The Kraken
He Who Glows in the Dark Waters (ADVISOR)
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A heavier suit requires less weight !!! 
the K
the K
Gidds v. The Drysuit Round I
- Thread starter Gidds
- Start date
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Mark_N
Contributor
Hey Gidds,
Give Aquatic Specialties a call in Merimack, NH. Might be a bit of a drive for you but might be worth it to finish out the class. I am planning on taking a dry suit course with them this winter and know they have a good selection of rental suits. You might just get lucky.
http://aquaticspecialties.net/
(603) 889-7655
Give Aquatic Specialties a call in Merimack, NH. Might be a bit of a drive for you but might be worth it to finish out the class. I am planning on taking a dry suit course with them this winter and know they have a good selection of rental suits. You might just get lucky.
http://aquaticspecialties.net/
(603) 889-7655
Gidds, I hear you on both the "fitting drysuit to small woman with no neck" and cold issues.
For renting, if you can find a shop that rents DUI suits, they may have some with zipseals installed. That makes it trivial to change the seals to get one that won't leak for you. The suit may not FIT very well, but you can live with that if the seals work.
My experience from this summer of diving a DUI hybrid (trilam on top, crushed neoprene on the bottom) was that it was hard to believe how much warmer the crushed neoprene part was. On my long-term wish list is a DUI crushed neoprene suit, but they are VERY expensive, so it won't happen soon.
Instead, I invested in a Diving Concepts 200g Thinsulate jumpsuit, and the 200g Thinsulate vest to match. Those, with one of those skiing heater packs on my chest, on my back, and on each foot, are now keeping me from shivering before I've been in the water an hour. I'd still like to be warmer, but this will do for now.
Good luck with all of this. Dive gear ain't cheap!
For renting, if you can find a shop that rents DUI suits, they may have some with zipseals installed. That makes it trivial to change the seals to get one that won't leak for you. The suit may not FIT very well, but you can live with that if the seals work.
My experience from this summer of diving a DUI hybrid (trilam on top, crushed neoprene on the bottom) was that it was hard to believe how much warmer the crushed neoprene part was. On my long-term wish list is a DUI crushed neoprene suit, but they are VERY expensive, so it won't happen soon.
Instead, I invested in a Diving Concepts 200g Thinsulate jumpsuit, and the 200g Thinsulate vest to match. Those, with one of those skiing heater packs on my chest, on my back, and on each foot, are now keeping me from shivering before I've been in the water an hour. I'd still like to be warmer, but this will do for now.
Good luck with all of this. Dive gear ain't cheap!
pickens_46929
Contributor
Gidds,
DiveTank is a great place to purchase drysuits from. Can't answer the question about trilam vs. compressed neoprene since I've only used trilam suits. But you had a couple of questions or issues that I've dealt with myself somewhat...
1) small hands... inflator hose... answer is a 'hose hat'... about $3... put them on my drysuit inflator hoses... works great with / without gloves...
http://66.225.239.89/~scuba/tdl/nst...ID=614&zenid=0b129085d89f7b2d98a68d6c6e504e71
2) size... I'm kind of an inbetweener... that is in between 2 different sizes... got a drysuit that was "cave cut" for the larger size and it works pretty well... cave cut just means that it's snugger fitting that a usual dry suit... think skinny... initial suit I purchased was a little too small but I used it for 3 years before trading up...
3) make sure you leave room for undergarments... my first suit was tight enough that I couldn't wear the thickest undergarments (400g)... and the boots were my size versus a size larger... so I couldn't wear the really nice thick socks (400g) either.. answer... ordered the boot a size larger than I normally wear... worked better during cold water diving but not so good during the summer...
Good luck on the drysuit course!
DiveTank is a great place to purchase drysuits from. Can't answer the question about trilam vs. compressed neoprene since I've only used trilam suits. But you had a couple of questions or issues that I've dealt with myself somewhat...
1) small hands... inflator hose... answer is a 'hose hat'... about $3... put them on my drysuit inflator hoses... works great with / without gloves...
http://66.225.239.89/~scuba/tdl/nst...ID=614&zenid=0b129085d89f7b2d98a68d6c6e504e71
2) size... I'm kind of an inbetweener... that is in between 2 different sizes... got a drysuit that was "cave cut" for the larger size and it works pretty well... cave cut just means that it's snugger fitting that a usual dry suit... think skinny... initial suit I purchased was a little too small but I used it for 3 years before trading up...
3) make sure you leave room for undergarments... my first suit was tight enough that I couldn't wear the thickest undergarments (400g)... and the boots were my size versus a size larger... so I couldn't wear the really nice thick socks (400g) either..
answer... ordered the boot a size larger than I normally wear... worked better during cold water diving but not so good during the summer...Good luck on the drysuit course!
Gidds
My wife purchased a suit off of the DUI seconds list. After she had her measuremente, she decided she needed a custom suit. After checking the list regularly, I found one that fit her measurements and she got a great suit at a deep discount. You have to get a dealer (like OSS) to order it and then try it on and get it from the dealer. It was acturally a top of the line suit, don't think it was ever used.
Good luck.
My wife purchased a suit off of the DUI seconds list. After she had her measuremente, she decided she needed a custom suit. After checking the list regularly, I found one that fit her measurements and she got a great suit at a deep discount. You have to get a dealer (like OSS) to order it and then try it on and get it from the dealer. It was acturally a top of the line suit, don't think it was ever used.
Good luck.
Diesel298:neoprene> evrything else
im just gonna keep saying that evey once in a while
What he said!
OP
Gidds
Contributor
Diesel298:
do it easy:
You know the cartoons where there is a little devil on one shoulder an angel on the other? You two are the little devil in the neoprene suit! On my other shoulder is not an angel, but a little devil in a trilam suit. Both little devils are toasty warm and waiting to burn my meager amounts of cash.
Joking aside I appreciate all this feedback, it is helping me forumulate my plan and what direction it is going in.
Gidds:You know the cartoons where there is a little devil on one shoulder an angel on the other? You two are the little devil in the neoprene suit! On my other shoulder is not an angel, but a little devil in a trilam suit. Both little devils are toasty warm and waiting to burn my meager amounts of cash.
Joking aside I appreciate all this feedback, it is helping me forumulate my plan and what direction it is going in.
ok first off its the devil saying tri-lam
i think that this deserves a poll..
ill go start one
ok i guess i dont know how....
so somone else do it..
we dont need any opinions thats what we have here just a srtaight up poll
neoperen vs shell suit..
Rick L
Guest
All I can tell you is try all the suits!
See how they dive.
I think the unisuit is the best for me.
But you might think not (but I dont think you will )
Rick L
See how they dive.
I think the unisuit is the best for me.
But you might think not (but I dont think you will
)Rick L
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