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I bought the Fusion with Limited Ed. Tech skin MK2 package from DRIS, but it's not available anymore so I'll put my review under this package instead.
I loved my wetsuit, kept me warm, was reliable, and lasted forever. Then one day I took a tech oriented class and said "I don't get cold in wetsuits". The very next dive my WS delaminated and I may have well dived naked.
So I spent some months researching and trying all the different drysuits I could and finally settled on the Fusion (after first discounting it right off the bat). I was slated for another much deeper class and was scared about doing winter dives 100 ft in a worthless WS and so kept rescheduling in hopes I could spend at least 10 dives with the drysuit after it arrived.
When it arrived I had enough time for about 3 dives before the class. Having never dived a drysuit in the past, my would-be instructor took me (on my 1st of the 3 dives) to 20 ft. and asked me to ascend to 10 ft. and hold a deco stop, I blew miserably, afraid to break trim in order to vent.
After telling me it's okay to break time (ha ha ha), he had me to it again, then we continued the dive down to 78 ft. and I did just fine. To this day, when we're on boats (7 months later and about 50 dives), he always tells people that are looking at Drysuits that I only needed one dive to become comfortable with the drysuit and they might look in this direction.
So, that said, it feels like a dream. The bubble is very easily managed, I have yet to experience a foot first ascent. Keep in mind, I have the semi-attached boots and keep the strap relatively tight, if I loosen them a bit I do feel air trip in my feet but have still not experienced a feet first regardless.
It is easy to get in and out of. Cleaning it isn't too bad, it'll be the same as a wetsuit. You have to blast the sand out of it and even then, you can't get it all but nothing to complain about.
The pockets (I believe they are the same on the Tech skin as the Tech LE skin) are small, but stretchy. After about 10 attempts to pull a wetnotes out of the pocket (be sure you make sure you have a line to clip off to so you don't lose anything) I still struggle immensely to get things back into the pocket at depth. I'm not happy about that but perhaps I just need more practice.
I do have the permanent dry glove system installed and the only advice I have regarding that is 1) don't use the default Whites wrist seal, it's too thin to keep a seal (the seals are not permanently attached with this system) and 2) measure your arm length. For me, I need to lose about 1.5 inches to be completely comfortable. The rings ride to near my thumb and sometimes prevent me from reaching my clips but its tolerable.
In all, I've very happy I bought the Fusion and would in a heartbeat buy it again. I tried a DUI and couldn't manage the bubble, so the Fusion is clearly different in that respect, from a Newbie's perspective.
Mike really worked with me in so many ways before, during, and after the purchase. For example, there was an issue with the P-Valve installation and I ended up getting it corrected local to me, Mike took a portion of my repair bill (willingly) and credited it back into my loyalty points and has always been there to answer my many pestering questions about how to do this, that, and whatever. That definitely makes me happy with the experience overall considering a few points where I would have otherwise fumed.
To wrap up: 1) great dry suit, 2) very easy to learn how to dive with, 3) service at DRIS can't be beat
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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