Drysuit buying guide FOR BEGINNERS - How to fit a drysuit 🧑🚀
Vložit
- čas přidán 4. 08. 2024
- Want to know more about drysuit diving and how to fit a drysuit? Check out this California diver’s journey towards buying a drysuit on a budget.
👌🏻Subscribe: bit.ly/2y7Se24
✨Today’s sponsor: EcoRoots ✨
Click here: bit.ly/EcoRoots
Use code: AZULUNLIMITED
🤪 Get a laugh: Becoming a cold water diver 🥶 • Becoming a cold water ...
Have any of these questioned crossed your mind?
🕴Why switch to drysuit diving?
🕴How do I figure out what to buy?
🕴What are the fit considerations?
🕴What’s the best way to purchase?
🕴What are must have accessories?
🕴What can I get by with on a budget?
We cover all of that in this video, specifically buying on a budget and how to fit a drysuit. Although we mostly talk about saving yourself from the cold, there are plenty of divers who stick to drysuits because of buoyancy preferences.
👉 What do you dive with? Tell us about your buying experience in the comments below 👇
🚁Drone: amzn.to/3iFT238
📸Camera: amzn.to/2wRCv6Y
🎤Microphone: amzn.to/3vhKulP
Find us on IG/FB/TikTok: Azul Unlimited
azulunlimited.com/
Tell us your favorite suit and tips here in the comments!
Also, check out our sponsor EcoRoots 🌿bit.ly/EcoRoots
✅Use code: AZULUNLIMITED
Thank you for your content Sarah. My son is a commercial dive welding student. I'm learning so much from you in order to help him be in the top three in his class... so far he's killing it!!! 🤟
Awesome! Commercial diving is tough and I hope he's enjoying it too. Good luck to him!
Thanks for the great information! Very helpful! The bright hood is brilliant and safer!
Thanks so much for watching! Yes, we're big fans of the bright colors :)
Great video, I like the conversational format.
Thank you so much. It was a blast recording this. I plan on doing more of this style of video :)
Yaaaay!!! It's so great to see you Sarah!!! This is one fun video, and yes we're used to your "amazing" jokes!! Lol
hahaha thanks. I believe i was a dad in a previous life and just held onto that sense of humor. Glad you enjoyed it!
The Waterproof hoods are superb and the SciTech silicone neck/wrist seals do a great job keeping water out of my tri-lam.
Thanks for adding the metric conversions - nice touch 👌
I try! I dive in metric, but traveling around the USA means I'm having to switch so people understand me 😅
Love that hood. One of my dive buddies has one. It would go great with my DUI (in profile pic). And I cannot recommend a backplate and wing enough, even for warm water diving. Game changer.
Absolutely, i'm a fan of the backplate option. Megan is just partial to her vest. To each their own! Also, i think you should totally get that hood with your set up. no one would ever lose you! hehe
I’m in Australia & have a Hot n Dry drysuit. Each one is made to measure so perfect comfy fit. Super happy with it.
I'm only a little bit jealous!! That sounds amazing. Happy diving :)
At first the drysuit was a challenge. Managing another air bladder, etc. But here in The Netherlands it's a better choice than a wetsuit. After two dozen dives I learned to love it. Fine tuning your trim with a little gas in your legs or arms is great. Being dry is great. Being able to pee is great. And of course being warm when the water is like 6 degrees Celsius. I can dive all year now.
love love love that. i can't wait to get myself a drysuit. I've heard that about trim. loads of cave divers in mexico dive dry for that exact reason (also 2+ hours underwater even in 24C water will make you cold in a wetsuit!)
Nice video. I got a Mods Drysuit which has all the features that Megan described.
That suit looks good too!
