I started with an OS Systems semi custom. Have never owned nor dived a 7 mil suit. That suit lasted me about 5 years and 300 or so dives with one change of seals. Sold it when it shrunk around the middle. Seriously. Nothing to do with me buying it when I weighed 135 lbs and sold when I was around 165. ;=)
I now own two drysuits. A HOG made by USIA and an Otter Brittanic Mk2. Together they cost less than what I see many DUI suits selling for. I understand Santi is a great suit and was leaning in that direction until my vendor became the distributor for Otter in the US (Manta Industries). Given the things I am hearing now about the current Santi distributor in the US, I am glad I didn't go that route. Never heard those horror stories about the previous one.
Between my HOG and Otter suits I have around 500 dives on them. The seals on the HOG have been replaced once. At just over 150 dives on the Otter the seals are still in excellent shape. I use and prefer the latex seals and mine are the heavier commercial grade on both suits. This is due to the care I use on the suits. I don't baby them but I am anal about cleaning and conditioning them after a dive outing.
The HOG has a metal zipper and the Otter has a plastic one. Not the TiZip but an actual zipper looking plastic zipper. I like it a lot. Easier to care for than metal IMO.
The HOG fits a little looser than the Otter. As a result the choice of undergarments is affected. My Otter won't work with the extra heavy Pinnacle Merino Evolution undergarment. Too bulky. For very cold water with it I have a set of 4th Element Arctics with the vest I use with the Otter. Just as warm with less bulk.
95% of the time I AM DRY when diving them. The other 5% has been, as far as I can determine, user error. A rolled neck seal, undergarment under a wrist seal, turning my head too far at a weird angle, and once -not fully closing the zipper. I also did have a boot seal leak that was covered under the lifetime seal warranty on the HOG suit. Stuff happens. The timing was not ideal and as I had a class coming up but it got worked out. It was however close enough that I am glad I now have two suits and often take both when diving. Next weekend I am diving Erie and guarantee I will have both of them in the truck.
I learned in my ice class that cold is cumulative. Under 72 degree water temp for multiple dives I am diving dry.
When I wrote the new SDI Drysuit course I tried to emphasize the need to tailor the exposure protection to your personal tolerance to cold. For me diving dry makes much more sense given the local conditions I usually encounter.
I now own two drysuits. A HOG made by USIA and an Otter Brittanic Mk2. Together they cost less than what I see many DUI suits selling for. I understand Santi is a great suit and was leaning in that direction until my vendor became the distributor for Otter in the US (Manta Industries). Given the things I am hearing now about the current Santi distributor in the US, I am glad I didn't go that route. Never heard those horror stories about the previous one.
Between my HOG and Otter suits I have around 500 dives on them. The seals on the HOG have been replaced once. At just over 150 dives on the Otter the seals are still in excellent shape. I use and prefer the latex seals and mine are the heavier commercial grade on both suits. This is due to the care I use on the suits. I don't baby them but I am anal about cleaning and conditioning them after a dive outing.
The HOG has a metal zipper and the Otter has a plastic one. Not the TiZip but an actual zipper looking plastic zipper. I like it a lot. Easier to care for than metal IMO.
The HOG fits a little looser than the Otter. As a result the choice of undergarments is affected. My Otter won't work with the extra heavy Pinnacle Merino Evolution undergarment. Too bulky. For very cold water with it I have a set of 4th Element Arctics with the vest I use with the Otter. Just as warm with less bulk.
95% of the time I AM DRY when diving them. The other 5% has been, as far as I can determine, user error. A rolled neck seal, undergarment under a wrist seal, turning my head too far at a weird angle, and once -not fully closing the zipper. I also did have a boot seal leak that was covered under the lifetime seal warranty on the HOG suit. Stuff happens. The timing was not ideal and as I had a class coming up but it got worked out. It was however close enough that I am glad I now have two suits and often take both when diving. Next weekend I am diving Erie and guarantee I will have both of them in the truck.
I learned in my ice class that cold is cumulative. Under 72 degree water temp for multiple dives I am diving dry.
When I wrote the new SDI Drysuit course I tried to emphasize the need to tailor the exposure protection to your personal tolerance to cold. For me diving dry makes much more sense given the local conditions I usually encounter.
stay warm.
