Need actual comparisons on drysuits

[spacemanspiff1974]

I'm currently a warm water diver although I am hoping to change that somewhat. I've tried on three drysuits in my life and gone diving with the DUI CLX450. The other two that I have tried on in the shop were a pinnacle evolution 2 and some Mares compressed neoprene that I won't even bother with.

My experience with the DUI CLX450 was that it gets the job done. I'm dry, sort of warm and I can reach all my valves. The Pinnacle evolution 2 is about a grand cheaper. Has anyone actually gone diving with both? What about the Hollis FX100 in comparison or the DUI TLS350? My LDS sells pinnacle and DUI (although they don't push the pinnacle drysuits.

I want to know if the extra 800 to 1000 for the dui suits over the pinnacle is worth it. Any comments?

 

[a22shady]

I compared the Pinnacle/DuI TLS350/Bare Tri-lam. In the end came down to DUI/Bare pinnacle just did not hold up to quality and longevity of these two suits. But in the end for me the Bare won. It just had alot more standard features in the suit that cost extra in the DUI such as (Heavy duty wrist/neck seals, Kevlar knee padz) Also the Bare suit had a Lifetime warranty on all seams and workmanship. and came in at 800 less. Money was not an object in my purchasing and could have bought either in this case I had just felt as I was getting less and Paying more for the DUI name. Also I liked the look of the Bare Suit as it has a tougher looking exterior vs the smooth of the TLS. So for me the Bare Tri-Lam HD Tech Dry

BARE Scuba Diving - USA

 

[meesier42]

they don't push Pinnacle because Pinnacle doesn't have the markup that DUI does which means less money in the owners pocket. The ability to reach all your valves has more a lot to do with proper fit. Unless for some reason they install the dump valve too far back on your arm and it fit properly you should be ok with reaching the valves. Proper fit, is made a lot easier with a company like Pinnacle that has a very extensive sizing chart.

While DUI suits are ok, the one thing they were really well known (their compressed neoprene) is just run of the mill as everyone makes these now.

The diagonal zipper of the Pinnacle is a great thing, although its takes some practice to learn how to get into and out of, once you figure it out it can be done solo. The quality of construction and the customer support (now that Zeagle owns Pinnacle) is definately the best of any company I've worked with. My EVO2 is about 3.5 years old with about 200 pretty rough dives on it and it looks new.

Although, to be completely honest, if I were going to buy another suit today I'd get the White's Fusion in a heartbeat.

 

[bearbear]

I have about 120 dives on my pinnacle evo 1 dry suit. I have never owned any other dry suit. I have been completely satisfied with it. I am dry and warm. I dive in upstate new york under the ice every year with it. We just got out of the lake today and the water was 45 degrees. I guess they have changed ownership to Zeagle. I have always used Total Diving in Montreal for warranty work without any problem. Hope this helps.