Off The Rack Drysuits? - Hollis DX300X vs Apeks Thermiq Advanced Review

[@CircleHScuba]

My Drysuit: Hollis DX-300X 👉 amzn.to/3uyS7tP Improve Air Consumption ▶ kzbin.info/www/bejne/eISXnJ2QqNuhp80si=aBZBPu9C3gRdiMeU

[@SummersideDiver]

Never even thought about Converse as rock boots, but what a great idea. Thanks for sharing this tip! And as often as you mentioned cookies, now I want a cookie… but not a cave divers cookie, that’d be no good. Nor would good cookies be good in thigh pockets during or after a dive….. Hopefully later this dive season I’ll get a dry suit - although so far my Hollis Neotek semidry has served me quite well in the local lakes. Hope you had a wonderful birthday!

[@CircleHScuba]

The neotek semi dry is great! Both of them

[@jeffconley6366]

Converse All Stars are very popular with cave divers. Look at the Poseidon boot. It looks a lot like a Converse All Star.

[@ryanbeck8004]

I have the Hollis suit, and bought a pear of red converse for boots. They work perfect! I got them in red too so it’ll match my wing. I recommend it, and the price is half or so

[@CircleHScuba]

@ryanbeck8004 right? They’re great!

[@ryanbeck8004]

@@CircleHScuba yeah! Great video by the way dude too

[@jeffconley6366]

Glad so see a new video from you. Been so long since you posted a video. Wondering if you were ok.

[@CircleHScuba]

Thanks Jeff! Been well, just took a little break for the birthday month and getting a few things taken care of at home and around the house.

[@SummersideDiver]

Hope you had a wonderful birthday and were able to accomplish the needed tasks around the house

[@CircleHScuba]

Thanks! I did!!

[@jeffconley6366]

@@CircleHScuba Mind me asking, what is your Birthday?

[@CircleHScuba]

It was last week :)

[@ryanbeck8004]

I love my Hollis so much. It’s so comfortable on top of just actually working

[@CircleHScuba]

That’s how I feel too. Won’t replace it for awhile

[@MysticalDragon73]

So how does the neck ring size compare on these? I did my dry suit pool session yesterday in a 4x aqualung drysuit. I had to get help getting it over my head because the semi solid neck ring (outside of the seal) was about the size of my head. I do have a big head so this becomes an issue.

[@CircleHScuba]

I feel like they’re similar. You trim the silicone seal to fit. The worse part of drysuits imo is putting on/taking off the suit for the over the head piece. I tuck my chin, get it up over my nose, then work the back up, then can eventually get it off. It sucks lol

[@MysticalDragon73]

@@CircleHScuba Thank you. The instructor wanted me to remove it by myself but then when he saw the size of the ring compared to my head he decided it was best to help me. It wasnt the silicone seal that I had a problem but the solid plastic ring outside of that. I will try the chin tuck method tomorrow when I do my dry suit and open water certifications. Thank you for the great advice as always. Its so appreciated.

[@CircleHScuba]

@MysticalDragon73 ah yeah that’s important that you learn to do it yourself if possible, but also you should always have a buddy so it’s not the end of the world to get help. I’ve also seen people turn their head to the side then chin tuck. That helps too sometimes since that harder ring can be oval shape sometimes

[@Teampegleg]

Apeks valves, while not as common as Sitech, are pretty common. DUI and Santi use them as their standard valves. They are also an option on other brands like 4E, Seaskin, and Ursuit. Most of us don't put cookies in the zipper pocket, they just slip out when you open it and you can't fit very many in it. Instead most of us have a bungee pigtail/loop attached to a bolt that you clip off inside the main pocket. I personally have some flat tools, spare AA sized lights, spare double enders, and my car key.

[@CircleHScuba]

Car key pocket is very nice! Haha. Didn’t realize any other brands used the apeks ones, thank you for that!

[@jeffconley6366]

How many sizes larger did you have go with the Converse All Star's?

[@CircleHScuba]

I had to go up 2 sizes, and then up 1 size in fins as well :)

[@josephdracula7487]

😎👍🤿🇵🇭! Wow! A lot of good things to consider and look for in a dry suit! Not much for cold water diving well none at all for now. But as time goes on maybe I may consider it! In all honesty I learned a good bit more about dry suit information 👍! Thanks for the video!

[@CircleHScuba]

You’re welcome Joseph!

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

I like DUI the shop I I use supports them. Hollis makes good stuff it’s the after purchase support that they struggle with Apeks has excellent after purchase support. The SITechmy head wouldn’t fit. The G2 barely fits my head (I know I got a big head) my hands wouldn’t fit oval or round, had to get mine made. We dive quarries in Midwest 50 degrees is a warm day for us

[@CircleHScuba]

Our quarry warms up in the summer lol. Custom when you can’t get off the rack makes perfect sense. But man it’s nice when you can!

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

@@CircleHScuba it sure is, I got a big body it took three measurements and a bunch of pictures I still could use three more inches in the shoulder area but it good enough except when I am trying to get out of it .

[@CircleHScuba]

@ivoryjohnson4662 getting out of mine is where I struggle too 😂😂😂

[@nancy-s3e8j]

Nice video.

[@CircleHScuba]

Thanks!

[@michaelewer9083]

The problem with both these suits is they don't make small or medium 'short' sizes . For me the leg fit is unworkable! You really don't want to buy a suit that is too long for you as all that extra 'bag' it has can trap air around you that you have to work harder to manage.

[@CircleHScuba]

Totally agree. Problem with any off the rack suit really. They need to fit well enough or it just won’t work for ya.

[@sevenrider860]

I have never heard Apeks drysuit valves and inflators called "proprietary". They have been around for years and are used by many different vendors. Obviously Aqualung and Apeks drysuits use them. Others are DUI, O-Three, SFTech, just to name a few. Most vendors wont take the time to service those parts...they will simply replace them. The challenge with the two suits you review... Hollis, after you purchase you get to experience the disastrous customer support Huish is now known for. With Apeks you have to wonder what is happening with Aqualung Group. They are in a terrible financial position and were acquired by Barings who is trying to get their money back and is selling brands under the Aqualung Group bit by bit.

[@CircleHScuba]

So a company making valves that aren’t universal would be proprietary 😋 This video isn’t discussing DUI, O-Three, etc so that’s a bit irrelevant. My point was SI-Tech is more “universal” in that the valves are made for many suits, versus Apeks/Aqualung being the only makers. If Hollis fell out of the drysuit business I can still get SI-Tech valves. I think I said it in the video, but I wouldn’t make this a con necessarily or a pro, it’s just a difference to note.

[@sevenrider860]

@@CircleHScuba Apeks started making their inflators and exhaust valves for other drysuit manufacturers long before they ever sold drysuits. They are considered as universal as SI-Tech.