I love my neoprene high tide dry suit because it keeps me so warm even in the winter time in 45 degree waters of Washington state. I just wear shorts and t shirt inside mine. Now the down side it's a back zip and that sucks for solo diving. So my next dry suit will be a front zip.
good to know! everybody's got their preferences so it's nice to hear the whys, ya know? Thanks for watching
Your friend's drysuit is very similar in spec to the one I custom ordered from Seaskin here in the UK (probably a bit nicer as Hollis stuff is expensive, but nicely made). Plastic front zip (I'm left handed, so it's a left handed zip), silicone seals (really quick and easy to swap, so carry some spares and never lose a dive - Also much more comfortable than latex and they don't go sticky as they age), big thigh pockets, socks rather than fitted boots.
Personally, I like membrane/tri-laminate suits, they seem to offer more freedom of movement than neoprene ones to me, the downside is, when it is cold, you need more under them, but equally when (if!) it gets hot, you can wear very little under them and keep cool.
I'm very happy with my Seaskin suit, comfortable and (most importantly) DRY! I had a problem with a delaminated sock, but they fixed it under warranty and I'm usually drier than most of my fellow drysuit divers after a dive. Most of them, though, have neoprene suits with neoprene seals, which (as you say) are prone to 'trickles'...
Thanks for sharing! I decided on the silicone seals too. Very useful.
Great video, cool to hear about actual experiences as opposed to "OMG LOOK AT THIS AMAZING DRYSUIT".
Pitfalls are more important than marketing blurb so I'm glad this video covered the decision process and "lessons learnt". Awesome video!
A little tip would be to normalise volume in the video as I found myself turning up the volume initially, then down when your friend spoke about the drysuit on the porch, then up again when you returned to the other view :)
Thanks! And yes on the audio. I'm always learning about this stuff 😂
@@AzulUnlimited indeed, audio can be painful!
Buying used vs new really depends on what kind of services you have available locally. Where I live (central Ontario Canada) full service is readily available so the cost of buying used even with complete repairs and leak testing is generally still half price of buying new. But if you need to send away or if places charge premium service prices because of limited clientele, this could change things significantly. Love my trilam suit because I can wear it all year long and simply where thin or thick/ multiple layers of underwear as needed. As far as cuff seeping is concerned, the solution is simple- dry gloves! 😃 👍 great new style content! Love the conversations with friends.
That is a great point! I'll have to do more research on that when I get closer to making a purchase. I love buying used so we'll see! I think I will end up going for a trilam as well. Seems like the most versatile of the two. Thanks so much for watching. We appreciate you!
Great and fun video. And I can attest to the awesomeness of the Hollis. I own both a DUI TLS and Hollis DX300 (and have also dove the Aqualung Fusion too), and the Hollis is simply amazing. All three worked well, but the Hollis is my favorite by a mile and the price of replacing seals makes it even more attractive. While I usually like to be dressed pretty-much the same as my students, I'm finding long days in lakes teaching deep diving has me wearing it more often even if my students aren't since I'm in the water much longer than any individual student. And once they see how comfortable I am in the somewhat chilly water, it really does help to sell the drysuit certification too - always a plus..
Absolutely. It’s all about that up-sell 🙃
@@AzulUnlimited 🤣
Great information. I have found cheap and drysuit doesn’t go together. Haha. Living in Oklahoma no one carries dry suits to look at. I just started talking with divers and CZcams research. Thanks for the videos.
Totally! I think it really depends on the services in your area so it would make total sense for you to buy new and have the guarantee. Glad this was helpful and thank you so much for watching!
I fell in love with snorkeling after my recent trip to Hawaii. I'm in Southern California and looking forward to snorkeling here. I'm shopping for a wetsuit but I also see myself getting into diving. Every store I walk into pushes their own brand and style so I'm very confused. I'm never going to spearfish. Is there a type and thickness that would be good for both snorkeling and diving? Will a 7mm be too thick for snorkeling?
7mm isn't too thick for snorkeling but if you want to freedive, you'll need to wear a bit of weight to counter the buoyancy of a thicker suit. The 7mm will be OK for diving in Southern California but if you want to dive up north, you'll need more insulation
You two are adorable and thanks for the info. I wreck dive in NJ using a three piece 7mm wetsuit but I'm considering going dry. What are your thoughts on pee valves? Also what's with the dig on Texas and why is Megan not familiar with hydro testing and the stamping on the tank?
