Dry suits: If you could do it all over again...

[AJ]

I dive a Santi E.Lite. Great suit, but had some problems with the Ti-zip zipper. Looking for a new/second suit now and contemplating Santi and Fourth Element. Both great suits and very compatible. Santi has an slight advantage because I think it's tougher.

As far as seals go, I replace them myself. It's not that difficult and I do a better job than the repair shops LOL. They caused more issues than they solved. So I like to keep the suit as simple as possible. Just latex seals.

All in all, no regrets but a lot of lessons learned. The only way to learn these and learn what you like is to go and dive with teh suit.

 

[Rollin]

After 3 drysuits, this is my wish list now (photographer, lots of shore diving with oysterbanks, solodiver, long dives)

* Front plastic zipper (souple, works perfect)
* Silicone seals, neck and wrists (latex gives me rash after e few days of diving)
* Bomb proof trilaminate (Santi Emotion is very very vulnerable)
* custom tailored (but nog too tight) (arm length of current suit is too long, it's a pain)
* fixed Kubi rings (works perfect, rings are not too massive, current are Ultima)
* Pee valve (long dives, keep hydrated beforehand)
* socks with rock boots (I walk a lot in my drysuit)
* Pefect hood, haven't found one yet. Always too large or too small.

 

[npole]

I won't change anything, everything is simple "perfect": SANTI e.motion on flex-sole, with KUBI fitted plus just two undergarments (Santi190 for the winter, eventually with sublayers; Beuchant 90gr or equivalent for the summer).

 

[Superlyte27]

Don't buy a used TLS350 unless you don't care how dry it is.

Custom suits seem rarely worth the money. You're 90% there trying things on. "It won't fit" is just you're not in a 400g thinsulate in what equates to a ziplock bag. A women's XL may be your cave-cut, but $1500 less and warrantied.

Depends on the company and your body type. For me, Custom was the only way to go. For my buddy, with a company that has 17 stock sizes, stock suit was the way to go.

 

[Superlyte27]

I'll never have a plastic zipper again. Brass all the way.