Drysuit Opinion

[Jeff=Dive]

Hello everyone,

been a little while since I've been on.. 10/10/05

Just a few weeks ago my wetsuits were stolen from me while they were dripdrying in front of the house... so I plan to purchase a drysuit, preferably a USIA Aqua Pro Plus, which Underwater Sports has for around a $1000 atm. The Apollo's are now $1300 Trevor, a good dive buddy who works at UWS in Everett, tells me. Everyone I have talked to that has one, loves em, but I would prefer to stay away from neoprene. I would rather spend a more money on a good suit that will last me a long time, than something cheaper in price and quality. Used is also something I am willing to go with, provided that it's in good quality.


:huh: Your thoughts are greatly appreciated :huh: jeFF

 

[Diver Mike]

I had an Apollo fpor several years (over 600 dives) and it performed perfectly. I finally went over to a DUI. Not because of any issues with the Apollo, I just wanted.

1. Better fit
2. Front zipper
3. Non-integrated boots.

A couple of other instructors and one of our DMC have the USIA suits and are really pleased with them.

All dry suits are expensive, so my opinion is that you get the features you want and the fit you need and then look at the price. The cost of the suit must also be looked in relation to the advertised and real world number of dives you can and will do with it.

The type and location of your dives is also important when selecting you suit, not just the price.

Mike...

 

[jumbo]

Dry suit opinon-

I had a oceaner full cell neoprene suit for years and I loved it! That suit finially died and I purchased a Whites Nexus 2 suit and right now I have nothing good to say about Whites, not quality, not customer service, not the undergarmets, not the fit. And I paid for the custom cut!

Just felt like venting
JUMBO

 

[jumbo]

this just in,


Whites Nexus 2 XXXL, custom cut suit for sale. 15 dives, I am willing to deal


JUMBO

 

[sandman98007]

I OW cert in a wet suit and after those 4 dives I was sold on the dry suit concept. Got the Apollo and was sold on the first dive. I did get some grief from USIA and DUI divers because of the ankle valvues, (they call them training wheels), but I will tell you that those valvues saved me from corking ubtil I got my bouyancy down. The Apollo has a new ankle valvue that can turn on and off now, allowing you to use them or not. As I am getting better with the dry suit, I turn the valvues off, but if I am having a difficult time with bouyancy at depth, I reach down, turn them on, and dump as needed. It is nice to know that I do have that saftey relief incase I need it.

My money for a first dry suit was well spent on an Apollo.

 

[Scottri]

I'm on my second USIA Aqua Pro. I have a new Aqua Pro Plus and love it. I've never had problems with either of my suits. The first one is about 14 years old and tired so I bought a new one. The only things I ever had to do was replace seals and 1 zipper but that is normal wear and tear. Both of mine have fit great but I had them custom fit. USIA has very good customer service as well. I had a new zipper put in and the suit was returned back to me very quickly. I highly recommend them.

Good Luck.

 

[OE2X]

Pros and Cons:

Drysuits do get wet. Either from condensation or from leaks. A neoprene suit will take much longer to dry out than a trilam suit. You can towel out a trilam between dives.

Many neoprene suits are more form fitting than most non custom cut trilams thus reducing air movement in your suit.

Neoprene will condense at depth like a wet suit thus affecting your weighting.

Crushed neoprene is the way to go if you want a neoprene suit. It won't condense at depth and it does have greater thermal properties than a trilam.

Crushed neo suits are much more expensive than trilams or neoprene suits.

If you get a trilam get one custom made. You won't be happy with it otherwise.


My gear:
DUI CF200 crushed neo suit as primary. USIA - trilam non custom backup.
My next suit will be a custom trilam.

 

[jcmvw1]

Hello everyone,

been a little while since I've been on.. 10/10/05

Just a few weeks ago my wetsuits were stolen from me while they were dripdrying in front of the house... so I plan to purchase a drysuit, preferably a USIA Aqua Pro Plus, which Underwater Sports has for around a $1000 atm. The Apollo's are now $1300 Trevor, a good dive buddy who works at UWS in Everett, tells me. Everyone I have talked to that has one, loves em, but I would prefer to stay away from neoprene. I would rather spend a more money on a good suit that will last me a long time, than something cheaper in price and quality. Used is also something I am willing to go with, provided that it's in good quality.


:huh: Your thoughts are greatly appreciated :huh: jeFF

I would also say that the apollo suit is a good bang for the buck. I havent talked to any one that dosent like them that own them.. I personally dive a DUIclx450 but i started with a trilam shell suit and i wished that i had bought the apollo instead. mabey you should talk to randy if you are serious about buyng a new suit im sure he would swing you a deal..

 

[Jeff=Dive]

Thanx all for the excellent input. I might as well just flip a coin since I cant really decide. I like the fit of neoprene, but cant stand the fact of cleaning or drying.. a major selling point for me, thus is why I would like a shell suit. BUT would it cost me more to have a USIA custom fit, than an apollo neoprene? A bit more reasearch need be done on my part. Either way I hope Randy or Trevor can cut me some slack, which they already have, since I could have baught a car with the amount I've spent there.

Anyway, all I can do right now is blow bubbles in a cup.

I really appreciate the input

 

[sandman98007]

One thing you may want to ask other divers... Do you stay warmer in a Neoprene versus shell? I have herd several times that you stay warmer in neoprene. As for cleaning.. a good rinse in hot water, some brush strokes and the suit is like new. Drying can take time. A trick I learned was to hang the suit by the boots, take out the ankle valvues, Place a fan at the bottom so the air flow can go through the suit, and turn on high. Generally dry in an hour or 2.