Postby Tom183 » Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:59 pm
I just picked up a Pro - haven't used it yet, so can only offer comments from trying it on and standing outside for a little while. Air temps were something like 25F, with a little wind chill. My first time in a drysuit.
The Pro has a fairly limited amount of Gore-Tex, only at the armpits, waist, and knees. I was pretty hot when I tried it on (after struggling trying on a couple of thick wetsuits), and there was plenty of condensation inside afterward. But if you're only overheating a little I think it should keep up - on the beach, you could always drop your hood or even unzip if you needed extra cooling.
The front zip is easily a one-man operation, and you don't need to be a contortionist or anything - it does require two hands though, and I have been told that the brass needs wax after every single ocean session or it will corrode. Still, it wasn't much harder than a typical wetsuit back zip. Looks like I can wear my chest harness over it, but I'll have to check that at some point before hitting the beach, just to be sure.
The neck seal wasn't quite as tight as I expected, at least while wearing it - even so, I might trim just a bit if it doesn't stretch out a little. Avoiding any "roll-overs" and getting the seal flat seemed to be the key to comfort - with the next seal, I had to pull it a little lower to flatten it out.
Getting the d@mn thing off my neck was a bit more challenging, but I probably just need a little practice - maybe Howie Mandell can offer some tips... Wearing the suit, I didn't really notice the leg/arm seals, but they were also a struggle to get on/off with damp skin - I think you either need dry skin and some talc on the seals, or wet skin with a little soap or something. Taking off the legs caused a few pulled hairs - a little shaving around the ankles might be necessary...
Overall, getting the suit on really isn't any harder than a thick wetsuit, just more time spent with the seals and less time with the body of the suit. However, I am a bit concerned about the possible frailty of the latex seals, and the force required to get them on/off.
Fit was quite good (that's what sold me) - the Pro has a cinched waist and I didn't need the suspenders because of that, although they are included (not sure if they might be annoying under a harness though). Wasn't too baggy, just loose, and mobility is somewhat better than a 4-5mm wetsuit (particularly in the shoulders).
In cold temps, the material is a little stiff - not binding, but I would be a little concerned about possible cracks if you tended to fold it in the same places all the time (although that would take a couple years or more, I think). Seems durable enough for a harness though.
Wearing the suit outdoors with only shorts underneath showed the importance of proper layers - bare skin against the outside feels quite cold, especially if there's condensation. But even without proper layers, I wasn't all that cold - I'm sure you could be quite toasty with some fleece underneath. Any slight leakage wouldn't really be a problem, but I would be worried if the zip split for some reason.
The real test is on the water, I hope to get a session sometime next week - which I wouldn't be able to with my 4:3 suit.
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