Drysuit wear and tear in MX caves

[berndo]

From a space standpoint I agree. Not so much from a weight standpoint my DUI CF200 weighs 6.8kg (15lb) and on the other end of the spectrum my Avatar weighs 3.2kg (7lb). The difference in undergarment weights for the same water temperature is about 1.3kg (3lbs.)

Alomst 7 kg is very heavy. The SF tech neo is only about 5 kg, a Rofos 450 and Elite are 4 kg. The Avatar has really thin material and I would wanna cave dive with it, not deco anyway.

 

[Germie]

I have dived in Mexico in a drysuit (Santi Espace), but it was too hot for me at surface. I only used ski thermal underwear as undersuit. But the problems where at surface. The next time I took my 7mm semi drysuit which was ok. Last March I took a 5mm wetsuit and also that is warm enough for 3.5-4 hours for 16 days behind each other.
So this means, being warm is a personal thing. For me, even with some deco no drysuit in Mexico.

I use my Avatar drysuit in almost all conditions, including trimix dives. I only do not use the suit on the Japanese oysters in Zeeland when I am there to take pictures, as there is a chance you don't look and then the oysters are very sharp. I have done wrecks, caves and even some drycaving with the Avatar suit. Ok, for dry caving parts I used knee and elbow protection. After 3.5 years, the suit is still going strong.

The biggest problem of travelling with a neoprene drysuit would be the bulky suit. A 5mm wetsuit or the Avatar or Espace is less bulky than a crushed neoprene suit of 1 of my buddies.

 

[crofrog]

Alomst 7 kg is very heavy. The SF tech neo is only about 5 kg, a Rofos 450 and Elite are 4 kg. The Avatar has really thin material and I would wanna cave dive with it, not deco anyway.

I feel like the older crushed neoprene that DUI use to use, is much denser than most other companies "compressed" neoprene or even the new "crushed" neoprene DUI uses now.

The avatar has held up surprisingly well given how light it is. I'd not worry about it in caves _assuming_ you weren't planning on grinding yourself through tight stuff. It's a great travel suit, drys super faster and is obviously very light. It would not be my first choice any more for a daily driver suit, but it's good if you're just getting started in the drysuit game because of price point.

 

[caveandreas]

For what its worth. I live in Mexico, and I would never consider anything else than a trilam drysuit here. Do I dive (very) tight places with it? Yes. Do I some times get holes in it? Yes. But surprisingly not that often. In the last few years i have been diving a Santi Elite+ and a DUI FLX (before that also DUI TLS and Uksuit) I have good things to say about both suits, but I feel the FLX definitly have an edge here so I will probably get a new FLX for my next suit and not a Elite+. (but its not bad!)

For tourist diving I would not put any special requirements. Spiky rusty wrecks are usually better at puncturing suits than caves.

I personally would not dive with anything with less flexibility than DUI turbo soles. You would think that it would be to flimsy for caves but its not. You get exellent anckle mobility and it can also take the abuse of walking on paths into a little mudhole in the jungle and get snagged on the ceiling while scootering at max speed with your XK1. (NOT RECOMMENDED!) sure it eventually leaks and you have to put aqua sure for another year of abuse before its replaced. But that is actually more time than what "normal" boots have lasted me when i still was using them.

 

[mr_v]

I can't comment on caves in MX, but I enjoyed my Bare and SF Tech neoprene suits in a wide range of water temperatures. Yes, you get sweaty in the tropics and you need to suit up fast so that you don't cook inside. However, suit weight and drying times never bothered me. Travel is okay, too. By the time my gear is packed, an extra 2-3lbs won't make a difference.

If you go with a neoprene suit, go for the top notch neoprene like Yamamoto.

 

[berndo]

Yes, you get sweaty in the tropics and you need to suit up fast so that you don't cook inside.

Yeah, but it's just as bad in a trilam... if you need thicker undergament, I think it's actually worse. The only real downside I see with these crush neos is that you have to spend a lot more money if you want a front zipper and a telescopic torso while something like a seaskin does the job and is only a grand.

 

[Underwater Tourist]

So far, my only issue with neo suits is drying before the returning flight, because I often finish diving and disassemble everything by 15.00 the day before the flight, and then leave for the plane at 08.00 in the morning the next day, which doesnt give enough time for the suit to dry

With all the gear, my luggage is exactly 23kg right now

 

[aElliott]

Never had any issues with my trilam, but it would probably be a good idea to go with a more durable selection of materials

 

[garyh]

Go with a Trilam I've been going down there for 20+ years and have dove the same suit pretty much the whole time.
Outside of normal seal zipper issues the only issue I ever had was with some dbls that had mounting bolts a bit long and put some holes in the lower back, quick overnight fix.
Under suit is the key, I have been diving with a Santi fleece which is way 2 much by the time u get suited up u r drenched with sweat and will get cold.
Trying something different next month when I go down Fourth Element Arctic will see how that works.
Remember my 1st trip down there, group of 8 divers all in wet suits except me, why r u wearing a DS for the 1st three days lots of ribbing, at the end of day 3 everyone was getting out of the water pretty much blue and hypothermia

 

[garyh]

I fly out of Toronto never had an overweight issue going down.
Pretty much always have one coming back from Cancun.
Its their $ cow, pay the charge and then dispute it with your travel agent when u gt home, I've always got a full refund once home.