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OTTER BRITANNIC II DRYSUIT Review

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Mark Evans tries out the Otter Britannic II drysuit from Otter Watersports.
Mark Evans tries out the Otter Britannic II drysuit from Otter Watersports.
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Mark Evans tries out the Otter Britannic II drysuit from Otter Watersports.

OTTER BRITANNIC II | SRP: £1,445

MARK EVANS Wearing OTTER BRITANNIC II Drysuit
MARK EVANS Wearing OTTER BRITANNIC II Drysuit

MARK EVANS: Otter Watersports is celebrating 30 years in the diving industry. The Britannic II is their high-end drysuit, and the favoured garb of many of the UK’s top tech divers, including Paul Toomer, Vikki Batten and Martin Robson, to name just a handful.

It had been many years since I last dived in an Otter drysuit, so I was looking forward to sampling a Britannic II for myself. First up was a visit to Bradford to see John Womack in Otter HQ, where the tape-measure maestro soon whipped up my measurements on his chart, and we filled in my requirements ref pockets, colours, valves, etc.

This being an Otter, John and his team can give it whatever personal tweaks you desire, be that the type of valves (Apeks or Si-Tech), the position of the dump valve (standard location, or GUE/DIR position), a choice of pockets, quick-replacement silicone neck seal, dryglove systems, and so on. A couple of weeks later and my made-to-measure suit arrived, looking resplendent in the red-and-black colour combo – very Captain Scarlet!

OTTER BRITANNIC II DRYSUIT Review by Mark Evans
OTTER BRITANNIC II DRYSUIT Review by Mark Evans

I’d gone for dual thigh pockets, as it is handy having numerous storage options for slates, DSMBs, spools and back-up torches, and silicone wrist seals, which I have to say are among the most comfortable I have ever used. These were paired up with a factory-fit set of KUBI drygloves, which for me are still the best drygloves on the market in terms of ease of use.

MARK EVANS Wearing OTTER BRITANNIC II Drysuit
MARK EVANS Wearing OTTER BRITANNIC II Drysuit

The Britannic II came with neoprene socks, which provide plenty of insulation, and then a set of Otter’s durable, tough rockboots fit on over the top. The dual Velcro straps make these very easy to get on and off, and they have very grippy rubber soles.

Among the many neat features on the Britannic II is the zippered pocket built into the bottom of the braces, in exactly the right location for you to open up the drysuit zipper eight to ten inches or so and then be able to slide your hand inside, to get your car keys, for instance. A fantastic idea – easy to see that the Otter boys have a good diving heritage, and have thought about situations like this.

Among the many neat features on the Britannic II is the zippered pocket built into the bottom of the braces, in exactly the right location for you to open up the drysuit zipper eight to ten inches or so and then be able to slide your hand inside, to get your car keys, for instance.
Among the many neat features on the Britannic II is the zippered pocket built into the bottom of the braces, in exactly the right location for you to open up the drysuit zipper eight to ten inches or so and then be able to slide your hand inside, to get your car keys, for instance.

The Britannic II is made from an extremely robust material known as ‘armour skin’, which feels very heavy-duty but is still flexible enough that it doesn’t hinder your movement.

The drysuit has accompanied me on numerous dives now, and it has never once let me down. It is comfortable, easy to get on and off, looks fantastic – it is also available in blue-and-black, or all-black – and is built to last. When you have the likes of Toomer, Batten and Robson using the Britannic II, that is a testament to these suits, as they certainly know how to push their kit – and themselves – to the limit, and will only use stuff they trust implicitly.

Otter 1

At a smidge under £1,500, it is not a cheap suit, but it is a very, very good suit, and one that will last you a long time. Otter’s customer service is renowned, and their build quality is off-the-chart. This genuinely could represent the last drysuit you ever buy, it is that good.

The Britannic II came with valves, hose, hood and a nifty zippered bag which doubles up as a changing mat. Visit Otter Dry Suits website for more

Scuba Diver Verdict

Otter Watersports is renowned for producing hardcore drysuits, and the Britannic II maintains this tradition. Awesome suit.

SCORE ••••••••••

Our gear content is sponsored by Mike's Dive Store, the UK's premier dive retailer. For all your diving needs visit them in-store or online for your diving, freediving, snorkelling and servicing.

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Mark Evans
Mark Evans
Scuba Diver's Editorial Director Mark Evans has been in the diving industry for nearly 25 years, and has been diving since he was just 12 years old. nearly 40-odd years later and he is still addicted to the underwater world.
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