Which Dry Suit?

[jbhollen]

I'm looking for advice on purchasing a dry suit. My first 50-60 dives were in cold water (Montery) and the rest have been tropical which quite frankly got boring. I am going to start diving cold again, but am not looking forward to the "7mil" experience - hence the search for a dry suit.

For the most part money is not an issue. I am not bargain hunting but rather just looking for the best performing suit. From research I am gravitating to the DUI CL*450 with the new zip seals. I am hearing many nore posative comments that negative on the new seals and it looks like the way to go especially if dry gloves are used.

Any comments or differing opinions on what is the best suit would be appreciated. Looking for advice on undergarments as well.

Thanks

Jay

 

[H2Andy]

moved your thread here to get you some answers (welcome aboard, btw)

i have a DUI TLS 350, and i love it. easy to get in and out, light, travels great,
dries quickly... very nice

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My os systems HD Pro is tops in my book. The fact that it's self donning(front zip) , has the indispensible relief zipper, and came with two sets of undergarments. I don't know if you can get a similar deal where you live but I got the suit, both sets of undergarments, hood, and their commercial dry glove system, as well as a semicustom fit (legs shortened) total price including shipping and tax was 1670 and change. Have 17 dives on it from the florida springs to a mountain lake in wva in 35 degree air and 46 water temps and no complaints whatsoever. Jim

 

[theskull]

I'm looking for advice on purchasing a dry suit. My first 50-60 dives were in cold water (Montery) and the rest have been tropical which quite frankly got boring. I am going to start diving cold again, but am not looking forward to the "7mil" experience - hence the search for a dry suit.

For the most part money is not an issue. I am not bargain hunting but rather just looking for the best performing suit. From research I am gravitating to the DUI CL*450 with the new zip seals. I am hearing many nore posative comments that negative on the new seals and it looks like the way to go especially if dry gloves are used.

Any comments or differing opinions on what is the best suit would be appreciated. Looking for advice on undergarments as well.

Thanks

Jay

I own the CLX450 with the Zip Seals. Still in excellent shape after hundreds of dives, many of them including some hill & rock climbing. The Zip Seals have saved several days of diving for me when a neck or wrist got torn between dives. This is the suit many of my dive buddies have settled on after much research, and sometimes after first buying a cheaper suit from a different brand (which I did as well).

theskull

 

[TSandM]

Not a lot of experience to offer, but I can say that you really need to consider your tolerance for cold when selecting a suit. I bought a trilaminate suit, with which I am not unhappy, but I am always cold, and searching desperately for enough undergarment to survive winter. On the other hand, I dove a CF200 DUI suit last weekend at the demo, and was amazed at how MUCH warmer it was.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

I'm looking for advice on purchasing a dry suit.

I am wearing an Oceanic Aerdura ... the same suit the British Navy was using. I absolutely love the suit. Extremely well constructed and durable. Gill pads on the knees for durability and flexibility, a warm neck collar, APEKS valves, suspender loops, etc.....

The newest suit from Oceanic is the BioDry. It's being used by a number of other agencies such as the CIA and US Navy. It's like the Aerdura, but is stretchy, so it's a shell suit, with the stretchiness of a neoprene suit. Very cool suit, my buddy in Thunder Bay owns one.

All of Oceanic's suits can be made to custom size specs now.

In the end though, it all comes down to which suit YOU prefer.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

Not a lot of experience to offer, but I can say that you really need to consider your tolerance for cold when selecting a suit. I bought a trilaminate suit, with which I am not unhappy, but I am always cold, and searching desperately for enough undergarment to survive winter. On the other hand, I dove a CF200 DUI suit last weekend at the demo, and was amazed at how MUCH warmer it was.

Sounds like you need better thermals, or thermal layering. What are you currently using for undergarments???

 

[jroy017]

I own a clx 450 and absolutely love the suit ... the important thing is to get it with the apporpriate underwear. The underwear makes all the dfifference in a trilam suit ! I have zipseals and have no complaints about them. Hint though they take actyually quite a bit of time to put on properly and make sure you inspect them really well after they,ve been changed because uits pretty easy to think they are well instllled and then you end up leaking.....

I dive my suite from 36-72 water and have no complaints just change the undewear. Nice thing about zipseals is that you can get a pair of seals with dry-gloves for cold water and one pair for warm water-caves... !

I put a set of sela on my old skaana/dc dry gloves and can now switch out between gloves !

JN

 

[Rec Diver]

I'm looking for advice on purchasing a dry suit. My first 50-60 dives were in cold water (Montery) and the rest have been tropical which quite frankly got boring. I am going to start diving cold again, but am not looking forward to the "7mil" experience - hence the search for a dry suit.

For the most part money is not an issue. I am not bargain hunting but rather just looking for the best performing suit. From research I am gravitating to the DUI CL*450 with the new zip seals. I am hearing many nore posative comments that negative on the new seals and it looks like the way to go especially if dry gloves are used.

Any comments or differing opinions on what is the best suit would be appreciated. Looking for advice on undergarments as well.

Thanks

Jay

I use a Whites Nexxus Shell. I am very happy with this suit, but I do beleive there are probably better ones available. However, I do have some comments on construction. I would buy a suit with latex seals and front entry capabilities. Rear entry is a pain and neoprene seals seem to always leak.

 

[bobmaggi]

I have had the Nexus shell suit (~80 dives), good construction, very comfortable, didn't care for the placement of the dump valve but learned to work with it, cost was very good. I have since moved up to the DC UltraFlex custom (~50 dives this year) - better construction/materials, dump valve is excellent (never even have to think about it when ascending), cost is reasonable but still cheaper than a DUI. If you go custom make sure you get measured correctly!!!
That said, the undergarment is the key for shell suits. I have a winter DUI 400g thinsulate for temps below 46 and a 200g fleece for the rest of the dives. If it is going to be very cold (<42) I also have a base layer of polypropylene on also.

Bob