Rich Keller
Contributor
I wanted to get an idea of what the most commonly used drysuits were made of and why you prefer them.
What is your drysuit made of?
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My suits are from O'Three out of the UK... it is NOT crushed neoprene but that's the closest option you have.
I dive O'Three because they fit, they are dry, they are virtually indestructible, and they are comfy.
I dive O'Three because they fit, they are dry, they are virtually indestructible, and they are comfy.
DUI TLS 350 and 30/30.
Ontwreckdiver
Contributor
Bare CD4 Pro 4mm compressed neoprene suit. I can wear less underwear than with a Trilaminate suit, it's tough as nails, It's made in Canada and Bare provided great customer service when I needed the zipper replaced. It's over 10 years old and still looks like new
jeangadbois
Contributor
Dui 450 love it fits nice keeps me dry and gosh darn don't I look good.
Diving Concepts Cordura, which is my favorite suit. It's heavy but indestructible. I have a DUI half trilam/half cordura that I bought as a backup a few months ago. I haven't tried it yet. I also have an old Diving Concepts crushed neoprene as a backup. I've owned another DC crushed neoprene suit, plus a USIA bilam, DUI TLS350 trilam and Poseidon vulcanized rubber suit.
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Diving Concepts trilam. My husband has the same, about 15 years old and looks like a faded pair of blue jeans. If mine is as good as his, it should be the last drysuit I ever need. I would consider getting a 30/30 or some other tropical drysuit for diving in warmer conditions, if I ever find a used one that will fit. Or, some other brand, same idea. But for now, I'm pretty happy with my DC. Still working out the undergarment layers for different themperstures.
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
Mine is a CR 100 Neoprene custom made. Out of the options you have given the closest would be foam neoprene but CR is the highest grade of foam and used in drysuits as well as wetsuits because it is the most compression resistant. CR 30 and 50 would also be classified as foam neoprene but they are the neoprene that medical supplies are made of. In drysuits it would not be the ideal.
I like CR100 suits over shell suits because of the following:
1. A closer fit is possible. This eliminates the bagginess of a shell suit and results.
2. It is a warmer suit so less undergarment is needed.
3. A 3mm CR neoprene weights the same as a 3mm wetsuit. It is very light and travel friendly.
4. It does not crush my testicles like a shell suit does. My biggest issue with shell suits has been crotch squeeze. CR neoprene when deflated of all air will snug fit you like a wetsuit instead of a crushing drysuit.
5. The drysuit theory says that neoprene suits have disadvantages like they need more weight to sink and they result in buoyancy changes due to depth. This has not been true in case of my drysuit. The compression related buoyancy change is the same as I would experience if it was a 3mm wetsuit. I also did not have to use any extra lead. I was diving with 16 - 18 lbs of lead with my USIA and my weight with my custom neoprene drysuit is the same. I called the manufacturer to ask them how come I am not needing more weight? He explained that while it is true that a sheet of cordura or shell material would need less lead to sink than a sheet of CR 100, when you make a suit out of it the game changes. Divers wearing shell need air in the suit to prevent squeeze and that is why they end up using the same lead that someone with a CR100 neoprene would use. Similarly shell suit users are also trying to sink their undergarment which would always be thicker than neoprene suits users. These factors would make a neoprene suit diver wear equal lead as a shell suit diver. This theory has proven true in my case. My weight belt has not gotten heavier.
All the disadvantages of neoprene suit exist more in theory. I prefer my 3mm neoprene over my USIA any day which is why I sold the latter.
I like CR100 suits over shell suits because of the following:
1. A closer fit is possible. This eliminates the bagginess of a shell suit and results.
2. It is a warmer suit so less undergarment is needed.
3. A 3mm CR neoprene weights the same as a 3mm wetsuit. It is very light and travel friendly.
4. It does not crush my testicles like a shell suit does. My biggest issue with shell suits has been crotch squeeze. CR neoprene when deflated of all air will snug fit you like a wetsuit instead of a crushing drysuit.
5. The drysuit theory says that neoprene suits have disadvantages like they need more weight to sink and they result in buoyancy changes due to depth. This has not been true in case of my drysuit. The compression related buoyancy change is the same as I would experience if it was a 3mm wetsuit. I also did not have to use any extra lead. I was diving with 16 - 18 lbs of lead with my USIA and my weight with my custom neoprene drysuit is the same. I called the manufacturer to ask them how come I am not needing more weight? He explained that while it is true that a sheet of cordura or shell material would need less lead to sink than a sheet of CR 100, when you make a suit out of it the game changes. Divers wearing shell need air in the suit to prevent squeeze and that is why they end up using the same lead that someone with a CR100 neoprene would use. Similarly shell suit users are also trying to sink their undergarment which would always be thicker than neoprene suits users. These factors would make a neoprene suit diver wear equal lead as a shell suit diver. This theory has proven true in my case. My weight belt has not gotten heavier.
All the disadvantages of neoprene suit exist more in theory. I prefer my 3mm neoprene over my USIA any day which is why I sold the latter.
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