Simon Campbell

Posted at 1900 hours on 02/04/09 | Posted in Diving

DUI Disaster

In 2002 I started diving in the UK. Of course the sensible option is to buy a drysuit and as ever, I wanted the best. I asked a few of my first British diving buddies and they said: ‘DUI are the best for sure, but I would buy a cheaper on first just to make sure you like it!’

I took their advice and went to Divers Warehouse and bought my self a bargain ‘Oceanic’ suit. I later found out it was far too big for me, but it didn’t leak and subsequently sold it on to one of my fellow club members.

Suit #1

In 2004, I thought ‘I really like this UK diving lark’ and subsequently went to SDS Watersports, who were the DUI distributor at the time and bought a shoulder entry CF200 in the sale. This is the model with the hyper-crushed neoprene: the dogs do-da’s. I took it diving and was genuinely delighted with the performance in the water. I had less air migrating around the suit as it was tighter, with no pinching and it was stretchy!

I was wearing a Weezle Extreme undersuit at the time but at the end of the dive I always felt a bit damp. Of course, with a Rolls Royce suit, this must be sweat :-)

I needed the wrist seals replacing and wanting it totally right, sent it back to the new UK distributor, Hydrotech. A couple of days later I received a call from the big cheese Alan King. He told me that under pressure test every seam was leaking and that he was going to give me a brand new suit! Wow, what fantastic customer service.

Suit #2

My new CF200 arrived and I took it diving. It was fantastic!!! Unfortunately after 12 months of hard diving I was getting a very damp bum.

For a number of years I have used the very excellent Fourth Element technical underpants that wick away all the sweat and moisture from your nether regions. Even these magnificent knickers, were not capable of keeping me dry.

I inspected the crotch area of the suit and found raised patches on the seams that had worn through.

Later I found out the process DUI use to ‘crush’ the neoprene. They make the suit by stitching the panels together and sealing them by applying an ‘Aquasure’ type of compound to the inside of the seams. They then put the whole suit in a pressure vessel, full of water, then heat and pressurise the suit for a predetermined time (all details secret!).

Now, I am no material scientist but thinking about it, the neoprene will crush, but the ‘Auqasure’ will not thereby causing the ripples in the seams. Following me so far?

Anyway I sent the suit back to Hydrotech. Again the customer service was superb. Toni, the Sales Manager, called me and said they had sent pictures to DUI and they thought it was my harness system that was wearing through the suit… I was slightly agitated as when you buy it you don’t get as notice to say: ‘Do not wear a backplate and harness with this suit’.

Anyway, they fitted a kevlar crotch protector that covered the rubbing area and resealed the suit. It was a little restrictive as it removed some of the ‘stretch’ hat is one of the best features of the CF200 material. I wasn’t totally happy but there is no doubt that announcing on the boat you have a kevlar crotch protector is indeed impressive…

Anyway, I started to surface with damp underarms. OK, I do a lot of diving and do give the suits some serious hammer but I am buying here the Rolls Royce of suits. A dry suit, should keep you dry, right? I investigated and again, my old friend the rippled seams were causing the problems. I was waiting for them to suggest that it was my harness that was causing the problem. And indeed, that’s what DUI said…

Now I have to be clear here. Hydrotech were superb throughout but they were between a rock and a hard place. Me complaining and wanting a new suit and the manufacturer refusing to give me one!

I decided to call Susan Long the CEO of DUI in the US and after a few minutes of chat, she agreed to sort a new suit for me; it’s a lot harder dealing with a customer direct than telling the distributor!

Suit #3

This time I thought I had cracked it. I was told they have a ‘new process’ so I decided to upgrade and get a made to measure, front loading, telescopic bodied, neoprene neck, kevlar knee, twin pocket, ‘Signature’ CF200 fitted with a halcyon ‘pee’ valve and the excellent ‘zipseal’ system.

For those that don’t know about DUI, zipseal’s allow you to replace the latex seals on the suit within seconds and even fit integrated drygloves: perfect.

I should have also specified the superb SiTech shoulder dump (that I have subsequently fitted). I find the ‘Apeks’ one they fit poor as I dive with a very small amount of gas in my suit and the valve fully open. Apeks struggles to dump; SiTech dumps like mad even with minimal suit pressure…

I sent in the comprehensive measurements to Hydrotech. A few weeks later and following a measurement ‘double check’, my new suit arrived. I put it on, wore it round the house (very embarrassing when the postman arrives thinking I am some kind of rubber fetishist), and soon took it diving…

NIRVANA, it was totally perfect, except I had a damp leg where the pee valve was. Now I know I am 51 but my bladder control is still very good: I would know if I had an accident, even if I did with the system, the wee would expel into the briny!

I couldn’t bare to send it back again, so I called Toni, logged the issue and said I would send it back when I wasn’t diving so much (fat chance of this).

