Whites Fusion drysuit and Thermal Fusion undergarment.

[Aqua-Andy]

I wear a thin wicking layer from EMS. I like them because they are local and regularly have %50 off sales. Techwick - Eastern Mountain Sports - Eastern Mountain Sports

[TSandM]

I used a base layer from a local company called Kim -- it's like the Diving Concepts base layer but thicker, and much cheaper

[Doomnova]

Those of you who dive with the thermal fusion Undergarment. What do you wear under it if anything?

I use a set of thin underarmor long sleeve shirt and pants and it keeps me nice and toasty all day and for my feet a set of 3mm neoprene socks that came with my suit and a set of wool socks from MEC over top of them, but also I do not get cold easily being raised in alberta I'm used to being much colder than I was in my open water wetsuit dives. I was chilled but not "oh my god cold" that is reserved for -50C.

[ml3456]

I was told on the new Thermal Fusion doesn't need a wicking layer. It's built into it, much different front the old MK lines of undergarments.

[Aqua-Andy]

I was told on the new Thermal Fusion doesn't need a wicking layer. It's built into it, much different front the old MK lines of undergarments.

In the Whites forum a couple of there reps have said they use the MK0 as a wicking layer and to make donning the FT easier. The wicking layer I use does add some extra thermal protection also.

[Jax]

Good write-up, Mitch!

And I have to say, I went through everything you did . . . when it came down to it, I did what Lynne did!

[DamonL]

Mitch or anyone else,

You rented and used the DUI TLS 350. Why didn't you consider that suit versus the Whites? Thanks!

[Doomnova]

I was told on the new Thermal Fusion doesn't need a wicking layer. It's built into it, much different front the old MK lines of undergarments.

for me its 2 fold one as Andy said to make getting it on easier and 2 it saves me from having to get naked putting it on at the site or having to walk around in it while getting gear set ect.

[Pullmyfinger]

Hi Damon,

I never considered the DUI TLS 350 for these reasons:

There sizing seems to be (intentionally?) odd. I'm a pretty average size and proportion...yet I would need a "custom size" for a proper fit. It just adds to the overall cost of the suit.

Everything is an extra cost option on their suits, which works out great for the company...not so well for the customer. By the time you add the necessary items to the suit, it's become a very overpriced suit.

I wanted user replaceable wrist and neck seals. The DUI Zip-seals are much more expensive than the Sitech ones, and the Zip-dry gloves don't retain the wrist seal...so the only choice, for me anyway, was the Sitech. It's much cheaper to have them on the Fusion new, than to have them retrofitted to another suit.

I was concerned about future fitting flexibility, so I started to rule out shell suits in general.

There are too many shell suits offered up for sale due to them no longer fitting...I didn't want to repeat the experience of others. My fitness has gotten much better over the past 6 months, I didn't want to have to buy another suit later because of this.
In fairness....there are also a lot of Fusions offered up for sale. Which just goes to show, there are no perfect suits.

If I were going to buy a shell suit...it would be a Santi or a Waterproof D-7 Pro. The both already come with the pockets that a suit should come with. Their sizing chart is more normally sized than DUI's is. Actually, the Waterproof D-7 Pro already comes with Sitech replaceable neck and wrist seals.

For me it was between the Waterproof D-7 Pro and the Fusion. Which became a decision on shell suit vs. fusion.

The TLS 350 seemed like a good suit (in my limited experience), but my time spent diving it didn't make me want to go out and buy one.

-Mitch

[fdog]

Those of you who dive with the thermal fusion Undergarment. What do you wear under it if anything?

Right now I'm wearing DuoFold Mid-Weight thermals as a skin layer, mostly to keep skin oils off the undergarments.

However, I'm shopping - I'm looking for something more slippery, to make the Thermal Fusion slide on easier - so I'll probably end up with Under Armor ColdGear 2.0.


All the best, James