Second Hand Suits

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Ian B. - 25 Nov 2004 21:55 GMT

I'm currently trying to decide between a £120 northen diver (which I
have to order tonight at that price) semi dry and a second hand £50 semi
dry (which sounds like a good fit). Both are 7mm. The second hand one
was 1.5 years old when the current seller bought it, but apparently
never used by him and rarely used by the guy who had it before. He says
it is in good condition, could there be any problems such as with the
material being old? Anything to watch out for, any makes for example?
Which is going to be better value? And no, I'm not going to be able to
afford a dry suit any time soon ;-).

Thanks for any advice,
Ian

Reply to this Message

Graham Gowland - 25 Nov 2004 22:41 GMT

I wouldn't go for the ND one at ?120 - far too expensive. Go along to the
Yorkshire Divers Warehouse sale at the weekend - I got a brand new Typhoon
drysuit for ?100 last year. If you want a semi you can get one for less than
?100 new from Decathlon.

Otherwise have a look on Ebay - you can usually get a drysuit to fit for
less than ?100.

In the UK a drysuit is the way forward - a semi's OK on a warm day - did we
get may of those this year?

Reply to this Message

Tony - 26 Nov 2004 20:44 GMT

Everyone has their preferences, I've had Northern Diver suits in the past. I
got a cracker of a suit off the peg size at Divers warehouse last year, well
worth a trip. If my memory serves me well they usually have a sale around
this time of year. Any of the Otter suits better value for money .

>I wouldn't go for the ND one at ?120 - far too expensive. Go along to the
>Yorkshire Divers Warehouse sale at the weekend - I got a brand new Typhoon
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> In the UK a drysuit is the way forward - a semi's OK on a warm day - did
> we get may of those this year?

Reply to this Message

Hywel Davies - 28 Nov 2004 19:21 GMT

> I'm currently trying to decide between a ?120 northen diver (which I
> have to order tonight at that price) semi dry and a second hand ?50 semi
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks for any advice,
> Ian

With the caveat that my wetsuit knowledge is based on caving, not diving -
(I do my diving in a dry-suit)

A wet-suit / semi-dry has to be a reasonable fit. If it fits, it's OK (given
appropriate thickness). Within reason, I wouldn't worry too much about
condition as the rougher-looking it is, the less you'll need to pay. Old
neoprene does shrink / or at least gets less stretchy. That means it may no
longer fit the original purchaser, but if it fits you as 2nd user, then
that's fine (presumably). 2nd hand wetsuits (semi-drys) do seem pretty cheap
in the local paper small ads

A second hand drysuit seems to me to be a more tricky proposition as small
leaks, old zips, old seals etc are now a real problem. That's not to say
don't buy a 2nd hand drysuit, or even that a 2nd hand wetsuit is better, but
do take care, and don't pay too much for one.

Hywel

Reply to this Message

Ian B. - 30 Nov 2004 10:27 GMT

> I'm currently trying to decide between a £120 northen diver (which I
> have to order tonight at that price) semi dry and a second hand £50 semi
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks for any advice,
> Ian

Thanks for the advice everyone, shame I can't get to Divers Warehouse, a
bit too far from London, and they don't seem to extend their sale to
their website. Still deciding what to go for however, but seems I have
plenty of options!

Reply to this Message