Northern Diver HID - Review 2023

A heavy-duty yet comfortable drysuit, the Northern Diver HID Drysuit is an excellent mid-range drysuit with strong and flexible neoprene seals and grip. With many added features it is clear that this suit has been designed by divers with plenty of cold water diving experience.

The anti-slip equipment anchor (ASEA), otherwise known as a gear strap or daisy chain, is smartly placed for full functional use of everything from torches, cameras, marine archaeology tools, etc.

The Northern Diver HID Drysuit is made using Aquatex Tri-laminate Fabric, with ‘ballistic nylon’ and kevlar patches in all the right places combined with a comfortable polyester inner layer.

The use of these materials makes it durable as well as flexible and comfortable. Northern Diver also offers tailored fitting for their drysuits, ensuring their customers comfort. Their made-to-measure comes at an extra price, however, you can choose from size, materials and features to tailor the ideal drysuit for your requirements.

We got one after simple measurements of height, chest, arms and legs and ended up with the right fit that’s easy to get on. The only area where custom fit will come in handy is for people that have very thick thighs. My thighs are quite thick (I’m big boned there), and even though there’s enough space for air flow, there’s only just enough space. That might limit the thickness of any pants I wear, but it’s not really a perceived issue.

We’ve not tested this in the water yet (any day now), but in terms of comfort and range of motion in a product with good seams and quality (durable) materials that are comfortable, the HID drysuit from Northern Diver is an exciting product for cold water divers. Tech divers will also appreciate the quality build.

Features

The Northern Diver HID Drysuit comes with a few nice features that add to the usability and comfort of the drysuit.

Each drysuit comes with a large bellows pocket on the left thigh. There’s also a zipper pocket on the right thigh.

There is also a small flexi-light stick pocket on the right upper arm. With a front access zipper and using the Constant Fit Tension Flex system this drysuit fits closely and is easy to put on whilst also moving with the diver’s body.

The front zipper also makes it more comfortable when diving, reducing pressure around the neck. The neoprene neck gasket is also really nice, compared to other suits that use latex. The neoprene makes it flexible for both ease of ingress/egress as well as for improved sealing.

The drysuit is fitted with hard-sole boots and comes with Kevlar knee pads for added robustness. That means, for any tech diver or cave diver, protecting the place where the suit is exposed to scrapes and friction will prolong the life of the HID drysuit.

Seals

The Northern Diver HID Diver drysuit is made using high quality material including the super tight seal which are made using the Bonded For Life Technology. Finished with an inner taping these seams remain comfortable even with this increased durability.

The Northern Diver HID Drysuit also has a comfortable neoprene neck seal that comes with a neoprene warmer. Instructions on how to keep these dry come with the drysuit in the leaflet. The wrist seals are latex, covered by sleeves that protect them against degradation.

Materials

The Northern Diver HID Drysuit is made using Aquatex Tri-laminate Fabric, with a ‘ballistic nylon’ exterior and comfortable polyester inner layer. The use of these materials makes it durable, heavy-duty and comfortable. The use of the Aquatex Tri-laminate Fabric means that the Northern Diver HID Drysuit is strong, this tightly woven material is resistant to abrasion and tearing.

Aquatex is also very comfortable, butyl rubber is sandwiched between the two layers, adding to this comfort and allows flexibility in the fabric. Aquatex is manufactured for personnel who are likely to wear their suits for many hours, keeping you dry and comfortable for hours.

The seals of the Northern Diver HID Drysuit are bonded using their Bonded For Life Technology. This technology can be made using a combination of methods: glued, stitched, taped, welded or butted, for increased durability. Finished with an inner taping these seams remain comfortable even with this increased durability.

The drysuit zip is a BDM Proseal zipper (a YKK company). Ideal for diving these zippers keep moisture out using film-coated tape. It’s necessary to lubricate the zipper track with the included wax stick. That’ll maintain the zipper and make it easier to open and close (it’s otherwise not easy to open and close).

The pocket zipper is obviously a YKK, though not waterproof, as is standard.

Accessories

The Northern Diver HID Drysuit has a V-tech inflation valve, V-tech exhaust valve, 33” Drysuit inflation hose, talc, wax sealant stick and a repair kit.

V-tech Exhaust Valve: With 5 star air flow and improved ergonomics these are some of the lowest profile air valves on the market. They are high performance valves which has a fully adjustable knob to ‘dump exhaust’ as well as ‘manual’ override.

V-tech Inflation Valve: Same as the V-tech exhaust valve, the inflation valve is low-profile, ergonomic and with 5 star air flow. With fully adjustable settings this valve is high-performing and easy to use.

33” Drysuit Inflation Hose: Available in two styles of coupling you can either purchase the Hansen/Standard, which also comes as an extended length or the CJEN model. Both are low pressure drysuit inflation hoses which are compatible with all Northern Diver drysuits.

Talc: High quality, unscented talcum powder which can be used for both comfort; by using it on the latex seals before wearing to help put on and take off the drysuit, and aiding the longlife of the drysuit; by adding it on all latex seals prior to storing the drysuit away.

Repair kit: A small repair kit with all the necessary items for easy repairs including lubricant for zippers and tape.

Price/ Quality Ratio

The Northern Diver HID Drysuit uses strong, high quality materials that make it a durable drysuit which can last a long time. The drysuit is not a cheap suit, however, the innovative technology in the materials used as well as the added comfort features make this an excellent investment and mid-range drysuit that is guaranteed to last a long time.

Do we recommend it?

We recommend the Northern Diver HID Drysuit for recreational scuba divers looking for a heavy-duty yet comfortable drysuit. The materials used are high quality and the added features and accessories make this drysuit great value for money. This could also be a solid tech diver suit, able to deal with the rigors of the trade.