Dry Suit for med climate

[marcbe]

I'm looking at buying a dry suit for use in 15C water.

I'm currently using a Cressi freediving type (2 parts) 5mm when water gets cold. Works fine for up to 45 minutes but wouldn't do lenghty decompression with it.

Read a lot of tests, reviews and articles but doesn't really help much as there are so many models available and prices are all over the place.

Never tried a dry suit before but I'm more inclined to go for a neoprene type given the added security since the purpose of the suit is decompression dive.

At this point, my choice would be the Poseidon TNG Technica. 4mm would provide sufficient safety, material seems to be tough enough, not too bulky, reviews are positive and price is not too high.

Expected usage about 20 times a year and as I said, coldest water temp is about 15C, so I'm not looking at the very top of the line offerings. Suit will be used with an OMS 100 double bladder on IQ Pack, so lift capacity is not an issue.

Any suggestions or comments?

 

[Amphibious]

I would recomend a laminate suit. this gives you quite a bit more fredom to adjust your insulaton with changing water temps, it also, unlike neoprene, will not crush at depth, so not change in bouyancy or insulation. been using my Trilaminate Drysuit for about 3 years now and love it.

 

[omega3]

Thats a big can of worms you are opening there!! Where to start?
I used drysuits a fair bit and have quite a few from membrane and neoprene....I generally prefer a wetsuit for recreational use but they do have their pro`s and cons. I second Amphibious`s view about membrane comfort but then again I am only wearing heavy duty gear and thinner Neoprene could be Ok and if it is MTM is very nice. I am not sure I agree with Amphibious on bouyancy but then again that is a big generalisation I am sure . Membrane are often easier to clean but then again I am often in stinking water. Small holes in membranes are easier to find/repair but larger rips/tears/cuts in neoprene is also very easy to mend. Some of the newer membreane materials are brilliant. A nice advantage of MTM neoprene IMO is better bouyancy control but this is also a big can of snakes! The biggest advantage of neoprene which generally wins it for me is the cuffs and neck seal, membrane(latex) just don`t last long and need regular service(I have neo ones over 12 years old and no latex ones over 2)

The prefered neoprene drysuit here is Ndiver but I have heard mixed reviews of late and it is ages since I bought one.
O3`s seem to be getting good reviews at the moment for membranes
I am sure you would do well with Poseidon. Most of their kit is bullet proof. They do great dump valves(again this is a bit of a contentious issue having dump valves on a drysuit)The last suit I had of theirs was a "unisuit".....don`t ask!! but I still have the zip which I would love to use on a waterproof bag.

And of course the only way to find out is see for yourself!
Good luck!!

 

[Jon]

I've owned LOTS of drysuits over the years. I started with neoprene, and have even owned a Posiden in the past- the Jest suit. Next I moved to Vikings, had 2 and they worked well. After that I switched to Dui. I've had the best Luck with DUI of all suits I've owned so far. I've owned a TLS-350, CLX-450, and a CF200. Along the way I've also owned one of those O.S. bilaminate packcloth suits- rubbish and fell apart in less than a year.

After all the suits I've owned I would go with a TLS-350 if I ever bought a suit again. There's no extreme bouyancy change, like with neoprene, and it doesn't take a week to dry, like the Cf200, they are also nice and light for packing, unlike the Viking, and one of the easiest suits to patch- although the viking was the easiest by far. They are much easier to move around in than the CLX-450, which is great unless your one of those bottom crawling kind of divers with no bouyancy control- then you'll need the CLX, or at least a pair of coveralls for your suit.

Jon

 

[marcbe]

Thank you all for the assistance.

I finally went for NDiver 4mm neoprene. I think it's a good starting point and I'm kind of in a rush to get it and would rather have a membrane custom made than off the rack.

For some reason that I could not clearly explained, I feel that I need one of those neoprene suit. I'm sure that I'll end up having more than one drysuit anyway. It's just that it feels logical for me to start "building" an opinion based on a neoprene suit given that I'm already familiar with the material. Once I'm familiar with the drysuit concept, I'll see if I can rent different membrane suit to get a feel for which manufacturer fits me best. But I'll make sure I keep the recommandations received here in my choice at that time.

Once again, thank you.

 

[omega3]

Anytime!!!
hope you like your new suit.
Top tips for neoprene drysuits....Some people aquasure all the external seams on purchase so they last forever...it works.If it has valves do not glue any valves in .they don`t leak when tightened nicely....I have known some people to regret this. If it has valves and they dump too easily and aren`t adjustable a bit of neoprene cut to disc shape over the mushroom works well. Keep the inflation well greased so it never sticks(a big one that). bees wax, parrafin wax, silicon grease and a mix of any of them all work well. the makers usually say no to silicon grease but It has never done mine or my colleagues suits any damage and is oh so easy to apply but bees wax long term is sooooooo smooth. For taking it off at the cuffs...start to pull arm of suit inside out by pushing forearm over hand and stop when you have a flap to grab . That way your cuff will last forever. Don`t know if I described that well but when you have it right you can be in and out of the suit in under a minute!!!!! if it leaks at the cuff ....pull them up more. the neck seal seals by inverting if it is neoprene and don`t be worried about strapping it from the inside if it is too big!!! baby powder is better/nicer than soap to lubricate seals when donning IMO but stopped bothering with that ages ago.

If you are cold ...I reccomend NDiver or weezle undersuits . both are excellent but I give top marks to weezle as it really does wick any moisture build up away and they last for years(both )

can`t think of anything else at the mo
hope you like your new suit
Jim

on a side note ...I went to Ndiver factory/shop in 1994 . I drove up from Bristol and they took £40 off the suit price over the discount of I can`t remember what % for driving up .They said they would make it worth my while and they did, got great discount on other stuff as well. I don`t know if they still do it but they used to make adjustments to suits while you wait on the standard suits.,.....they had a LOT of suits...was a great shop.

 

[Scuba Brad]

Marc, We sell several different kinds but I beleive the BARE dry suits are the most popular. Totally personal messured and fit to your own body. Take a look...........

Happy Diving

 

[Amphibious]

Marc, We sell several different kinds but I beleive the BARE dry suits are the most popular. Totally personal messured and fit to your own body. Take a look...........

Happy Diving

two thumbs up on the Bare suits. love mine. zero complaints

(and they're Canadian made )