Fourth Element Argonaut Drysuit Reviews?

[mmadiver]

Anyone have any experience with Fourth Elements line of Argonaut 2.0 drysuits?

I'm particularly interested in their new Biomap process and it would be nice to get a suit that fits perfectly, anyone have experiences with the process?

Any comments on the materials between the Flex and the Stealth?

Comparisons to the Santi E.lite?

Aside from that welcome any other comments you may have, thanks!

 

[broncobowsher]

I'm approaching a year in a Ursuit Kevlar. Ursuit makes the Argunaut for 4th element out of most of the same stuff. I have looked at both at the same time (thanks to DEMA). Very comparable. I have been loving the Ursuit. Good balance of solid materials but not overly rigid. Knowing what I know now, I have no issues with the 4th element, even though I don't own one. The bio-mapping I can't comment on as it wasn't an option for the off the peg Ursuit.

 

[mmadiver]

I'm approaching a year in a Ursuit Kevlar. Ursuit makes the Argunaut for 4th element out of most of the same stuff. I have looked at both at the same time (thanks to DEMA). Very comparable. I have been loving the Ursuit. Good balance of solid materials but not overly rigid. Knowing what I know now, I have no issues with the 4th element, even though I don't own one. The bio-mapping I can't comment on as it wasn't an option for the off the peg Ursuit.

Is that the BDS Kevlar? Nice suit, sharp looking too.

 

[broncobowsher]

Is that the BDS Kevlar? Nice suit, sharp looking too.

Yes it is.

 

[wKkaY]

I don't have faith in the Biomap system. I'm a small build (165cm / 60kg) and it somehow matched me to M size undergarments (should be S Short).

The argonaut 2.0 flex suit itself is ok, I feel it could be cut slimmer but maybe it's not possible for someone my size or with the replacable seal options I chose. My friends wearing Santi seem to have less baggy cuts. I have good mobility in the upper body, but knee area is tight and impedes kneeling and squatting.

I've done about 50-100 dives in it and I'm just starting to get a small pinhole leak somewhere in the right leg. Probably from tumbling around rough shore exits.

Here's a few photos of myself in it.

 

[PT4476]

I have one of the early Argonaut Kevlar suits, it was great for ~ 100 dives but then the leaks started, mostly in the bottom half of the suit. Two well-regarded drysuit repair people have told me the taped seam construction of these suits is not very durable—particularly the type of tape used. I will not buy another with this type of construction.

 

[victorzamora]

A friend of mine is on his third (second?) full suit from 4E. He's sent his suits back over a dozen times over the last 18months or so. Seams fell apart and the suit was replaced (eventually) with one using "better" techniques that fell apart after dive 1. It was kind of a letdown as the suit looks great.

 

[wKkaY]

So i swabbed my suit with a soapy solution and found the puncture in the shin area. I'm quite glad that it's there, and not in the seams as some of the posters above mention! When it's dry I'll try to patch it with the supplied patches and hopefully it will stay dry..

 

[wKkaY]

My 2017 Argonaut 2.0 came with a defective Sitech pee valve that was leaking pee inside. I replaced the pee valve under recall, but unbeknownst to be it caused some of the left pocket seam tape to delaminate. Now that it's summer I sent it back for repair under warranty, and it just came back from the hospital today. Pretty happy with how Fourth Element handled the whole process!

 

[stuartv]

Anyone have any experience with Fourth Elements line of Argonaut 2.0 drysuits?

I'm particularly interested in their new Biomap process and it would be nice to get a suit that fits perfectly, anyone have experiences with the process?

Any comments on the materials between the Flex and the Stealth?

If you're in DC, you could come out to Coral Edge Adventures (near Manassas) to check them out in person. We can do the Biomapping for you at the shop. We ordered a number of 4E suits for the Prince William County dive team and they are supposed to be coming in any day.

I personally have no direct experience with the Biomap. I have looked at an Argonaut 2.0 that we have (had? Not sure) in the shop and it looks nice, but, well, looks are just the book's cover...

I have been interested in ordering a suit via Biomap myself and read every review I could find (mostly, here on SB). Just about every one of them indicated the owner was very happy with the resulting fit. I think wKKay's posts here are the most negative ones I've seen regarding the Biomap fit.

I'm approaching a year in a Ursuit Kevlar. Ursuit makes the Argunaut for 4th element out of most of the same stuff.

I'm not sure if that is true - now, anyway. I believe 4E is not even offering Kevlar any more. My understanding is that is not sufficiently durable when dived in salt water. Salt crystals form between the threads of the Kevlar when the suit dries. Then, in later use, gradually, over time, cut the threads. Supposedly, it's okay if you soak the suit adequately in fresh water after diving in salt. But, "adequately" means for a much longer time than most people will deal with.

Not sure at all that 4E suits are currently made by Ursuit.