to install a P valve, but I figure I did ok for the past 6 months without one in my current DS, so it can wait a while.
My current DS has been very good to me, but it was always a bit too big. For a used, basic suit, though, it did it's job very well, and I'll retire it fondly, or perhaps sell it off. The new one is serious luxury, though, and it fits me sooooo much better! It's a seriously sweet suit. I can't wait to get it wet...
Ok, merriment and jubilation over, time to get back to work. (As if I can concentrate on anything other than planning my next dive right now...)
