Well, I finally picked up my Ursuit at Divers Cove, in Essex Connecticut this last Friday, and planned a dive for this Saturday. I ordered a xxl with size 10 boots. At the last minute I swapped out the si-tech inflator hose with a straight connector for one with a ring around it.
As I stated earlier, this is quite a departure for me for I have never owned a tri-laminate, self donning drysuit with a neoprene hood.
Saturday. The first thing you notice about this suit is how light it is. Of my two previous suits, one weighted 24 pounds, and the other about 22. The heaviest part of the Ursuit is the boots. To me it is unbelievable.
The suit comes with a large self draining pocket on the right thigh, and two d-rings, one on the left and one on the right. Though I have never myself felt the need for such items, the more I looked at the d-rings the more I kept thinking about slinging my 19. Just a thought.
The Ursuit comes with Si-Tech low profile inflator and exhaust valves. I especially like the swivel inflator as that option on my other suit cost an extra 100.00 dollars. The low pressure inflator hose was also longer than what I am used to and appreciated.
Dressing with the Viking is pretty straight forward. Sit down, roll the suit out in front of you, slide your feet down into the boots, pull the suit up to your waist then you chest, it doesn't matter what arm you slide in next, through the wrist seals, reach in through the hood, grab the neck seal, try to keep it straight, over the head, straighten neck seal, zip up.
The Ursuit is a little different. You sit down and roll the suit out in front of you, with the upper part of the suit rolled backwards, and the suspenders to the outside of the legs, slide your feet down into the boots which goes very quickly, pull up to your waist, put the suspenders on, move up yo your chest. Now for me, at this point, as I have spent too much time on the bench, it gets a little tricky. This is in no way the fault of the suit. It is because I do not have much upper body movement. Slide your left arm through the sleeve hand through the wrist seal, next the right, pull the back part of the suit forward over your head, hands through hood to the neck seal, keep straight, over head, Now I did something I have never done in 30 years.
I zip myself up, first the inner sealing zipper, then the outer protective one. Next come up on the crotch strap. The whole procedure takes no time at all.
Now what is very interesting is, though the Ursuit uses a conical latex neck seal that is actually heavier then what I am used to, it did not roll over onto itself, choking me and turning my face blue. It actually fit better than the lighter seal.
The wrist seals are conical shaped latex that are heavier to.
My weight obligation with the Viking was as follows, 24 on the belt, 8 on the ankles, I dive a 94.6 steel tank. I was happy to find the Ursuit to be the same.
Next the fins. I have two sets of Scubapro xl jet fins, one with spring straps, one with the standard straps. The Viking boots are like big galoshes, very soft and pliable. The Ursuit 's are more like rubber boots, and because of this I opted for the standard straps as I could manipulate them more.
I used a White's Divedry Glacier series mk2 undergarment.
Tank up, time to dive.
Surface temp 55 degrees, 30 feet 50 degrees. I didn't know what to expect from the neoprene hood. The hood is 5mm, with a unique 4mm face shield, in that it has some of the laminate material sandwiched inside of it. Except for the occasional burp, it worked quite well keeping me both dry and warm. But I think down the road I am going to have a dump valve installed.
What again is amazing to me is how the suit swims, it offers tremendous movement under the water. And you actually seem to slink through the water.
As I went in with a low tank, I was only in for 45 minutes, but during that time I neither got wet or cold. The only part of my body that got a little cold were my hands as I was wearing wet gloves. Haven't decided what to do as I can not use the Viking rings on this one.
On the beach I also did something I have never done before, I broke my gear down while still wearing the suit. Most of the time I could not wait to get out of my suit.
In no time at all the Ursuit was dry.
If you are in the market for a new drysuit of superior quality, I suggest you give Ursuit a try.
I think you will be very happy.