Aww thank you so much for watching :) I don't have any opinions on pee valves. Probably a good thing to consider if you're going to do longer dives like in caves etc. The dig on Texas was because this was recorded right after a big hit to women's healthcare happened there. Megan wasn't familiar with it because she hasn't owned the tanks for very long and even though hydro dates/stamping/regulations is all information you learn in the Open Water Course, sometimes you just don't remember everything.
@@AzulUnlimited I'm all for women's healthcare, you rock and do what men aren't strong enough to do. Thanks for the honest reply. 🙂
@@vpraczynski9013 YOU rock. Thanks right back at you :)
Pee valves
For men: Just get one. You don't have to use it on every dive, but they're cheap to add to a new drysuit (not necessarily so to retrofit).
For women: A she-p will allow an anatomical fit, but it requires shaving (which not everyone is into). It's a little more involved to setup as well. The community is split between p-valves and diapers.
If you are getting one, make sure it's balanced. Unbalanced p-valves are harder to use at depth.
After so many years of trying to achieve my goal and ambition of doing a dive in a swimming pool with a qualified instructor iin 2021 I finally got to achieve my goal and ambition of doing a dive in a swimming pool with a qualified instructor while wearing a drysuit now I'm saving up to do an open water drysuit course next year and I'm looking forward to doing this
Fantastic! Enjoy it :)
@AzulUnlimited thank you it will be difficult for me though as I have bladder Issue and I have to Wear a Catheter Condom with urinal tube and leg bag strapped to my left leg so I hope I can Wear a drysuit with a pee valve fitted so I can attach my catheter to the urinal tube inside the drysuit if not then I will need to wear a Adult nappy underneath my drysuit
@@user-di4xh5rw3e I think you'll be able to get a system set up for you pretty easily. Good luck!
@@AzulUnlimited what do you mean
@@user-di4xh5rw3e I mean that it sounds like you might already be used to something similar to a pee valve system, so try it out and see if it'll work.
So something I use for dry suit booties is chucks. You can get knock off ones for cheaper than normal dry suit booties
YES! I've seen this on boats and thought, what a good idea. Thank you for sharing (and of course, for watching the video!)
Thanks gals! The dogs too! Why is Texas bad? I mean it’s not Oahu but not too bad.
it was in reference to events happening at the time of recording in womens health care. thanks for watching
I noticed your suit was zipped up and then you undone it and zipped it back can I ask if you store it with the zip closed. As this wouldn’t be good for your zip. Also I prefer a cuff dump over a valve dump system.
I store it with the external, plastic zipper closed, not the actual dry zipper. Haven’t tried cuff dump. Thanks for sharing 🙏
I have the same hood.
it's a rocking hood.
This is an interesting video. I've had some really poor experiences with trilam (and I really don't like neoprene because of buoyancy challenges, and because they lose thermal protection at depth). I've had three different trilams (from new) and each one of them lasted only two seasons until they began 'sweating at the seams' (i.e. the taped seams eventually leak). I've actually heard about a lot of people complaining about trilams 'sweating at the seams'. I ended up getting a used Gates Pro-Am 1050 on Ebay that was in mint condition and that drysuit is a tank! And the seams are vulcanized, so no more sweaty seams!
Anyone else have that problems with trilams?
Thank you for sharing about this! I will have to ask around about that one since I don't have any experience with it. I will also be checking out that suit. sounds great!
