Looking for the Right Drysuit for My Needs

[mfrymus]

There are many brands and types of drysuits out there, and I'm stumped on finding the right one that will suit my needs.

What I need it for:

• Marine biology studies / underwater research based stuff
• Diving on the East coast of Canada (Nova Scotia). But also in the great lakes, and possible ice diving in the future.

Needs:

• Durability!
• Warmth (Can wear undergarments)
• Compatible with full face masks
• Customizable (Size/features/add-ons)
• Pricepoint: Just be worth it!

My local dive shop recommended choosing compressed neoprene over trilam for the durability reason.
Their number one selling suit was the Abyss Tech 4mm compressed suit. Made locally too!
But, I'm not really sure.

They told me not to go with Bare & Mares. I don't recall why. It was a long time ago.

The Waterproof D1 Hybrid & D10 looks interesting. But these don't seem to be compressed neoprene. But I don't know if that's an issue or not

 

[decompression]

So, just a bit of background from me, I've been diving and selling drysuits in Canada for almost 20yrs now.

So, yes Abyss suits are decent and have a good reputation. It's a bonus that they are local which usually means service and support should be timely.

Most important for a drysuit is fit, it must allow you the flexibility but not have huge movements of air or trap pockets of air. This is the benefit of having a manufacture close in that your LDS should have several sizes for you to try.

And luckily most suits now will certainly meet your needs for many years.

Some points for consideration;

Neoprene suits, even crushed neoprene and heavier and far less flexible than bilam and trilam suits. They also don't offer the flexibility of undergarments that shell suits do. Often, the boots are part of the suit so if they wear out the entire suit is sent in for replacement.

Neoprene can be very robust but have a buoyancy change at depth which isn't ideal.

As an instructor I'm very hard on suits and it's not uncommon for over 200 dives a year, over the years I've learned that it's sometimes better to for go bells and whistles and go for the basics which will last a very long time.

So, if given an option of paying $2000 for a suit or buying 2 suits at $1000 each, I'll go with 2 and use the second suit being nice and new after a few years of using the first.

Some of those basic entry level suits are very good and economical (Bare Nex-Gen, Whites Nexus and many others).

I'm unsure if the Abyss suits offer user replaceable seals or different boots or other options. It's certainly easy enough to glue on a $20 pocket yourself.

I do like the whites fusions (some do, some don't) because the outer skin gets worn and is cheap to replace while keeping the original core. Further, the fit and flexibility are unmatched by any suit on the market. It also has the room for a thin to super thick undergarment which customizes your warmth.

Anyways, there are lots out there and most will serve you just fine. Just make sure it fits....

 

[KevinNM]

Compressed neoprene is very tough. But it's heavy and takes a long time to dry, and can have other issues. But having a local place that has a good track record for fitting fivers with suits that fit and don't break is important, probably more that the brand that you go with.

There is a commercial diver diving a newish bare compressed neoprene suit on this board who seemed to like his. Check with him on how it is holding up. @Deep South Divers

 

[RainPilot]

I'm looking at the Northern Diver Milspec, with the exchange rate it's a good deal ATM
MIL-SPEC Kevlar Drysuit

 

[LandonL]

What I need it for:

• Marine biology studies / underwater research based stuff
• Diving on the East coast of Canada (Nova Scotia). But also in the great lakes, and possible ice diving in the future.

Needs:

• Durability!
• Warmth (Can wear undergarments)
• Compatible with full face masks
• Customizable (Size/features/add-ons)
• Pricepoint: Just be worth it!

If you are definite about wanting a crushed neoprene then go for it, but if it were me I would go with a tri-lam.
The reason being most of what you mention above for your needs. A tri-lam is a better choice for varied environments because you have a lot of leeway when wearing undergarments underneath. Really thick undergarments for ice diving with modular gloves, to just wearing a thin undergarment diving in springs in florida.

A lot of the tri-lams are very durable as well. (We reinforce ours with kevlar padding over joints). Pretty much any suit is comparable with a FFM, that shouldn't be an issue either. A lot of different manufacturers have a lot of customizable options and add-ons, just check their website. Many also offer custom sizing, usually at an increased price and a few more weeks manufacturing time.

If you consider a Tri-lam, consider ours, the Deep 6 Makara. It is a European made suit, only comes in custom cut sizing (you have to fill out a form with many measurements on it, the suit is made just for you). There are many customizable options from boots, to gloves, to ring systems, to Pee-valves. I think our price point is very good. $1900 gets you a fully customized built to order suit. Add-ons are not overly expensive if you want to upgrade some.

Again the choice is yours, but it may be worth a look. The company owner is from Nova Scotia, so he knows diving in the area very well.

Cheers,
Landon

 

[mfrymus]

I have not ruled out Trilam but I am leaning more towards neoprene.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Some of those basic entry level suits are very good and economical (Bare Nex-Gen, Whites Nexus and many others).

I can vouch for the Nex-Gen. It is a very durable suit despite it being a bilam, mine has been in wrecks, fallen and slid on rocks, it is one tough suit.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I dive the Great Lakes all the time. A compressed neoprene suit is the way to go. It is way more durable than a trilam suit, requires less underwear than a trilam suit and there is far less buoyancy change at depth than a regular neoprene suit. Not sure why they wouldn't recommend a Bare? I have had a Bare CD 4 Pro compressed neoprene suit for over 10 years and when I needed a new zipper they had great customer service. Other than the zipper I have only replaced the inflator valve, exhaust valve and wrist seals, my boots are good as new., As for drying argument, I hang mine at the end of the day and it dry by the next morning. Their suits come in a ton of sizes so you will likely find that is a good fit off the rack.XCS2 Pro Dry Neoprene Drysuit | BARE Sports If my Bare ever wears out I'm going to give an Abyss Diving Suits Ltd a try. You won't go wrong with either an Abyss or a Bare suit. and the fact that they are both Canadian made is a bonus.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I would also recommend O'three Ri2100 which was recommended to me by Steve Lewis (Doppler.) It is a great suit. Bullet proof and very well made for deep cold dives. Not to mention it is 1/3rd the price of Bare.

 

[Neilwood]

I would also recommend O'three Ri2100 which was recommended to me by Steve Lewis (Doppler.) It is a great suit. Bullet proof and very well made for deep cold dives. Not to mention it is 1/3rd the price of Bare.

They have an excellent reputation over here. I am thinking of ordering one up in the very near future.