What to look for in a drysuit

[bravokiloromeo]

Hi all,

I dive in the PNW (Puget Sound and Hood Canal) and although my semi-dry suits work nicely in the summer, I'm looking into drysuits for the cooler months.

I've been reading up on the different brands, but at some point they all appear to be roughly the same (with the exception of options, quality, and customizable fit). So what is it that sets certain drysuits apart from each other? And what should I be looking for in my drysuit?

I am still saving my money but would like to keep the budget under $2k, and am looking at trilam suits because I think they will fit my needs better (though I would consider crushed neoprene). The brands I'm mostly considering right now are DUI, Bare (both are carried by my local shop), USIA, and Seaskin (the idea of custom fit is enticing). Purpose would be rec diving (don't dive enough for tech yet).

Thanks and I hope to see you all out in the water sometime!

 

[Superlyte27]

So, I’ve dove a Bare for the last 7 years. I just switched to DUI about 15hours ago. I friggin love it. It’s stellar.

I went with an FLX Extreme. But the same day a friend of mine bought the Coronado or something like that from DUI. And he loves his as much as I love mine. I highly suggest it, and the price point is incredibly competitive.

 

[Chris H]

So, I’ve dove a Bare for the last 7 years. I just switched to DUI about 15hours ago. I friggin love it. It’s stellar.

I went with an FLX Extreme. But the same day a friend of mine bought the Coronado or something like that from DUI. And he loves his as much as I love mine. I highly suggest it, and the price point is incredibly competitive.

Which Bare suit? Of the DUI suits I have seen, the FLX looks nicest. One of my regular buddies is diving an FLX. I have a Bare X-Mission Made to measure, and I'm very pleased with it. I had a Tech HD prior to the X-Mission and it was much heavier, and probably more durable, but was also a nice suit.

To the OP, I'd say fit is the most important. Spend the money to get a custom suit if at all possible. The X-mission is my first Made to Measure suit and the fit is fantastic. I also prefer a neoprene neck seal, but I'm likely the minority on that.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I also prefer a neoprene neck seal, but I'm likely the minority on that.

I also prefer neoprene seals. I'm using an Apollo suit now that I like, and the price was right. My one regret is the back zipper which makes it impossible to zip on your own.

I'm a fan of thigh pockets, so I'd advise leaving room in the budget to add them if the suit doesn't come with them.

 

[Compressor]

I also am hearing lots of good thing on the DUI Flex. I have friends who have them and like them. Fit is the keyword here.

 

[bravokiloromeo]

Thanks for the input everyone! I've heard good things about the DUI suits.

What weight undergarments are you diving? I know that will affect sizing, but I have no idea what the typical weight is for ~40-50F water.

 

[lexvil]

A Seaskin compressed neoprene suit with silicone replaceable seals, pee valve and pocket and sitech valves, custom fit came to my door in California for $925. Back zip sucks but it is what it is, also have a shell suit by Seaskin which needs a zipper, haven’t felt any urgent need to do the repair because the neo suit is that nice.

I use heavy weight wool base with either normal light weight fleece outdoor stuff or Hollis 450 fleece for colder temps, my cold tolerance is not what it used to be and the neoprene makes a difference to me over the shell suit.

 

[Diesel_Diver]

Thanks for the input everyone! I've heard good things about the DUI suits.

What weight undergarments are you diving? I know that will affect sizing, but I have no idea what the typical weight is for ~40-50F water.

I made my very first drysuit dive yesterday . And I will never go back ( unless it’s in the Caribbean) my suit is an Abyss ( made semi locally) and custom fit. 4mm compressed neoprene I used the Fourth Element Arctic undergarment yesterday at 44f and even though I sprung a leak( my fault, glove liner got caught in the lock ring) I was extremely comfortable for 45 minutes.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

What weight undergarments are you diving? I know that will affect sizing, but I have no idea what the typical weight is for ~40-50F water.

IMHO this is where you can save some money. I've been wearing a wicking base layer of heavy runner's tights and under armour long sleeve t-shirt, with sweat pants and sweatshirt over it. In summer I ditch the sweat pants and in winter I add an extra T-shirt.

The sweatshirt can ride up, so tucking it in to the tights can help. And yes, there's a reason I chose dork diver to describe myself....

 

[Chris H]

What weight undergarments are you diving? I know that will affect sizing, but I have no idea what the typical weight is for ~40-50F water.

Everyone is different with tolerance to cold. If the water is really cold 39°F-44°F, I wear a Patagonia midweight long underwear, a heated vest, Fourth Element Xerotherm, and Fourth Element Halo 3-D. I also have Fourth Element Arctic. This gives me a lot of options for diving in about any water temperature. From the Great Lakes in the spring to the caves in Mexico. When I initially purchased the Halo 3-D, I did a scooter dive in 44°F water and froze. I was not impressed. Adding the Xerotherm layer really helped. That said, I see people diving just the Halo 3-D and they are pleased with it. YMMV