@@AzulUnlimited The Gates Pro Am 1050 are tough to find since they don't make them anymore. I found a mint condition one on Ebay and I could not be happier. I also have a used Viking Drysuit as a backup. Those are more common to find used on Ebay for not too much money. But these suits are well built and last a long time, much more so than trilams and definitely more than neoprene. For example, the Gates Pro AM 1050 I bought was probably 10 years old, but was in perfect condition, almost like new. And it still is after ~100 dives this past season. Same for the Viking Drysuits. The suits dry instantly and keep in mint conditions for a long time if well taken care of. The only downside to these suits is they have only five sizes. Size 1 turned out to be a perfect fit for me, but no everyone ends up 'fitting the suit', so that's unfortunate.
@@abbeychase4718 thanks for sharing this! super helpful
For me the best dry suit on the market make Santi.
I dive in my dry suit even in warm water, when the weather outside is bad.
Thanks for the recommendation! Yeah, i know lots of people who do that. It sounds like the comfy way to dive :)
Santi or ursuit are the best. Shark avatar or one performance are "budget" versions of those brands. Just like S. i dive dry on almost all dives from 0°C to 25°C water.
@@GeirAlstad Thanks for this!
So what's your thoughts on a 25 year old crush neoprene suit. Originally cost $1700
I mean, it’s probably going to have some issues. Are you thinking about buying it?
@@AzulUnlimited already dove with it. Probably the comfiest drysuit ever.
I wouldn't recommend just anyone buying 2nd hand retro gear. Unless they have a lot of diving experience. With knowledge of all different conditions. But a $1000 computer and $2000 drysuit doesn't make people a better diver
@@sun-sea-solar right. I guess I'm not sure why you were asking. I'm a big fan of promoting used gear so that people don't feel so intimidated about the price tag of getting into the sport. That being said, I agree. I wouldn't suggest a new diver go looking for super old gear that they know nothing about.
A couple of things, brass zippers aren’t really an older vs newer thing, that is more about price point these days. Higher end suits typically still use a brass zipper while cheaper suits go with plastic zippers. Which is better? That debate can span thousand post threads. Next thing is pockets, get the large tech pockets. Almost everyone that decides to skip pockets to save $100 regret it and end up having a set glued on, which aren’t as reliable. Finally pee valve, I try to go without mine as much as possible, but there are days when that just isn’t practical. Yes the glue sucks particularly for women, but trying to undress and suit up in heavier seas is a pain. Just open the valve (or leave it open for balanced valves) and let it rip during the dive.
Thank you for this! Always super helpful to hear from people who have more experience. I appreciate you watching and taking the time to share your opinion. Will keep this in mind when I finally get to shop for one :)
I bought a used suit for a great deal. It fit ok, not great. Within 50 dives i replaced all the seals and the boots. After 150 dives i had to repair the suit and replace the zipper. At this point i could have bought a brand new suit with exactly what i wanted and a warranty for less money.
Thanks for sharing. Sorry about your experience! That's what Megan was referring to in the video. It's good to hear about these kinds of experiences because normally we would 100% endorse buying used, but just doesn't sound like the right choice with this type of equipment.
Is there a difference between a dry suit that a diver would wear and a dry suit that a kayaker would wear?
Although I'm no expert on diving dry, the biggest difference is going to be the integrated inflator which connects to your regulator to add air for comfort/buoyancy.
As far as materials I would guess there is also a difference, but that's what I know!
Not the same. Do not use a non-diving drysuit for diving. You need an inflator that connects to a first stage and a dump valve; these will help you add or release gas as you descend or ascend. Descend, the suit will squeeze you like a vacuum seal bag due to the increased pressure, so you need to add a little gas for insulation and comfort. Ascend, the gas will expand, and you want it to escape through the dump valve as you don't want to have an un-controlled or fast ascend. If you are interested in getting trained and certified, most dive shops will include the course when you buy a drysuit through them, and you will learn all kinds of interesting things! Dive safe and stay warm 🙂
Drysuits are my number one selling item for dive gear. You’d think it would be wetsuits, or BC’s, or regulators, etc., but it’s not. I sell more drysuits than anything else at the moment. 😂
Oh trust me, I'll be on that list too whenever I can afford it :)
@@AzulUnlimited If you would ever be interested in consulting before you purchase, feel free to hit me up. It’s the product I deal with the most. Send me a message via the website or on IG or LinkedIn. ☺️👍🏻
@@pinnacledivingco Sweet, thank you!
