Hi DUI,

I have to admit, the first time I heard about a tropical dry suit, I was a bit skeptical. What was the difference between a regular dry suit and a tropical dry suit?

I decided to buy one and test it out over a span of one year. While making my decision, I was informed that DUI makes a 30/30 in an Explorer version which I could have a custom overlay, pockets and opted for Turbol Sole Boots as opposed to ankle seals (DUI sells this suit with standard ankle seals rather than boots). I also had ZipSeals, two bellows pockets and a red tough duck overlay installed. I don’t know how the P-valve slipped my mind but that’s something I am going to have to add soon. The 30/30 also comes with front or shoulder entry option. I chose the front entry.

Four weeks later I had my new drysuit. It looked like a DUI TLS350 until you turned it inside out. The 30/30 is made with a waterproof breathable fabric. Immediately I was ready for a series of test dives. As it was peak summer in Dubai when the drysuit came, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to put it through its paces. The summers here are known for extreme temperatures. It’s pretty much the norm to have 50 degrees C (122 degrees F) outside, with 100% humidity. This is the perfect testing ground. Baptism by fire as they say.

First reactions from others divers on the boat were, “A drysuit in peak summer?"

I was surprised at how cool I felt wearing the drysuit. I did a number of shallow dives with the suit and found that it’s a lot more comfortable gearing and diving in warm environments compared to any other suit including wetsuits. I managed to squeeze in another holiday to the Philippines last year to dive in Puerto Gallera and in Subic Bay. With a similar ambient temperature as Dubai, the drysuit worked really well. I was a bit chilly on the surface after a few dives but other than that it performed flawlessly

Did it work well in the heat and humidity? Yes, but it depends on what you wear underneath. Recently, I did some shallow dives using just a long sleeved T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Its definitely easier putting it on when compared to putting on a wetsuit and hanging around on the surface.

As with all DUI products the workmanship and overall finish & quality of the suit is very impressive. I have 3 DUI drysuits and they have gone through some significant abuse and they have all held up very well.

Conclusion: Great suit and worth the money. A number of my friends around Southeast Asia also have had success with this product. If your plans are to do a lot of adventurous diving around South East Asia, Middle East or any other country with a warm tropical climate, this might be the perfect suit for you.

Thanks DUI for another fantastic drysuit. I love my DUIs.

Ali Fikree
GUE Tech 2
IANTD Normoxic Trimix Instructor
NSS-CDS Cavern Diver