Confessions of a former Fusion hater

[Marie13]

Got back suit back yesterday. Replacement 5mm neoprene socks were $50, labor $135, and front of the line service $100. Quarry opens Saturday and I had to have it back by then. Otherwise, my diving "schedule" was messed up to get kinks with doubles worked out at the quarry before I'm on Lake Michigan early May.

Wow, what a massive difference. My soft Fusion boots also bit better, since there isn't all the extra sock material. My 2 later Fourth Element Arctic socks are too thick to get neoprene sock over. I had on medium weight merino wool socks over silk liners. So much more comfortable than those huge Fusion stock socks.

If your Fusion socks are huge on you, I highly recommend replacing them. Apparently tailoring the socks isn't an issue. You have to replace.

The only thing that's a bit annoying with the replacement is the neoprene sock goes up higher than the stock sock does. That results in a "blousing" of the lower leg of the suit, but it's covered up easily enough when the ankle zipper is done up.

 

[Marie13]

Did you keep the black plastic insert in the dry socks?

Tried it one day. Resulted in the 3"-4" of extra sock being bunched up at my toes. Drove me INSANE. Plus the black plastic insert kept sliding around under my foot when not in the water. Pulled it out of my boots as soon as I got home that day. I prefer to keep my boots not locked onto suit. Reason is that when diving at the quarry, my boots have gravel inside and out. Can't always get it rinsed out at the quarry. Much easier to deal with that with boots off suit. Plus, otherwise I'd have gravel all over my suit from the boots when I put it in its bag.

Once size fits most socks, my arse.

 

[Zef]

Could you have the legs of your suit further customized to prevent the blousing affect you experience?

-Z

 

[Marie13]

Could you have the lega of your suit further customized to prevent the blousing affect you experience?

-Z

I’m not going to spend any more on it.

 

[Zef]

I’m not going to spend any more on it.

I think, to be fair, that it should be stated that you bought your suit on the larger size to accommodate your proportions...this means your suit is larger all around and actually designed for someone taller...perhaps a taller person would not have the issues you had with the extra sock material.

I have the fusion boots and dive gravelly and silty quarries with gravel paths...I have not experienced gravel in my boots and keep them attached...perhaps the abrading/leak you experienced was due to constant removal and replacement in your boots....how are you diving that you get gravel in your boots any ways?....your feet should never touch the bottom.

I think it is great DRIS was able to repair and customize your suit for you, especially in such short time...good luck with it and happy diving.

-Z

 

[Marie13]

I’ll just address the one issue now. The quarry has a beach entry (old road down into quarry). Gravel is everywhere.

 

[JackD342]

And a lot of that gravel is pretty fine grain, too. Same or smaller than aquarium tank colored stuff.

 

[Marie13]

I think, to be fair, that it should be stated that you bought your suit on the larger size to accommodate your proportions...this means your suit is larger all around and actually designed for someone taller...perhaps a taller person would not have the issues you had with the extra sock material.

I have the fusion boots and dive gravelly and silty quarries with gravel paths...I have not experienced gravel in my boots and keep them attached...perhaps the abrading/leak you experienced was due to constant removal and replacement in your boots....how are you diving that you get gravel in your boots any ways?....your feet should never touch the bottom.

I think it is great DRIS was able to repair and customize your suit for you, especially in such short time...good luck with it and happy diving.

-Z

Actually my suit fits me very well. The feet were the only issue. I know people who have smaller and larger suits, male and female, for whom the socks are also huge on them. One gal had the exact same issue I did with the fabric fraying. She’s also getting socks replaced.

ETA: look at my pics in the suit in the first post of this thread. You will see the fit. The arms and legs are not long on me.

Here's a screen grab from quarry website that shows the road bed/beach area. The bottom is very soft walking out of the water and the fine gravel gets into EVERYTHING.

 

[Marie13]

First dives of the year at the quarry yesterday and my left sock leaked. The new socks still kept my feet nice and toasty. 45F water. I didn't even realize I had a leak until I took my suit off after the second dive, and saw my wool sock and silk liner were soaked. Wool sock was wet from the top, so I suspect leak might be from where neoprene sock connects to suit. Got a hold of Mike, he told me to bring in right away and they'd get on it ASAP. Dropped it off tonight after work, got doubles filled, and picked up a shipwreck book I didn't yet have.

 

[Jcp2]

Which quarry is that? I want to visit the Caribbean of the Midwest.