DIR Explorers - View Single Post - Santi BZ400 :-)

Sterny · June 29th, 2007, 03:16 PM

I'd add my praise to Andy's - I'm on my second Santi BZ400, and continue to be very happy with them.

My first one was cut a fraction too large (always a bit of a risk when doing things remotely), but not so much that it caused any problems. It gave me excellent service and kept me lovely and toasty warm for well over 100 dives in the last 18 months (one or two of them fairly wet due to suit leaks, but I never suffered). It would probably have lasted a *lot* longer if I had looked after it better, but I chose not to put up with a smelly undersuit, and decided to machine wash it whenever it started to smell bad, knowing full well that this would shorten its life. I'm prepared to pay the cost of one of these every year or two (at the rate I dive) to have a warm undersuit that doesn't stink. Eventually, after around 10 washes and 100+ dives it is somewhat thinner and less warm than it used to be, and will be consigned to summer diving or as a back-up. Structurally, the suit is in perfect condition - no tears or anything coming apart. I even holed the front of the undersuit the first time I wore it (lifting my twinset onto a high bench with the bolts facing my chest - thank goodness it wasn't my drysuit I holed!), and over another 100 dives, that little hole through to the insulation stuffing never got any bigger. Good quality stuff.

Key things I like: I don't need much air in my suit for it to be warm. It's warm when wet. Never had any problems dumping gas from the shoulder, at least none due to the suit (some due to the idiot wearing it!).

I got my new one cut a bit tighter, and it fits like a glove, thanks to Marcin Kaluza. I've only dived my new one twice so far, but it's great - very warm. It's obvious that Tomek continually looks for ways to improve the suit - there's several minor design changes and improvements, and it's a very professional article.

One happy repeat Santi customer here!

June 29th, 2007, 03:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sterny(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The limpid tropical lagoons of Ealing, West London Posts: 550	I'd add my praise to Andy's - I'm on my second Santi BZ400, and continue to be very happy with them. My first one was cut a fraction too large (always a bit of a risk when doing things remotely), but not so much that it caused any problems. It gave me excellent service and kept me lovely and toasty warm for well over 100 dives in the last 18 months (one or two of them fairly wet due to suit leaks, but I never suffered). It would probably have lasted a lot longer if I had looked after it better, but I chose not to put up with a smelly undersuit, and decided to machine wash it whenever it started to smell bad, knowing full well that this would shorten its life. I'm prepared to pay the cost of one of these every year or two (at the rate I dive) to have a warm undersuit that doesn't stink. Eventually, after around 10 washes and 100+ dives it is somewhat thinner and less warm than it used to be, and will be consigned to summer diving or as a back-up. Structurally, the suit is in perfect condition - no tears or anything coming apart. I even holed the front of the undersuit the first time I wore it (lifting my twinset onto a high bench with the bolts facing my chest - thank goodness it wasn't my drysuit I holed!), and over another 100 dives, that little hole through to the insulation stuffing never got any bigger. Good quality stuff. Key things I like: I don't need much air in my suit for it to be warm. It's warm when wet. Never had any problems dumping gas from the shoulder, at least none due to the suit (some due to the idiot wearing it!). I got my new one cut a bit tighter, and it fits like a glove, thanks to Marcin Kaluza. I've only dived my new one twice so far, but it's great - very warm. It's obvious that Tomek continually looks for ways to improve the suit - there's several minor design changes and improvements, and it's a very professional article. One happy repeat Santi customer here! __________________ "I thought I had a great idea today, but it never really took off. In fact, it didn't even get on the runway. I guess you could say it exploded in the hangar." - Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes Last edited by Sterny; June 29th, 2007 at 03:20 PM.