Kategorie: News
Dry diving is a matter of its own. The first time you dive in a dry suit, you feel like a beginner. Most of the time you have already done a lot of dives with a wet suit before you move on to dry suit diving. Nevertheless, you need some time to get used to the handling.
Report by Gerald Nowak
At first, you are spoiled for choice. What kind of dry suit should it be? A neoprene dry suit? You already know this material, so why not a dry suit made of neoprene. However, the suits are usually bulky and heavy. You do need undergarments, unless you only want to dive just below the surface in the summer, in which case a T-shirt and swim trunks will suffice.
If you want to dive deeper, you need a good thermal protection and therefore efficient underwear. Although a neoprene dry suit provides additional warmth due to the neoprene, it is unfortunately also very sensitive. I have had to repair neoprene suits several times, because I had torn a small hole in the suit when putting it on or when running through dense vegetation. This does not happen with a trilaminate suit. For working under water there are also rubber suits, but they are much heavier than a wetsuit.
A good trilaminate may not be super lightweight, but it is still a lot lighter than neoprene or rubber. Unfortunately, there are some dry suits on the market that look great, but bring the first challenge as soon as you put them on. Everything is thick and often heavy. Getting into the suit with underwear can be a challenging task. It's always a balancing act for manufacturers to bring a suit to market that is both well-made and stable enough for many uses, yet not too heavy.
I have dived countless dry suits in my life. Some have been okay, some quite good, and a few really good. Four weeks ago, Herbert from Taucher.Net contacted me and asked if I would like to try and test two new products from Dynamic Nord. The dry suit RS-351 and the technical fin TF-80. Actually, one dive with the two products would have been enough, but I wanted to know exactly how the equipment feels and, in the meantime, I have been in the water with it three times. Of course, I can't give you any technical reviews, but I can give you my impression of how this equipment feels under and above water.
Here is my summary:
Already when unpacking I am amazed. The suit looks really good and feels great. The material is thick and seems robust, yet the suit is not heavy. It weighs just under five kilos when completely dry. The suit has latex cuffs on the arms, which are under an overlapping Velcro closure. Convenient when diving with neoprene gloves. I can't say if this is practical with dry diving gloves as well. If possible, I will test this in the fall. Now it is time to go into the water with neoprene gloves.
The neck cuff is made of neoprene. Actually, I'm not really a fan of it, but the cuff is very long and the neoprene is soft. Let's see how it feels when diving. The tight-fitting shoes in my size are super comfortable and warm. I can still get a pair of thick socks underneath without any problems. Again, the shoe is attached under an overlapping cuff, which is good to fix with a double Velcro. I have not dived in such a way yet, but am spontaneously impressed. Getting into the suit is comfortable without assistance due to the front zipper that runs from the upper left shoulder to the lower right to the hip. The harness system in the suit is in the right place and adjusts well. The zipper itself is made of thick plastic. How many dives it lasts probably depends on the treatment by the user. Often, zippers leak at the bottom after frequent improper handling. Here you should be careful not to overstretch the closure, because this is exactly the weak point of any zipper. Always grease it well and make sure it is closed during storage.
The location of the inlet valve is striking. It is located far to the right from the center; most others are centered on the chest. The inlet valve here on the suit further to the right of center takes some getting used to at first, but then underwater it's even more advantageous, as it's super easy to reach even with a thick undergarment. Someone here has thought of the length of arms and the natural movement of the arm! The inlet valve has a standard connection, so I do not have to convert my equipment for the test. Convenient, too, if you are traveling and need a replacement at short notice. The fins seem relatively heavy to me at first, but that is almost always with technical diving fins. So let's see how they feel under water!
Now we go into the water. The first thing I have to say is that the neck cuff feels really comfortable. The long soft neoprene makes it easy to put on and easy to fold over. In the water it is watertight and still comfortable around the neck. All too often I've had neoprene cuffs that were too short, where water leaked in, or latex cuffs that were too tight and almost strangled me or rubbed my skin like a chain after I shortened them. That can't happen with neoprene.
I float well in the water, buoyancy is easy, the inlet valve is precise to use and the outlet valve on the upper left arm is easy to regulate. I am thrilled. My dive buddy has to watch me standing on my head, turning on my axes, and assuming every conceivable position in the water to make sure that no water gets in anywhere, even with the most violent movements, and that I can get out of awkward positions (legs above the head). The suit does its job and I feel more than comfortable in it after a very short time. The freedom of movement is good and even when photographing I feel no restrictions by the suit. There is a large pocket on each leg with two compartments, one eyelet each and two bungees. The closure flap is provided with a Velcro and on top of each is still a small zipper pocket. Also here is one bungee each inside. Plenty of room and enough options to secure everything with double tenders or carabiners. Each is also equipped with a drainage system so that water can drain away quickly. The most interesting thing is the attachment of the bags. Both are multi-adjustable and equipped with the Molle system, thus quickly and easily adjustable in height or position. No matter for which use, sometimes further up, further down, back or front. Ideal for technical diving, comfortable for fun diving.
