Scuba Diving Drysuits: Behind-The-Scenes Photos Of ScubaLab's Gear Review
For ScubaLab's drysuit review, we realized scuba diving in Florida's warmer waters simply wouldn't cut it. Instead we reached out to some test divers on the other side of "the Pond" in the United Kingdom, which boasts a variety of locations perfect for cold-water diving. Our UK test team headed to Vivian Quarry, Llanberis, which lies in the heart of picturesque Snowdonia, North Wales. During the test, which took place in September 2016, the water temperature in the quarry was 52 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a perfect real-world setting for putting the drysuits through their paces.
Courtesy Mark EvansThe Contenders At A Glance
The test drysuits rolled up and ready to be loaded into the pick-up for a full-on day in North Wales.
Courtesy Mark EvansWarm Smiles, Warm Suits
Posing for the camera before donning BCD, regulator and other equipment to venture into the flooded quarry.
Meet the Testers
Mark Evans — Evans has been the Editor of Sport Diver EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) for nearly 18 years. A PADI divemaster and CCR diver, he has been diving for more than 30 years and was the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to the Diving Industry award at the prestigious EuroTek conference in 2014. He has made more than 2,500 drysuit dives. He also heads up the ScubaLab test team of Sport Diver EMEA.
Will Harrison – An experienced drysuit diver and PADI Tech 50 Diver, Harrison is the Deputy Editor of Sport Diver EMEA and ScubaLab test team member.
Courtesy Mark EvansA Different Kind of Underwater Slate
Mark Evans about to take another drysuit on a test run in the cold waters of Vivian Dive Centre – a former slate quarry in the heart of picturesque North Wales.
Courtesy Mark EvansThe Quarrymen
We enlisted the help of testers in the UK to put the drysuits to the test in the 52 degree Fahrenheit water of Vivian Quarry.
Courtesy Mark EvansA Few Tricks Up His Sleeve
Sport Diver EMEA Editor Mark Evans is an experienced drysuit diver, but it was the first time he had sampled some of the suits on test.
Courtesy Mark EvansSuiting Up
Climbing into yet another drysuit – benches at the water’s edge helped immensely with logistics.
Courtesy Mark EvansStepping It Up
Returning from a test dive – Mark Evans became very familiar with this ladder and entry/exit platform over the course of the day.
Courtesy Mark EvansTrying Out the Trilaminate
It was a cold, misty morning in the wilds of Snowdonia national park in North Wales when the Sport Diver EMEA test team began reviewing the drysuits
Courtesy Mark EvansCleared For Entry
Suits on test had cross-torso front-entry zippers, traditional horizontal back-entry zippers and even more-unique variants.
Courtesy Mark EvansA Test Well Run
Mark Evans taking a well-earned breather at the end of a grueling test day – next job was packing them all back into their boxes.
Bonus
Check out this short clip of all of the drysuits at the test!
