DRYSUITS

[FreediveWI]

The key to Apeks is turning down the IP to around 120 psi- per DIR. When they first came out I had one freeflow while diving the Willy in January, but it never stopped giving me air.

Soon after that they came out with the little metal sleeve that fit into the second stage to stop this. Switching to a lower IP and switching to the right gas for deep dives, air will freeze a reg much faster than trimix, has made all of the difference.

I am not the only one who has gotten rid of their Posiden in favor of apeks. Gert dumped his a while ago and Jerry, who used them for many years, switched almost as soon as the Apeks first hit the market here.

All of the mix divers that I dive with have switched as well. Most of them have switched for other reasons- since we no longer have freeze up problems by breathing the correct gas as mentioned. The Apeks allows you to switch out second stages underwater. They are much easier to service in the field. They normally use a much lower IP pressure, and we drop it down even more. THey use standard size hoses- read CHEAPER! And the don't have the "trap door" breathing affect- read the DIVER magazine test results for more information on that.

The one place that the Posidens, that's the 5000's and not the Odins, seem to have a following is amongst some of the side mount divers. They can route their regs how they like them, although there is a way to do it with a standard regulator set up as well.

When the Navy regualtor test first came out, in 87', the Posiden was at the top of the charts. Times change and new products come out to take that spot away from them.

After working many winter charters on Lake Michigan, I can tell you that ANY regulator can freeze up. I have seen regualtors that work great one weekend on an ice dive freeze up the next weekend on the Willy. Lake Michigan in winter is just a whole lot colder than any ice dive I have ever done.

I remember one charter where only 2 of the 14 divers actually got to dive because everyone else's regs froze up on them. Jerry was keeping a tally sheet at one time to see which ones faired best. A freeze up is managable by simply kinking your hose and continiuing to breath from it as you ascend to the surface. A much better alternative is to shut down that valve and switch to your back up- another good reason to be able to reach your tank valves.

You are right about the scubaflows. They freeze up more than anything else I have seen. I have a friend who came back from cave class and had to buy all new scubaflows because that is what his instructor had. I told him that they would freeze up and a year later they were up for sale because they had- more than once.

Back to drysuits. Some suits have a true custom fit to them, like Diving Concept and Northern Diver. Other suits are ony a close approximation to what you really are, like the DUI suits. DUI takes your measurements and comes up with something close form their current supply of patterns. Other companies come up with a very specific pattern to fit you. Having said that, I have still always been a big DUI fan. I did have one of their CF200 suits and can tell you that it takes a LONG time to dry out- if it even gets a chance to inbetween diving days. The TLS suits are just a whole lot lighter and easier to patch and move around in.

Jon