TF-80 fins
I am very surprised about the TF-80 fins. As weighty as they are on land, as easy they are to put on in the water. The bungee strap system is bulky and seems clunky, but it's easy to put on. The solid rubber fins, as hard as they seem at first glance, are barely noticeable underwater and maneuvering with them is easy to do. Both simple fin-stroke, as well as a hard, fast stroke or the frog kick feel great and smooth. Even backwards movement is super good. The fin is like glued to the foot and although I am actually used to a very light model, I hardly feel a difference in handling. Even after the 70-minute dive, I do not feel exhausted or have cramps.
After the dive, the suit has remained what it should: dry!
No wet spot or smallest water penetrations. This should not be the case, but unfortunately it happens again and again. I also plan two more dives to make sure it was not a coincidence.
But even on the second and third dive everything remains dry and I feel comfortable in the suit. Even taking it off is easy and I don't need any help. Should be standard with a front entry - but unfortunately it is not always. Sometimes the zipper is stuck, sometimes it is difficult to get out of the arms. With the RS-351 everything works.
How the suit performs over time, I hope to find out, because maybe I will get the chance to dive the suit a few more times. Fall and winter are coming, perfect for putting the dry suit through its paces. The fins have already passed the test for the long term, because until the rubber breaks, I may not go diving any more at all.
I look forward to personal feedback, gladly also to the test and what I should still test ...
Yours Gerald
Data:
Dry suit RS-351
Official retail price: 2.499,00€
- 350gr/m² ripstop, tearproof fabric
- High durability and resistance
- The cut allows complete freedom of movement and prevents excess air from shifting inside the suit. TiZip zipper protected by a flap from the shoulder to the hip. Inlet valve can be upgraded to connect with electrically heated underwear.
- HD conical wrist cuffs made of high-strength latex.
- 3 mm neoprene neck cuff
- Two leg pockets are attached with the multi-purpose Molle system.
- The booties are made of 3 mm thick double-sided crisscross neoprene, with ankle straps, fin stoppers and a protective but very flexible sole.
- The cut allows complete freedom of movement, which makes the dive safe and comfortable and prevents excess air from shifting inside the suit. The dry suit closes with a TiZip zipper protected by a flap from shoulder to hip. Our inlet and outlet valves are high performance. The inlet valve can be upgraded with a connection for electrically heated underwear. The exhaust valve can be adjusted according to the dive profile. The wrist seals are HD bottle neck seals and are made of high strength latex.
- The double ripstop zones on elbows, knees and crotch protect the stressed areas, but still allow freedom of movement, even during very long dives. The booties are made of 3mm thick, double-sided, crisscross neoprene, with ankle straps, fin strap stoppers and a protective but very flexible sole.
- The RS drysuit series is made of 350 gsm ripstop, a tear-resistant fabric with thicker, high-strength threads (nylon) woven into it. It is used for equipment that requires high durability and resistance.
- The neck seal is made of 3 mm neoprene and provides additional thermal protection for this sensitive area. The 8 mm neoprene head hood has an air release system and keeps the head warm and comfortable. Two leg pockets can be attached with the multi-purpose Molle system. It is also possible to attach different pockets depending on the profile and needs of the dive.
Molle system
Molle is a proven, standardized attachment system that is extremely variable and compatible. Molle pockets and equipment of different sizes can be attached in any desired position on the Molle carrier and ensure a firm and secure mounting.
- Pockets with drainage and bungee straps
- Fixation by the Molle system
- Removable and replaceable with an alternative pocket / bag or holder
Product details
Weight: approx. 4,8 kg (self-weighed - depending on the size of the suit (my size "L")
Item number: 01-0401-1000
Men's sizes: S, MS, M, MT, MLS, ML, MLT, LS, L, LT, XLS, XL, XLT, 2XLS, 2XL, 3XLS, 3XL, 4XLS, 4XL
Ladies’ sizes: XS, S, MS, M, MT, LS, L, XLS, XL
Colors: black/blue, black/burgundy
Material:
350gr/m² ripstop,
tearproof fabric (20 % nylon "rip'stop", 60 % butyl rubber, 20 % polyester)
3 mm neoprene neck seal
TiZip zipper
3 mm latex neck seal
TiZip zipper
Fins TF-80
Official retail price: 199,00€
Made for technical divers
Foot part and fin blade made of rubber with a strong sole insert
Bungee strap allows small length adjustments without the use of tools
This open toe fin is designed for technical divers to perform the various technical fin kicks. The foot section and fin blade are made of rubber with a strong insert in the sole, which ensures that the power transfer from your foot to the fin blade is not lost. This insert also carries the connection to the buckles for the bungee straps. They allow different length adjustments, without the use of tools. This allows the same fins to be used in both wet and dry suit boots.
- Bungee Strap with Heelpad
- Attachment to the fin by a quick release buckle. The heel pad has a large finger loop that is easy to grip even with thick gloves. The bungee strap made of silicone can be varied in length without tools. This allows our open fins to easily adapt to both classic and larger booties in dry suits.
- No use of metal parts - and therefore anti-magnetic.
Product details
Item number: 01-0210-2000
Sizes: L, XL
Length: 55 cm (L) - 63 cm (XL)
color: blue, grey, orange, pink, red, yellow
Weight: 2,5 kg (L) - 3,7 kg (XL)
Contact:
info@dynamicnord.com / Dynamicnord.com
+49 (0) 8061 3898330
Address Germany
Fifth Element GmbH
DYNAMICNORD
Pettenkoferstrasse 12
83052 Bruckmühl
Germany