Anyone put pockets on their wetsuits?

[NeveSSL]

Hi all!

Just curious...

My instructor mentioned it. He said that once he had them on his drysuit, he figured why not add them to his wetsuit, too, as he used them a lot.

Anyone done it? Whats the best way to attach and what pockets should I get?

Thanks!

Brandon

[vadiver]

I have Halcyon pockets on my wetsuits and love them. They allow you to carry items needed for the dive in a nice streamlined way. Some of my friends have also attached them to Scuba Pro shorts for warm water diving.

As for attaching them...here's a link. It's pretty easy...
Halcyon: DIR Information and FAQs

[Splitlip]

Originally Posted by NeveSSL

Hi all!

Just curious...

My instructor mentioned it. He said that once he had them on his drysuit, he figured why not add them to his wetsuit, too, as he used them a lot.

Anyone done it? Whats the best way to attach and what pockets should I get?

Thanks!

Brandon

The only way to fly. If you use multiple suits, you may want to get a pair of 1 mil shorts and install them there. I have some directions I will find and re-post.
There are quite a few pockets available. Look around on line. The Halcyons (as with anything with a H ) are very costly. You should be able to get them for about $20.00 each

[NeveSSL]

Sweet... thanks for the replies, guys. I apper-shinate it.

Brandon

[hooligan]

You might also check out DiveXtras X-shorts. I have a pair and they work pretty well.

Dive Xtras - Makers of the X-Scooter (underwater scuba scooter DPV) - info@dive-xtras.com - 425 493 9600 - X-Shorts

[CompuDude]

Tobin's pockets at DSS are pricey, but designed with extra material around the pocket to make installation easier, and to readily enable it to be moved from wetsuit to wetsuit as the suits wear out.

Personally, I just go with X-Shorts when I really need pockets on a wetsuit.

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

I got thigh pockets put on my farmer john by Chris at Terrapin Wetsuits, they are glued and stitched with drain grommets and velcro flap closures, she also did my ankle zippers on this suit too, she does great work.

[floater]

Another vote for x-shorts! I use mine with both wet- and drysuits.

Cons:
-One more thing to don.
[-May be loose with thin wet-/drysuit if sized to be snug with your thickest exposure protection.
-The older version (shown in pics), was not very durable - I broke my first pair; bottom of the pocket blew out. But according to posts I've read on SB, the newer ones are more rugged, but come with an ugly Dive-Xtras logo.]

Pros:
-One or two pairs should be enough for all your dive suits.
-Probably cheaper than gluing pockets on all your suits.
-You don't lose the pockets when you replace suits (unlike with attached pockets).
-Avoids sagging issues associated with Fusion drysuit with flexible skin, or similar.
-Can be worn even when diving with just a dive skin or swimsuit (or nekked).
-IMO, more convenient for packing because the attached pockets (full of gear of course), aren't in the way of rolling your suit up.
-IMO, more convenient post-dive because you can rinse/soak/hang suit separately from pockets & gear within. I often had to empty the attached pockets on a previous suit when hanging it up to dry because they were exerting undue pull on the suit & making it heavier.
[-If size is right, they look almost like part of any black suit.]

Bottom line: I've used attached pockets too, and no doubt they are a better solution for some people, but when my current pair of x-shorts wears outs I'll personally buy another pair of x-shorts.

Attached pics: Here's what the older version x-shorts look like on a Whites Fusion (lycra skin). It's a thin shell drysuit, and for undies I'm only wearing a thin baselayer jumpsuit (Carol Davis polartec powerstretch), and a Xerotherm Arctics sweater (thick) that just comes below the waistline. That is, the pics show a loose fit (by my standards, YMMV). With my 3mm compressed neoprene drysuit and thicker undies, those same x-shorts still fit because they stretch, and they look like part of the suit because there's no loose material.

[mwhities]

and of all that I see, I dig the Chuck Taylors.

Michael

[NeveSSL]

Personally I prefer Vans Classics, but the Chuck Taylors will work, too.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'll check those out.

Brandon