Buying CF200 or Neoprene drysuit? Please Help!!

[Benthos]

I used to think I knew what I liked. I had a shell drysuit as a kid and hated the thing. It was like diving in a huge garbage bag, took 28 pounds to get down, and required constant air adjustments or it crushed me to death. In high school I switched to a Bodyglove neoprene drysuit and loved it. It only took 20lbs to get down and was like wearing a wetsuit. I never wore any undergarments and hardly ever added any gas. After I killed that I went to an O’Neill a few years ago and, well, that didn't last long. Time for a new suit.

I'm starting out as a research diver now in Northern CA and every one is diving the CF200 and loving it. I was going to get another neoprene drysuit but know I'm unsure if I would be better off with the cf200. My current position is: Nothing stays dry under water and the neoprene is warmer as seeps fill the suit with water over many days of diving. I can dive with 8 lbs. less weight in neoprene drysuit. Less crushing and drag in a neo. Sitech valves and tuck under neoprene seals are the best. Every 10ft in a shell the suit must be inflated/ deflated. Am I wrong? Has the cf200 changed all this?

Has anyone dove both and has some input they can give me?

Any input would be a big help.
Thanks
Rich

 

[runvus4]

If you have a good drysuit that is proerly fitted, seeps won't fill the suit over time.

Tri-laminate/neoprene/crushed neoprene/vulcanized rubber/CF200 material should not make any material difference in terms of dryness/warmth.

What sort of diving are you going to be doing? The CF200 suit is a fine suit, as are some of the better tri-laminates. I've never used a vulcanized rubber suit so can't say anything good or bad about them. I don't like regular neoprene drysuits.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I've had 2 vulanized suits and I've had 2 CF200 suits and I've had several Bilam/Trilam suits.

Right now my two year old Andy's trilam is being sent in to see if they can breath new life into it.

So I am stuck diving my CF200... which is a great suit... but I prefer the Andy's trilam.

What suit to get does depend on where you are diving.

I won't ever dive a trilam in Deception Pass again (when the current is running.... probably.)

That is why I bought another CF200

 

[Benthos]

I do most of my diving on the Sonoma and Mendocino coast (Northern CA). Very cold, very rough, very sharp rocks. My old impression was that those trilam's crush you to death. The reasion I'm considering the the cf200 is because I'm hoping that the material will streach like neoprene thus being unrestrictive and and allowing for less of a squeez.

Thanks
Rich

 

[BILLB]

I have been diving a CF200 for several years. It was my first and last dry suit. The DUI suit is difinitely tough and easily repaired. I have replaced both neck and wrist seals without a hitch.

CF 200 suits are expensive. If you have the choice get the one that allows rock boots. I love them. I dive year round in water as cold as 36 F and stay comfortable with appropriate under garments.

I need only 20 pounds with a steel HP 120 for buoyancy. The down side is that the CF200 takes forever to dry out. A good compomise is the 50/50 Flex by DUI. Trilam upper and crushed neophrene lowers.

 

[gbrandon]

A guy a dive with has clx450 (i think thats it) on the upper half of his suit and cf200 for the bottom half. He likes it alot and does alot of his diving off monterey. where do you dive in mendocino? I live up in eureka and want to dive down in mendo sometime. Also, are you stuck on DUI's CF200? I just bought a Pinnacle 200 from diving concepts and its a compressed neoprene, very similiar to the crushed neoprene of DUI's cf200. Great suit, great service. I highly reccomend them.