T&L, I would assume you are diving locally? Warmth is a big issue for us PNW divers.
Dry suits come in sort of three basic types: Neoprene, compressed neoprene, and laminate suits.
Neoprene suits are typically inexpensive (although the High Tide suits made locally are not), and the suit has some insulating value of its own. But like wetsuits, neoprene drysuits compress at depth, so you lose some of that insulation, and you lose the buoyancy they have at the surface, too. They are heavy, can be quite stiff, and dry slowly.
Laminate suits are light and dry quickly, but they are also relatively fragile and prone to puncture. They have no intrinsic insulating capacity, so your warmth is dependent on the undergarments you use. This is nice if you travel to a variety of water temperatures, because you can wear a lighter undergarment in warmer water.
Compressed or crushed neoprene suits are thicker than laminate suits, heavier, and dry more slowly, but they are lighter than neoprene suits and do not have the buoyancy issues. They offer some small amount of insulation as well. They're more difficult to travel with, because of the weight and the slow drying. They tend to be tough and resist puncture. They are often among the most expensive suits.
In addition to deciding upon the material of the suit, you need to choose a style -- back zip (easy to fit, but requires a buddy to get in and out of it), front zip, or diagonal zip. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Many people prefer a suit that is self-donning (no help required to do the zipper). Some suits have telescoping torsos, which is very nice for getting into the neck seal without contortions, but gives you extra fabric and the possibility of more gas trapping.
Seals can be latex or neoprene. Latex seals have a lot of stretch and latex neck seals tend to seal well, but may irritate the neck and are relatively short-lived. Neoprene seals are softer and warmer, but are more prone to leak some. Neoprene seals are less fragile, and can be revised if they stretch out. It's harder to find a shop to install or replace them. There are very few dry glove systems that will install on neoprene wrist seals. DUI suits offer zip seals, which are seals which can be field replaced.
I would suggest visiting a number of shops and talking to them about the drysuits they carry, and trying on a bunch of them. Although you will not really know how well a suit works until you dive it. (BTW, I'm a Fusion owner, and my husband dives a Bare compressed neoprene suit.)
Dry suits come in sort of three basic types: Neoprene, compressed neoprene, and laminate suits.
Neoprene suits are typically inexpensive (although the High Tide suits made locally are not), and the suit has some insulating value of its own. But like wetsuits, neoprene drysuits compress at depth, so you lose some of that insulation, and you lose the buoyancy they have at the surface, too. They are heavy, can be quite stiff, and dry slowly.
Laminate suits are light and dry quickly, but they are also relatively fragile and prone to puncture. They have no intrinsic insulating capacity, so your warmth is dependent on the undergarments you use. This is nice if you travel to a variety of water temperatures, because you can wear a lighter undergarment in warmer water.
Compressed or crushed neoprene suits are thicker than laminate suits, heavier, and dry more slowly, but they are lighter than neoprene suits and do not have the buoyancy issues. They offer some small amount of insulation as well. They're more difficult to travel with, because of the weight and the slow drying. They tend to be tough and resist puncture. They are often among the most expensive suits.
In addition to deciding upon the material of the suit, you need to choose a style -- back zip (easy to fit, but requires a buddy to get in and out of it), front zip, or diagonal zip. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Many people prefer a suit that is self-donning (no help required to do the zipper). Some suits have telescoping torsos, which is very nice for getting into the neck seal without contortions, but gives you extra fabric and the possibility of more gas trapping.
Seals can be latex or neoprene. Latex seals have a lot of stretch and latex neck seals tend to seal well, but may irritate the neck and are relatively short-lived. Neoprene seals are softer and warmer, but are more prone to leak some. Neoprene seals are less fragile, and can be revised if they stretch out. It's harder to find a shop to install or replace them. There are very few dry glove systems that will install on neoprene wrist seals. DUI suits offer zip seals, which are seals which can be field replaced.
I would suggest visiting a number of shops and talking to them about the drysuits they carry, and trying on a bunch of them. Although you will not really know how well a suit works until you dive it. (BTW, I'm a Fusion owner, and my husband dives a Bare compressed neoprene suit.)
