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SI Tech, in their manuals for their valves, also says to use the drysuit for buoyancy, and the BCD as a backup. Obviously both ways work, and it comes down to personal preference. I think using the suit for buoyancy is easiest--reduces multi tasking, requires no hands to exhaust since the...

Guess regardless of brand there's always some luck in getting a suit that was put together well. I've heard of bad experiences with the t-zips, but believe they might have stopped using them. My new suit has a YKK plastic zipper on it.

Much more flexible than cordura, for sure. We'll see how it handles all the razor sharp rocks here in Okinawa. I ordered it from DIRDirect, which is a site based in the UK. Like Lorenzoid said, prices on Santi suits are cheaper in the UK, and with the pound weak right now it's far cheaper to...

When I bought my first drysuit, I went with the cheapest option. Why spend $3000 on a suit when I could get one that will keep my just as dry for $800, I figured? But when I saw new Santi elites selling for $1900 I decided a thousand dollar discount was too good a deal to pass up, and ordered...

No problems with the fit--I used the Santi measurement chart online and matched the stock M size really well. For customizations I did Si Tech replaceable silicone neck and wrist seals--which I absolutely love. Will never go back to using latex seals again. Also a huge fan of the plastic zipper.

Same. I hook my regs back up to my tanks when I wash them--having them pressurized prevents water from getting in, and you can purge them with fresh water--so it's easier to let them dry that way and keep them on.

I'll have to try putting a small amount of lube on the DIN threads. I sometimes get an awful metal on metal screeching noise when tightening on the regs.

I ended up buying a Santi elite from DIRDirect, and just received it today. The import fee was $200, but even taking that into account I still ended up saving $1000 compared to buying it in the US :)

Do you mean the extra lead you have to wear to combat the buoyancy of heavy undergarments, or controlling the air inside the suit?

As others have said, Florida and Mexico are the closest options for cave training :) There are legit caves in California, but they're not easily accessible, are dependent on sea conditions, and there really isn't enough of a market of people wanting to cave dive in California to make it a...

I'm jealous. I've never convinced a girlfriend to learn to scuba--they see me lugging around doubles, and spending forever rinsing and drying gear after every dive and say, "that looks like way too much of a pain in the ass to be fun" One day... one day....

GUE is hands down the top organization if you're looking to become a better diver, and the hardest to pass. All the instructors are truly incredible divers, and the course requirements are very strict. Going off certification alone, you have no idea how good a diver certified by PADI or the...

Definitely no need to spend a fortune on a drysuit. A $800 suit can keep you just as dry as a $3000 one :) Drysuit choice is heavily influenced by geographic area. I believe SB has a lot more Northern American users than any other area, so there's a definite bias for the suits popular in the...

I think "damp suit" is a much more accurate name for drysuits :D Even without a leak, most people find their bodies get damp to some degree simply due to sweat--there's no way for moisture to escape from your drysuit. If you're in an insanely cold climate that might not be an issue, but when I...

Drysuits are wonderful. I find them a lot easier to use for buoyancy control than a BC as well--if you open your shoulder valve all the way, it'll automatically vent as you go up, meaning you never have to use your hands to take out air. Nice for photography, since you can keep your hands on the...

Placement of the hose and dump valve on my 60 lb and 45 lb wings is identical, since they're the same design and manufacturer. Not quite sure why the 60 lb wing was so awful to use, especially to dump air--perhaps just an issue with that specific wing if no one else has issues with big wings.

My first wing was a Hollis with 60 lbs of lift--how much I thought I'd need to dive big steel doubles. But from the first dive I found it absolutely miserable to dive with. Tons of drag, air getting trapped everywhere, and a 4+ second delay on venting air, creating runaway ascents. I soon...

What's the reasoning behind leaving them pressurized vs unpressurized?

I adore my air integrated wrist computer. All the information I need, a simple glance away. Super convenient, and I've never once had it fail on me. Of course air integration isn't necessary, and it's not that big of a hassle to clip an SPG to your left hip D ring and check it once and a...

Just ordered a Santi Elite...reading this certainly makes me nervous, and I'm sure hundreds of other potential customers reading feel the same way. Hopefully they save face and correct the issue.