Semi Drysuits?

[MadToes]

I have just had a look at the Beaver Icelandic 2000 on their website.  Looks the job. 

If it turns out to be robust in a cave then it must to be good. 

M

 

[Neoskin]

Hi,

Namron are still operating and will make a suit to your specific requirements, including reinforcing knees and elbows. They are still manufactured in the U.K, Rotherham to be exact! All their suits are made to order, so you get exactly what you want and how you want it. They can also design/make any kind of neoprene product, including Shark Skin Knee and Elbow pads.

They can be contacted on 0114 287 7070 or email sales@scubauk.com. Their factory is in Thurcroft, not far from M1/M18 junction.

 

[Marcus]

Hi,

Namron are still operating and will make a suit to your specific requirements, including reinforcing knees and elbows. They are still manufactured in the U.K, Rotherham to be exact! All their suits are made to order, so you get exactly what you want and how you want it. They can also design/make any kind of neoprene product, including Shark Skin Knee and Elbow pads.

They can be contacted on 0114 287 7070 or email sales@scubauk.com. Their factory is in Thurcroft, not far from M1/M18 junction.

However they are through stitched, and hence let the water in as you enter the sump pool. I have not been cold in the two-piece 7mm suit, but 40 mins in the one-piece 5mm suit recently left me as cold as I have been in a very long time (mind you I wasn't moving much).
I would bear this in mind and ask about it - I didn't think to at the time. If they only through stitch, consider something else. I am intending to get around to aquasuring / taping the seams sometime.

Marcus

 

[Pitlamp]

Some readers might remember a thread a while ago where I was bemoaning the lousy quality of wetsuit socks made in this way. In the end I made my own with seams cemented, hand-stitched and then taped.

Marcus - I have a wetsuit here made in this second rate way, which I was given; I religeously Aquasured all seams and they still leak. Every time I get cold in it I curse the clowns who produced a suit which is actually designed to let cold water circulate. It's cheap, nasty and people who spend good money deserve better.

In fact I'd go so far as to say that these leaky seamed suits could potentially be dangerous; if you ever get trapped in a cold wet cave your suit is what will keep you alive. Don't buy second rate gear.

Oh - a word of warning; Aquasuring seams may make the seams shrink or becaome inflexible, which can cause other problems

 

[McBad]

Some readers might remember a thread a while ago where I was bemoaning the lousy quality of wetsuit socks made in this way. In the end I made my own with seams cemented, hand-stitched and then taped.

Being tall I used to find that a freezing gap would develop between the bottom of my semi-drys' leg seal and the top of the stupidly short wetsuit socks bought off the peg; icy water then flushed happily around my feet during a dive.  Rather than make my own new wetsocks I chopped 12" off the bottom of the legs of an old 4mm wetsuit, I then used these as gaiters, covering the bottom few inches of the semi-dry and then down over the top of the sock to the top of the foot.  Improved things a lot.

As to the Beaver 2000 I found mine was MUCH harder to get off my shoulders when dekitting than the original Icelandic, which had a much thinner crotch strap and none of the pointless extra thickness over the thighs and was generally just an excellent cave diving suit.  Perhaps thats just me though.  On the other hand, I expect many cave divers have fond memories of their first beaver.

Cheers,

M.

 

[Chris J]

I've found the Beaver Icelandic Ultra excellent.

http://catalog.beaversports.co.uk/product.php?pn=Icelandic_Ultra&pid=491

Just the one piece - A full length suit with proper seals and a front opening zip etc..  Then i've added a separate wetsuit jacket with built in hood and short arms over the top (or you can chop the arms off an old jacket).

Caving in can be done with the one piece and diving with both bits on.

cheers,
Chris

 

[stevejw]

I presume you got at least three for that total extortionate price . . . ?!

Seriously though - I plumped for an Icelandic 2000 from Beaver and it's not bad at all.

How you getting on with this suit?

 

[Caver]

Just been looking at the Celtic Diving website - they are in Pembrokeshire and make wetsuits, semidries and drysuits. The info on their site seems to imply that they'll make more or less what you want.

Has anyone used their suits? It'd be great to get some comments before investing!

I particularly like the Mr Blobby suit http://www.celticdiving.co.uk/semi-dry.htm 

HAHA those are quite ridiculous, awesome

 

[bignikki]

Just been looking at the Celtic Diving website - they are in Pembrokeshire and make wetsuits, semidries and drysuits. The info on their site seems to imply that they'll make more or less what you want.

Has anyone used their suits? It'd be great to get some comments before investing!

I particularly like the Mr Blobby suit http://www.celticdiving.co.uk/semi-dry.htm 

I rather like the Superman suit.  Very colourful. 

I was thinking of hiring a boat for exploring the sea caves of West Wales.  At ?300+ a day I had better get a letter off to Father Christmas straight away.

I've got a 5m dive rib witha 40 horse on it , I'm no diver but love going out on me boat.
  I live in west wales too!
    You pay the petrol and you could call me Father Christmas if you want.
  Serious though any time this summer.
  I do know a bit of the coast here but I don't know where the sea caves are.
I do realise your post was from a long time ago but if you still want---
PM me

 

[mrodoc]

For interest my wife and daughter, both keen divers have now got Beuchat semi dry suits and have had no problems diving around the UK. Sally my daughter is slim and feels the cold but has dived off Skye at New Year in hers. They are dead easy to get on and off and are in two pieces. Angie my wife has now resurrected her UK diving because of her suit  and that's praise considering she previously was diving in an Otter dry suit. Which by the way is for sale - as featured on the cover of Dive Dorset and elsewhere in this dive guide. Angie is 5' 4" and has a foot size of 7.