Review: Santi BZ400

[Tricky]

My new Santi undersuit arrived recently and I was able to collect it from Marcin (of H-Planner fame) last night. I haven't had the chance to dive it yet, so this is just a preliminary review.

I'm not sure what I expected, but folded up the suit looked massive. On picking it up, I was surprised by how heavy it was. I suppose the size and weight was reassuring really - perhaps an indicator of how warm it would be, like a thick duvet...

It felt comfortable on, and didn't notice any restriction of movement of my arms. It also appears to be as warm as it looks. In terms of 'build quality', I haven't had a close look, but it appears to be well made - time will tell I suppose.

Top marks also to Santi for throwing in a thinsulate hat. I keep losing mine so this was a welcome bonus

I will be diving with the suit tomorrow so expect more feedback soon.

[nickb]

After reading this I imagined the suit would be ginormous, like a Weezle, but it's nothing like that. I'm very impressed with this and the prices are unbelievable compared with the DUI equivalents.

It appears to be a really well-made bit of kit, so much so that I'm planning to buy a 200g version to use under my O'Three (until I can stretch to a DUI CLX450 like Tricky's now got - the jammy bugger)

[Tricky]

As Nick's post suggests, he and I got together today. We were at the NDC for my first dive of the season - the aim was to try out my new Halcyon Evolve, DUI drysuit and the Santi undersuit. I was naturally concerned about diving with so much new kit, so the first dive was to a max of about 10m, and mostly consisted of me checking my bouyancy and trim, but also involved me not being able to get to my valves for a shutdown - I think this can be resolved, I just need to some advice from people who dive similar suits.

I've never dived a membrane suit before so was worried about air migration and keeping warm. For a stock size, the DUI suit fits quite well, and with the undersuit the fit was comfortable - there was not much space for air to be moving around. As a membrane newbie, I had sort of imagined that the air would just be slopping around the suit but this was not the case. In fact it wasn't that much different to my old O'Three suit which was also a well fitting stock size.

For the 2nd dive we jumped off the deep end of the pontoon, down the shot to 35m (40ish for Nick). We then swam across and followed the edge of the quarry round to the shallow end, passing over the training platforms to get out at the other end of the pontoon.

So to warmth, and the purpose of this thread. Under the undersuit I was wearing a Helly Hansen LiFa (thermal trousers and top). With the drysuit on and zipped up I was getting quite hot while getting my kit ready. I had to jump in the water to cool down while Nick was still getting ready. I imagine that it could be quite uncomfortable in the Summer sun on the south coast. Underwater the temp was about 7 degrees at depth (I got to 35m on the 2nd dive) but I was toasty warm throughout the dives (25 mins 1st dive, 35 mins 2nd dive).

So, what can I say about the undersuit so far? Well, I still need to dive it more, but it seems to be more than adequate for water temps as low as 7 degrees. Early indications suggest that it is well worth the £170 I paid for it - a bargain price for a MTM undersuit.

I think I should also comment on the NDC - there have been some negative comments about it recently but I was impressed with what I saw today. The transport to the water is much improved, the staff were friendly and the food was good (for a dive site burger van). I still feel they should do something about the surface of the car park, but at least I didn't need to catch the cross-puddle ferry to get from my car to the shop.

All in all it was a good day, and it felt great to get back in the water

[nickb]

Originally Posted by Tricky

....water temps as low as 7 degrees....

Low? That's positively balmy for those of us that started our 2006 diving in January ya poof.

Still, for a guy that hasn't dived or 5 months or so, and with such a lot of new kit (twat!) you were very sorted.

I must also echo the positive comments about the NDAC today: the way they're now using the two buses to organise a speedy shuttle service deserves a special mention. I was also very impressed with the way that they organised such great weather and spectacular viz (at the deep end of the pontoon at least).

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by nickb

...spectacular viz (at the deep end of the pontoon at least).

Yup, it was much easier for me to keep up with you when I could see more than a couple of metres

[warmwaterdiver]

Originally Posted by nickb

Low? That's positively balmy for those of us that started our 2006 diving in January ya poof.

what was it when we dived, 3?

Originally Posted by Tricky

Yup, it was much easier for me to keep up with you when I could see more than a couple of metres

So its not just me then

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

So its not just me then

Nope. I think he takes the fact that he's wearing Jet Fins too literally