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Mark nailed it.
And I'll add that the floppy pockets are fine in warm water, where you have fingers. They ARE a problem in cold water with thick gloves and numb fingers, but not for getting things OUT, just for putting them back in. I let my buddies do that
"What other sport is there where a cute woman has trouble getting rid of her underwear?" Doppler
Fusion gets great marks here in Seattle. I dive a TLS and love it. Most folks are buying the FLX now and all seem to enjoy it.
Black is boring. Blue camo is nice.Originally Posted by Ulfhedinn
The new Dui explorer pockets are halcyon knock offset and are cheeper. Get them mounted 2" higher than standard.
Hollis pee valve is simple, serviceable and, like everything, cheaper than H.
Cloverleaf, yes
kneepads and button pad - no. Don't brush against things.
Cave turbo soles. Nicer to fin with.
skip cave cut. If you get a heavier undergarment or gain weight you'll regret it.
zip neck seal and zip gloves.
Ulfheddin is in Southern California, where they have this unmannerly water that MOVES. Falling down and into rocks is an occupational hazard of shore diving there. I'd say go for the knee pads and the butt pads, too.
Nobody likes cave cut. Especially cave divers.
"What other sport is there where a cute woman has trouble getting rid of her underwear?" Doppler
ROFL! I do drag my butt and knees a lot.. when I play at some of the "interesting beach entries" I have tried to tame
Hey Guys-
It's been awhile since posting here - wanted to add my two cents:
After constantly repairing leaks in my TLS 350, I switched to the FLX Extreme. This has been by far the best dry suit I've owned. I'm consistently dry after every dive and have not experienced any range of motion loss due to the more durable construction. High profile dump valve, cloverleaf crotch pad, Halcyon p-valve, zip drygloves & turbo soles -nice. DUI has cargo pockets that are about the same size as the Halcyon explorer pockets - plenty of room for wetnotes, backup mask, SMB-spool, ect.. I don't recommend a cave cut but rather a custom fit - at some point you may want to use a thicker undergarment or layer up with a vest, especially on longer dives or on Tech 1 /Tech 2 profiles.
BTW, Ulfhedinn you're welcome to join us on a beach dive at Vet's - PM or call me if you're interested.
Best-
Steve Millington
GUE Instructor
steven@gue.com
818-749-3483
The fusion does stay damp longer on the outside. This keeps me cooler on the SI when the air temp is above 80F. So this is an advantage on the surface when it's hot. Getting into and out of it seems easy but I never tried a DUI.
I have a Whites Fusion in the garage but the latex seals leave a bad rash on my neck and wrists after a dive. If you are beach diving, the Whites (I have) has separate boots and sand between the boots and skin can put holes in the suit. Its skin tight and need to layer to keep warm. I'm now diving a Waterproof D1 Hybrid which has a built in thermal layer and all I wear is long sleeve/legs REI lightweight layer and I'm warm.
Dwayne
Dwayne, you can get rings installed on the Fusion to use silicone seals, if you want them.
"What other sport is there where a cute woman has trouble getting rid of her underwear?" Doppler
Thanks - I'm aware its an option now.
If you are going tech route, I've never seen a pocket solution for the Fusion that I've really liked. I have heard marvelous things about the fusion, but I've never dove one. I'm 6'6" 230, and I have a 37" inseam, and size 14 feet. I just went with a custom TLS350 when I got my suit. It starting to wear out, and I'm considering another.
I have the stock DUI velcro pockets, and they aren't much different size wise from the DUI Explorer pockets I have on my wetsuit. They are much cheaper though. I also don't think I'd go for the cloverleaf crotch pad. I don't have one, and never felt the need. If you spend a lot of time scooting over rocks, the Butt Pad might be for you, but for everyday use, I don't think its necessary. I mostly dive off boats, or in Florida where the water is well behaved. I have CF200 kneepads. They have held up well. They do take forever to dry, and so do the pockets and feet. The TLS material is dry within 10 minutes, the Tough Duck overlay takes about an hour. Color is a preference, but I went with something that was more visible in the water in case I ever had an "Out of Boat" experience. I'm not a big fan of balanced P-Valves. The balancing valve always seems to leak, and you wind up pissing all over yourself.
I use the Rock Boots, but they are only so-so. I replaced the laces with bungees, and its way WAY _WAY_ nicer this way. I didn't get a Cave Cut, but I did ask for the sleeves to be made 1 1/2" shorter, and it worked well for use with the ring system I use. I also got the standard seals instead of the zip seals. If you go with a ring system, you don't have to worry as much about ripping seals.
Tom
Diver Steve knows his stuff!
I LOVE my dui flx. I had it sized by doug mudry at EE and it came out perfect. Turbo soles, halcyon pockets and pee valve, cave cut...there is not one thing I'd change about the suit. Best drysuit I've had in ten years. I do think that getting someone REALLY experienced in the sizing makes a huge difference.
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