In Reply to: Dry suit advice needed posted by Dick J on August 01, 2005 at 07:56:05:

I've used a Northern Diver 2-mm crushed neoprene drysuit (used to be red; now a dull faded orange) for the past 8 years, and found it to be excellent (I do 150-200 dives a year, about half of which are in my drysuit).
The problem I had with a USIA nylon shell was urchin puncture holes. Not sure if Trilam suits would be subject to the same problem. Trilam suits don't stretch as much as a crushed neoprene suit and so, I don't find them all that comfortable to wear in the water.
I don't like latex seals-- too much chance of tearing; not comfortable, at least for me. So, I use neoprene wrist and neck seals, and have found them over the years to be nearly leak-free (rare leakage around the wrists). I prefer a self-donning zipper. Heavy-duty zippers (6 teeth to the inch; each tooth individually riveted) are the most durable. A relief zipper is a welcomed feature for men.
Very recently, my aging Northern Diver has started to show serious signs of wear and tear. I therefore purchased a new drysuit, essentially identical to my Northern Diver, from Diving Concepts near Santa Barbara-- available only through scuba shops. So far it has indeed turned out to be as good as my Northern Diver suit, and it should last for at least the next 8 years so long as I take care of it. (See the drysuit cleaning posts immediately below.)

• PS Zipper Lubricant Tunnel Rat Richard 08:50:59 08/02/05 (0)