Thinking of buying my first dry suit. Thoughts?

[eric9999]

Pros and cons of the 4th element would be appreciated. Waterproof any good? I'm looking to buy my first dry suit but there are just so many choices.

With the problems I've had with Hollis (seems as if every scuba equipment manufacturer sizes things according to their own whims. Isn't there a standard somewhere?) I need to ensure the suit fits well. The 4th has a 3D body measuring machine which is why I'm leaning towards them. A much better fit I imagine.

Neoprene vs fabric? With today's modern materials, is this really a factor anymore? Neoprene compresses at depth and keeps you warmer whereas fabric does what ????

Eric

 

[EireDiver606]

All the serious divers I know of swear by Santi. In your location, apparently DUI was very good but there is many reports of never dry DUI suits nowadays.

Trilaminate suit.

 

[hxtk]

A laminate drysuit doesn't keep you warm. It simply allows you to use traditional cold weather insulation underwater. This makes laminate much more versatile in terms of temperature range, as it can be used with just a gym suit in warm water, all the way down to wicking layers, a heavy thinsulate jumpsuit, and an electrically heated vest for long stays in water that's on the verge of freezing.

Neoprene provides some insulation, but as with a wetsuit, the amount of insulation it provides decreases with depth.

In general, neoprene drysuits are more durable against puncture and abrasion than laminate drysuits, and they are easier to repair. However, that is not a universal rule and there are many extremely durable laminate drysuits available.

 

[lexvil]

Seaskin, made to measure and very low cost.

 

[Ryan Mcshane]

All the serious divers I know of swear by Santi. In your location, apparently DUI was very good but there is many reports of never dry DUI suits nowadays.

Trilaminate suit.

Not so sure about this myself anymore. I dive a santi, however the last two trips i've been on myself and several other santi divers were having wet dives and the DUI crew have been bone dry.

That said, all drysuits need a little Tlc to keep them dry and my santi has been solid apart from two tiny holes and the constantly leaky boots.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Lots of drysuit questions have been discussed in these threads, if you haven't read them already:

Drysuit Roundtable Q&A

Need a drysuit? Bring your questions to this roundtable!

Drysuit discussions come up a lot. Here are a few more I found:

First Dry Suit – what to keep on the table?

The eternal question... Neoprene or Trilam drysuit?

Dry suits: If you could do it all over again...

Consider sifting through the Exposure Suits forum for more.

 

[Jtgator]

I own a neoprene Sea Skin back zip and a membrane front zip suit. If you will be diving by yourself the front zip is the way to go. Neoprene is warmer, more buoyant, need less undergarments, requires a lot of weight diving saltwater. Can't zip without help.
Membrane , may require more undergarments for warmth, less buoyant than neoprene so not as much weight needed. Easy to zip.
DON'T forget a pee valve.
I own both Neoprene and Membrane Sea Skin suits, cost about $800 each fully loaded. Fantastic suits from Sea Skin. You will be surprised at at the quality of these suits. It does take 2 to 3 months to receive but its a custom suit for a hell of a deal.
Dry Suits from Seaskin Custom Drysuits home page - Seaskin Custom Diving Suits

 

[taimen]

All the serious divers I know of swear by Santi. In your location, apparently DUI was very good but there is many reports of never dry DUI suits nowadays.

I may not be a serious diver, but my Santi with approx. 90 dives just developed a leak, only a couple of weeks after a trip to Poland for warranty repair of the previous leak. You will hear similar experiences with any drysuit brand. All have their bad days.
4th element does not manufacture anything as far as I know. At least some of the models are made by Ursuit. You can find mixed reviews of Ursuits too.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Fourth Element is an overpriced version of the Ursuit which is an overpriced version of the Deep6 Makara. If you want the same suit (which is my present suit and the best suit I have been in) then contact Chris from Deep6. My only suggestion would be to order it without the Kevlar chest panels that Deep6 comes in by default.

 

[BlueTrin]

I got a made to measure cordura drysuit from Otter for £1000.

I did a lot of research for drysuits around 1k range for the UK. The three brands which were in my range and had good reviews were Otter, O’three and Seaskin.

Seaskin had less good reviews than Otter and O3 but they are a lot cheaper. I went with Otter because O3 is more about neoprene and compressed neoprene than trilaminate but that’s my personal choice.

Otter drysuits definitely do not look as good as some other brands but their customer service is apparently very good for UK divers.

I can afford a Santi if I wanted to but that seemed ridiculous to spend so much money before I decide if I like cold water diving that much

EDIT: just saw that you live in NY, sorry