So what happens if you get fatter or lose weight? How big of a range can you bloat up or down?
Depends on your measurements and the brand. I would assume that the trilam suits give you a bit more flexibility in that area, but i don't have first hand experience there! thanks for watching :)
@@AzulUnlimited Trilam definitely help - Lots of my fellow divers have neoprene drysuits and struggled to get back into them post-COVID lockdowns! I had no problem with my Trilam :D
@@marksaxby607 hahaha i love that. trilam all the way 😂
🎉
💃
Hi again
hello hello! Thanks again for joining us live. It's always so nice when people are actually online chatting as the video premiers. have fun on your dive! :)
I like the French flag behind.
Ah yeah? Thanks for watching!
@@AzulUnlimited 🇫🇷
Heyyyyyy very goodd, vámonos que simpática eres coño. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
jijiji gracias por comentar. fue un placer grabar el video con mi amiga :)
Navy certified 1970, good video.
heck yeah. OG in the house :) Thanks for watching.
there are wet, and dry suits... but where are the jellosuits? 🧠
They sound drunk 🤣
Love your videos. But why does no one discuss that women with larger breasts cannot find a wetsuit that seals around breasts and avoids the horrible repeat cold flush in the chest? Everyone says to go smaller size. I have spent a fortune on wetsuits going all the way to so small that I cannot expand my lungs and still get the cold flush to using an ace bandage to help flatten my breasts for a better seal. Nothing works even with the tightest suits, where I need a Scarlet O'Hara corset assistant to zip me up, lose almost all mobility, and still get the cold chest flush that sends me out of the water fast. I cannot find a wetsuit that will do anything to keep me warm with the constant flush in my chest area. After spending a small fortune on at least 7 wetsuits in several quality and price ranges, I finally realized that the answer for a full-breasted woman is a dry suit. I am not a big athlete and want to use my pool in the Texas winter, where water in the pool can get to 55 degrees. I want to be able to use my swim tether and work out all year, even when the pool is under 60 degrees. I am certainly not the only woman with this issue. Thanks for your dry suit videos, but why does NO ONE EVER advise that chest issues for women require a dry suit. I could have saved thousands. No one is talking about it. I can't be the only woman with this issue. I hope that a dry suit will solve this issue and allow my winter pool use to stay in shape. Heating the large pool is not an option.
A drysuit sounds like a great option for that. I’m sorry you’ve had a tough time with it. Wetsuits and water gear in general is very catered to men. I never had that issue personally because I have a small chest, but thank you for talking about it. Yet another thing that makes it challenging for women to get into these sports…
@@AzulUnlimited Thank you so much for responding. When doing the wetsuit fitting videos, perhaps mention the challenge of water flushing at the chest for women with larger breasts. You will be doing great in encouraging curvy women into water sports. It might help another not give up on cold water sports and avoid spending thousands of dollars on wetsuits that will never seal the chest area, no matter the quality, the stretchability, or the price. A drysuit is more expensive but not as expensive than 7 wetsuits trying to get the fit in the chest, as literally NO ONE online discusses it. And a little humor... think of Catwoman breast hugging suit - no one wants one of those, so a dry suit is the only answer. A wetsuit would only work with a Catwoman fit, and I'm never wearing one of those!!! So, drysuit it is!
@@goldenemily1 Thank you so much for the insight on this! I will definitely include it in a future video.
Easy buy Kokatat great customer service made in America ships fast And the best part they make the special forces suits so you know they are truly the best .
I've seen them for used for kayaking mostly, but I'll keep the brand in mind when I finally get to shop for one.
@@AzulUnlimited how strange I worked for them in 2002-2004 and they made dive suits but I think you are right , their site now is predominately kayaking ? Super weird