Yes. Chicago area.
Looking at getting a dry suit
- Thread starter Dogfather
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Yes. Chicago area.
Nice. I do some search and recovery. Had a woman call me for a lost wedding ring. I asked where she lost it? She said......” somewhere in Chicago in Lake Michigan “ 
Some people...
drk5036
Contributor
I’ll second seaskin. Especially for your shape, you want an order made. And seaskin is by far the most affordable option to get done what you need.
Regarding the course, it’s not a bad course to take. If you have a friend who wanted to teach you and work with you your first couple dives, it would probably be fine. But otherwise, just paying some money to have someone keep an eye on you and help give you some pointers to adjust is worthwhile.
Regarding the course, it’s not a bad course to take. If you have a friend who wanted to teach you and work with you your first couple dives, it would probably be fine. But otherwise, just paying some money to have someone keep an eye on you and help give you some pointers to adjust is worthwhile.
Kevin Floyd
Contributor
Take the class, you will learn a lot.
I dive a DUI FLX Extreme, super spendy but a badass suit. I like the zip seals
a lot of my buddies dive 4th E argonauts, also very good, cheaper then the DUI. Can’t get zip seals unless you send it to a place like Dive Right In and have them custom make add them. I didn’t get the Argonaut because at the time there lead time was 2x the time of DUI.
Deep Six has a custom suit that’s priced well but I don’t have any first hand knowledge of it.
I dive a DUI FLX Extreme, super spendy but a badass suit. I like the zip seals
a lot of my buddies dive 4th E argonauts, also very good, cheaper then the DUI. Can’t get zip seals unless you send it to a place like Dive Right In and have them custom make add them. I didn’t get the Argonaut because at the time there lead time was 2x the time of DUI.
Deep Six has a custom suit that’s priced well but I don’t have any first hand knowledge of it.
jwcfbd
Registered
I don't have a drysuit yet but thinking about getting one. I really like my Waterproof brand wetsuit and have a friend with one of their drysuits. She seems pretty impressed with it. My shop recommended I try the D7X. D7X Nylotech - Waterproof Diving
Seaskin is custom made, with every bell and whistle it will cost 1/3 the cost of anything else out there.
OTF
Coney Island Whitefish Biologist
There are lots of good drysuit brands and you'll get tons of opinions on brand and features from people here. Personally I like socks over built-in boots, and insist on quick-change seals, big pockets, and easy self-donning. Fit is the most important thing though, custom tailored suits are generally worth it if you're anything other than a very standard shape.
The class is probably worth it, especially if you get a free one buying from a local shop.
But since you did ask, no you don't NEED the class. I didn't take it. The scuba police won't arrest you for diving dry without the card. The skills can be learned on your own, and honestly most of the challenge is getting practiced with the suit which takes dive time anyway, maybe 15 dives to get truly comfortable controlling it. If you do choose to learn it without the class it's best to do it with experienced dry-diving buddies who can show you the ropes and give tips. And make sure you learn to handle getting inverted and inflator freeflows.
The class is probably worth it, especially if you get a free one buying from a local shop.
But since you did ask, no you don't NEED the class. I didn't take it. The scuba police won't arrest you for diving dry without the card. The skills can be learned on your own, and honestly most of the challenge is getting practiced with the suit which takes dive time anyway, maybe 15 dives to get truly comfortable controlling it. If you do choose to learn it without the class it's best to do it with experienced dry-diving buddies who can show you the ropes and give tips. And make sure you learn to handle getting inverted and inflator freeflows.
Dark Wolf
Contributor
I would also recommend Seaskin. As for the cert, it depends on some factors that others have covered. Personally, I didn't do the class. But I had several very good mentors when I switched over to dry.
DW
DW
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