Dry suits

[Tens]

When my old, loved Seaskin started to leak left, right and centre, I thought I would pay (quite) a bit more and get something that would last me. Went for an O3. The ordering service was brilliant. After filling in my measurements, they sent me 2 suits and got me to send them photos of me standing in different poses in each. Then from those they made me mine. Very professional service in every way. Emails from them to say when it was being made, and then posted etc etc.

And it's beautifully made, fits well and obviously hard wearing..... But....

As well as diving, I use the suit on my rib because it's on a mooring and I fin out to it. The suit is certainly heavyweight. I was finding that after a couple of hours on the boat, with the 200 metre walk there and back plus the fin out and back I was feeling knackered. Couldn't understand why. And a bit of an effort getting it on and off. And one day I put on my old Seaskin and went out on the boat. It was like wearing a onesie (no, I have never worn a onesie). Movement became so easy again. I didn't feel like Maggie Simpson dressed to go out in the snow.

I feel embarrassed to say, I straight away ordered a new Seaskin and I now use that most of the time. At a bit more than half the price (as it was then, don't know about now). The 03 comes out if I'm on a liveaboard for a week, because, well, it needs using; but if there's any walking about to be done, Seaskin every time. I know it will eventually deteriorate, but, to me, that's worth it for the comfort.

[Energy58]

I've always had great service from o3 and have had a couple of suits from them. I do find them not very flexible suits but practically indestructible (2-100). Anyone that I know who dives them also have been very impressed.

Always been happy with mine too (2-100). They do advertise a suit with more flexibility (MSF500) but I have no idea what its like - I suspect that the "no such thing as a free lunch" factor will bite somewhere in the durability/flexibility trade off.

Mate of mine has a new, very expensive, Otter suit which leaks very heavily through one foot after only a couple of dozen dives (he is currently buying shares in black witch pending sending it back after the summer is over) but another buddy is super happy with hers bought about a year ago. Santi seems to take an absolute age for anything so you have to have a spare suit and Hammond seem to be overwhelmed with orders: several people I know have missed promised delivery dates by several weeks recently.

[barnaby_s]

For my most recent drysuit after looking at reviews and discussions on here I went with a Predator in 2019 and am I really pleased with it
The service from Denis was spot on, he really worked with me to go through all the options and discussed the pros and cons of them, you do need to be aware that he is a very chatty guy and factor that in to the time allowed when getting measured etc.

[N Bailey]

SDS still repairs and deals with DUI, I have a CF200 and it has the replacable DUI neck seal system on it.
Though the European importer is now BTS and it's making it very expensive to get spares etc as I was told when I last went in to SDS and spoke to them.

[Energy58]

When my old, loved Seaskin started to leak left, right and centre, I thought I would pay (quite) a bit more and get something that would last me. Went for an O3. The ordering service was brilliant. After filling in my measurements, they sent me 2 suits and got me to send them photos of me standing in different poses in each. Then from those they made me mine. Very professional service in every way. Emails from them to say when it was being made, and then posted etc etc.

And it's beautifully made, fits well and obviously hard wearing..... But....

As well as diving, I use the suit on my rib because it's on a mooring and I fin out to it. The suit is certainly heavyweight. I was finding that after a couple of hours on the boat, with the 200 metre walk there and back plus the fin out and back I was feeling knackered. Couldn't understand why. And a bit of an effort getting it on and off. And one day I put on my old Seaskin and went out on the boat. It was like wearing a onesie (no, I have never worn a onesie). Movement became so easy again. I didn't feel like Maggie Simpson dressed to go out in the snow.

I feel embarrassed to say, I straight away ordered a new Seaskin and I now use that most of the time. At a bit more than half the price (as it was then, don't know about now). The 03 comes out if I'm on a liveaboard for a week, because, well, it needs using; but if there's any walking about to be done, Seaskin every time. I know it will eventually deteriorate, but, to me, that's worth it for the comfort.

If you want a suit to drive a RHIB just buy a cheap surface suit from a sailing supplier - half the price of a dive suit and much more comfortable

[DaveBarber]

Just back from Scapa. Crewman on the dive boat is in the market for a suit. Was watching the weeks leaky antics and panic repairs.

My O3 MSF just got on with it (except a tiny puncture- lobster bit me on the cuff) without any problems.

At the end of the week the crewman asked me how old the suit was? 10 years. But i have changed the zip (didnt really need it) and the neck seal (neo) after clumsily putting my fingers through it. His comment. It still looks brand new. The zip flaps are not very good.

[Treerat]

Locally we still have Polar Bear making great suits - mine is still as dry today as the day it came out and 3 of the team have just bought nice new shiny ones. Look great and sensibly priced.

[Energy58]

Locally we still have Polar Bear making great suits - mine is still as dry today as the day it came out and 3 of the team have just bought nice new shiny ones. Look great and sensibly priced.

How sensibly? Their website is up the duff

[bottle maker]

Does anyone have any experience of the Stoney Cove/Hydrotec suit's. I am thinking about a neoprene suit. They look like they are cut very similar to DUI.

Graham

[Ian@1904]

Does anyone have any experience of the Stoney Cove/Hydrotec suit's. I am thinking about a neoprene suit. They look like they are cut very similar to DUI.

Graham

Mixed. Hydrotech can make great suits. I have several friends with excellent suits. I had a neoprene suit delivered in March. After forty dives some of the seams look like I have been running sandpaper over them. So these seams have been taped over by Hydrotech and I will be testing the suit over the weekend. I think the fraying is a manufacturing issue, Hydrotech do not. So we shall see. The suit is dry, easy to put on and pretty good in the water. This suit is to be my main suit for the next bit of diving in August. I will be taking two suits for Outliers.