"Beginner" Drysuit recommendations

I just switched from compressed neoprene to membrane and wouldn't look back. I always felt constricted (yet warm) in the neoprene suit, unable to move my arms as I wished - and it was a custom fit. The membrane suit is excellent for mobility, and I bought 4th element undersuit to keep me more than toasty in the cold Atlantic waters.

Here is one more possibility for you to check out. DUI has for sale a number of suits, which it offers for less than full price, on their web page. These were suits that either had been custom made and were returned by a customer or can't be sold new at retail for other reasons.

 

DUI Factory Seconds

I bought mine this way too... I was looking for a drsuit with drygloves and my local dive shop offered me a DUI demo suit, 1 year old and used on DOG demo days.

TLS 350 Explorer (extra padding/side pockets

Softsocks with rockboots in my size

Zipseals on both arms and neck

Zipseal latex seals

Zipseal drygloves

Frontzipper old style

All accesories included for 50% discount on a standard TLS350 explorer and with 3 years warranty

Some buddy's in my divingclub still declared me insane (still 2x the price of a beaver drysuit for example), but I regularly get people asking about the gloves and checking out the zipper. But I know that I will still be diving in the same suit for years to come, instead for having to send the suit away for frequent repairs. (I can replace my own seals in 10min!)

How very interesting how you acquired your DUI TLS Trilam suit! I had a very similar experience when I bought my DUI CF 200 drysuit. A friend let me know about a DUI drysuit that was for sale on Ebay for only $500.

Oh, Ellen, I am laughing so hard - I am SO telling your story on my charter tomorrow - my husband and all the other guys I dive with have been bitching nonstop about my killer deal (granted, I have totally gloated about it at every opportunity!!!) whining about the fact that "girls get all the good deals" or some such crap. Actually, it may not be crap, I suppose, as all my guy friends who have used suits have the same story - bought it for $900, it had 300 dives, it needed new seals and a new zipper and a crotch strap....

Well, whatever. Yay, us. (But way, way bigger feet - what do you think that means, exactly???? Ah, never mind...)

rtrski - the bottom line kinda is - this is sort of like when someone starts diving and asks about what kind of gear to buy...what do you tell someone? There are positives and negatives to each - I know what I prefer, but you might like something else. Your best bet is to buy the best quality suit you can get and give yourself a chance to get used to it - really, the comfortable thing about diving in a drysuit is the fact that you're not freezing your butt off and that you are dry between and after your dives - otherwise, it takes some time to get used to it, because it just isn't a comfortable thing to wear!!!

Allison

vet: Thanks. I see your point*. But I have learned from this thread, and do want to thank all the contributors. It's given me a better idea of some of the tradeoffs, and better yet from those who I know share a photographic bent, not just a common diving interest.

It may or may not alter my first selection, but at least I'll be going into that choice a little less blindly. This is a step in the research and learning process, not a shortcut to bypass it entirely and land on "collect $200 and a drysuit."

[*To answer the sorta-rhetorical question, when asked the 'which gear do I buy?' I usually answer much like the ones I got here. "I bought this, here's my likes and dislikes with it". If I've got prior mistakes to relate, I include them too...I try not to opine too widely about other stuff I haven't tried but have magically developed an impression of - but probably fail to exclude judgment completely.

For the record, I dive a jacket BC, non-split fins, lowish end plastic sport regulator, with (gasp!) Mares AirTrim no less!! So clearly I'm just a recreational level stroke!!

And hopefully the person who asked the question leaves with no more clear 'answer' to the original question, but a better understanding from all the various answers they got as to what the tradeoffs are, right? It's their fault if they were just looking for the 'one right answer'. ]

Well, whatever. Yay, us. (But way, way bigger feet - what do you think that means, exactly???? Ah, never mind...)

I think the person I bought the drysuit from wore a Size 8 or 9 shoe and my shoe size is only 6 1/2. The main problem is the trapped air. I eventually took to using fin keepers (those little triangular things) to keep the trapped air out of the feet. Uncontrollably turning upside down in a drysuit, which happened to me I think because of the trapped air, is not my idea of fun :-)

Have fun on your charter and let the guys bitch again about another good deal on a drysuit

Ellen

I bought my 6drysuit now. this time i chose a Santi. i m very happy with it and its one of the best suits i have used.

In Norway we dont do anything but drysuit diving. I have used neoprene suits for years but the last 3 was membrane suits. I will not go back to neoprene again.

Check it out http://santidiving.com/en/index.php

They also have an an USA hompage http://www.santiusa.com/HomePage.asp

Lasse