Looking for a quality dry suit

[travelfreak]

I am trying to extend my dive season, but would also like something that I can still wear in 65-70 degree water. I have narrowed my search down to either the Abyss 4mm compressed tech suit, the Bare XCD2 Tech dry or pro dry or the Bare Trilam HD tech dry. I plan on doing a lot of Drift diving, wreck and cave diving in these so I need something that will stand up. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

[chicken]

After Zeagle bought Pinnacle they have discontinued their line of drysuits. I am hoping there will be some great deals on them.

I called Zeagle and they are honoring the warranty on the drysuits. Right now without the clearance sale they are running in the $1000-$1,100 range. ST carries them and additional info is on their website.

[FoxHound]

I find it curious as to why no one on here looks at DUI suits, lots of the tech and DIR guys up here use them. the tls350 is one of the best on the market imho. Very durable and the company backs up their suits very well.
I dive a whites, and i really like the suit, but when it does get a hole, they are a PITA to repair as their shell suit material is different then everyone elses and normal patches dont stick, gotta wait to get their repair kit, and they arent that fast at getting parts out. I will be getting a DUI suit very soon.

just food for thought

[MConnelly2]

Well, are you looking for inexpensive or quality? If you're looking for inexpensive, any of those listed will do you just fine, I assume.

If you're looking for bulletproof quality, and to never ever even consider the thought of getting the slightest bit chilly, you should take a look at the Poseidon Jetsuit. It's a bulletproof drysuit - IF it's downsides aren't applicable to you. Those downsides are:

-Sizing - stock sizing: you need to fit into some defined body types to fit a stock size. I'm fortunate in that an XL Jetsuit might as well be custom tailored. I mean, I don't even own a full dress uniform that fits like this drysuit.

-Seals - if you have skinny wrists like me, the neoprene seals aren't perfect. I replaced mine with latex, and they ARE perfect.

-Price - they aren't cheap. They're bulletproof, and even if you do something dumb with your neck seal and leak a bit during a dive, you'll be warm enough. In my strong opinion, Poseidon makes the sturdiest gear out there, but you may pay for it. Hell, I still dive a Cyklon in the winter, could use it for a deadblow hammer in the summer.

[Lake Michijim]

DUI makes a great suit. I've owned my CF200 for over a year now and really like it. The perception is that they are expensive. They are. That being said compare components. The zipper on my CF is twice as heavy as the one on my Dive Concepts Z-Flex. It is not my intent to put down Dive Concepts. I liked my Z-Flex truth be told, but, it just is.
My DUI is my third dry suit. First one was a Poseidon Unisuit by the way. I bought it because I have been diving alot the last several years. Pretty much every weekend from April to December and a bunch during the week. Once the ice is in I keep going too, just not near as often. I need a suit that can hang in there from zebra mussel encrusted wrecks, inland bottle diving, ice, the works. That's how I justified my investment.
For a newer diver who dives a couple dozen times a year, most suits work just fine. Bare is a good suit. Some of my buddies dive those. Another one of the guys dives a Pinnacule and he seems to be very happy with it.
Of course my favorite suit is none at all. Swim trunks, mask, fins, a steel 72 and a double hose reg in the Florida springs is diving as JYC intended. Not particularly useful up here in Wisconsin though. LOL

Jim

[Scuba Pete]

I had an old Bare. It was a great suit to learn in as it was extremly cheap, like $200 including undergarments, bag, and hose. It finally crapped out and needed new seals. So I bought a Pinnacle Evolution. I like it much more than my Bare. I dive with people that have had a Whites, DUI and now a Dive Rite. Maybe he will join in here. DUI's run more on the expensive side of things. I would definatly go with the trilam suit rather than the compressed neoprene. They are more versitle, I can wear mine in 80* water or 33* water I just have to change what I am wearing underneath it. The GUE/WKPP folks use the DUI suits. My tech instructor use to wear the Dive Rite 905 not sure if he still does, he has many, many many suits. I would suggest that you get a cheap suit to start with. Then when it falls apart Buy a newer one. That way you know how to use the suit and how to care for it as well. You wont waste your money on a new suit that you break/rip not knowing how to care for it properly.

[a22shady]

My Girlfriend and I both Bought Bare Trilam HD Tech-Dry's and Love them. GOt the 2 Large Pockets and suspender I got the attached boot she got the rock boot system. Couldnt ask for a better suit not only the quality and looks but the Price. I researched alot of the other suits ultimatly for me it came to the DUI and the Bare after diving them i noticed almost no differnce Other then a slight look and the NAME/Price everything i got with the Bare "Heavy duty latex seals/Knee pad/Boots were all extras on the DUI thats were stock on the Bare. i got a great deal Fully loaded Suite for 1500 the DUI was almsot 2300