PSA: That cheap drysuit I bought off Craigslist nearly got me killed in Puget Sound

I thought I was being smart saving $600 on a used drysuit from some guy in Tacoma. First dive at 50 feet near the Narrows and the neck seal blew out. Water hit 48 degrees and I had to abort fast. Anyone else had a gear gamble go bad and learn the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor_butler503d ago

Man, that's rough. I'm glad you made it out okay. I had a similar scare with a used regulator setup. Got it cheap off a buddy. First dive at 40 feet and the second stage started free-flowing bad. Had to breathe off my buddy's octopus the whole way up. Scared me straight. Now I only buy new or from shops I trust. That neck seal thing sounds terrifying. Water that cold hitting your skin is no joke. You're lucky you didn't get hypothermia on the way up.

daniel_rivera3d ago

Wait, what's the point of buying a used reg setup from a buddy who probably didn't service it regularly? Seems like false economy when your life depends on it.