Last week I was on the Joint Services SubAqua Diving Supervisors (SADS) course at Fort Bovisand in Plymouth. On the first dive I piled into the sea and felt my leg filling up with water; this wasn’t a seep, but a proper flood. Immediately I thought, operator error. I hadn’t fully fastened the zip, but no, it was another manufacturing defect. The stop on the zip had just come unglued…

I call Hydrotech and send it back but with only four days till I set off on our latest St Kilda expedition, will it be back in time?

Moral of the story, Hyrotech are ace, DUI are pants. Can anyone out there supply me the Rolls Royce of compressed/crushed neoprene suits?

16 comments

1. Ian "Stretch" Mansfield on 05/04/09 at 2052 hours

   Try O’Three. I used one of their suits since 2000 and was never wet. Only moved to a Northern Diver Vortex last year for more flexibility as I have “expanded” a bit myself and my O’Three is getting a bit tight.
   Glad you enjoyed Bovisand. The dive on the “Persier” was great.

   Stretch

2. Simon Campbell on 06/04/09 at 1727 hours

   Latest news. No it wont be ready for the expedition - pooh. Of course Hydrotech are loaning me a suit…

3. the eagle on 06/04/09 at 2126 hours

   get yourself a 20 year old avon military suit….............they just just work and work and work and work….....BUT don’t cover up the growing waist line !!!

   £75.00 on ebay

4. Justin on 07/04/09 at 2100 hours

   DUI quality seems to have been getting worse and worse since they moved away from SDS! My first drysuit is still my favourite - an old Azdry Cordura from SDS - will be bringing it next week just in case my new one fails (again!).

5. Simon on 28/04/09 at 1355 hours

   The suit I loaned had the inappropriately name ‘turbo boots’ fitted. They are pants so I ended up wearing my sons five year old Otter Britannic. Slightly leaky and too small but did the job…

6. steve on 28/04/09 at 1539 hours

   Can’t wait to see the pic’s then…...........the DIR image will have gone right down the toilet…funny how everyone keeps going back to the old strusted stuff

7. Gasman on 29/04/09 at 1009 hours

   I told you years ago to get an Otter suit - you could have had several of em for what you “should” have paid for your DUI (Designers are Useless Incompetents) stuff…...... (sounds of muffled giggling!)

8. steve on 29/04/09 at 1338 hours

   Just keep the badge…....

9. TC on 01/05/09 at 0707 hours

   I bought the first CF200 in my area of Oz.  This version didn’t have a cosmetic cover over the zip. So every time you don your equipment, you damage the zip, which eventually fails. Also, the integrated socks damage easily if you walk around without the boots. The seams start failing, and you start getting leaks. I’m very disappointed with this “premium” suit - for which I paid a premium price.

10. Simon on 20/05/09 at 0831 hours

    Greetings all… Might be worth taking a look at my new post! http://simoncampbell.com/blog/perma/the_devil_wears_dui/

11. rob on 26/06/09 at 1054 hours

    Simon,

    funny just been reading your site for the first time and found this article on DUI.

    Went through this whole scenario (mine started as the pee valve and then told after inspection by Hydrotech that the suit would just fall apart - this was after just four dives) with them last year. Much like yourself in the end spoke with Susan Long and finally got a full refund. Went straight to O’Three….the service may have been good from Hydrotech but O’Three was exemplary and faultless.

    Hope you get a decent suit sorted soon.

    rob

12. Graham on 23/03/10 at 1751 hours

    I also have a problem whith tls 350 the cruch was
    Twisted and bunched up into my crutch ow!
    Toni at hydrotech have been superb
    DUI have not been thay shuld replace a poorly
    Made product when it comes back it’s going
    On eBay along whith my wives
    DUI are pants

13. Simon on 24/03/10 at 0929 hours

    I often have problem with my crutch. Apply some appropriate ointment and buy come technical underpants.

    Seriously though, Hydrotech are ace, DUI very poor right now.

14. Graham on 17/04/10 at 1328 hours

    TLS 350 with crutch problem: DUI’s Sue Long told me to sell it on; Hydrotech gave me a new suit (fantastic service), so Hydrotech are superb, DUI are pants. I will buy all my new gear from their Stoney Cove shop in future.

15. patrick on 01/01/11 at 0104 hours

    never heard about aqua3? it’s a fantastic dry suit, very similar to dui but made of a tougher neoprene of 2.5 mm thickness.
    i have 4 of this suit and apart a problem due of a defective zip on 2 of them (i buyed together)  and the firm quickly solved the problem free of any charge.
    these suits are great, well made, warm and fantastic after years of service. They are made in italy and the neoprene seem hard as a rock, it’s because of external layer, once in water they become soft and seems like you are not wearing a dry suit.

16. Simon on 01/01/11 at 1052 hours

    Thanks for the advice Patrick. Happy new year!

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