Always thought those fancy drysuites were overpriced junk until I borrowed one in Puget Sound last December

I spent years diving in a beat-up farmer john setup, figured the $3,000 plus price tag on a DUI was just marketing hype. Then a buddy let me borrow his for a 45 minute hull inspection near Bainbridge Island... water temp was 44 degrees and I stayed bone dry the whole time. No shivering, no cold hands, just got the job done without fighting the gear. Anyone else have a similar moment where spending the money actually paid off?

3 comments

3 Comments

blairstone2d ago

Honestly, I'm still not totally sold. I've done plenty of cold dives with a worn out rental and some layers and came out fine, just a little stiff. Maybe the warm and dry thing is nice but 3 grand is a lot for being slightly less uncomfortable for 45 minutes.

taylorm892d ago

@blairstone I was exactly where you are until I actually tried one. That "slightly less uncomfortable" turns into being able to move around and think clearly instead of just counting down the seconds till you surface. Still hurts my wallet thinking about it though.

reese_taylor692d ago

The trick is once you've got the right insulation underneath, it's not just being dry it's that your core temp stays steady so you don't have to burn all your energy just to keep warm. I'd recommend finding a used shell first, the older models still seal just fine and you can save close to a thousand. Try renting one for a weekend job first so you can really feel the difference before dropping that much cash.