My old company in Tampa switched from standard neoprene to compressed neoprene drysuits last year and the difference in bottom time is crazy.
We were doing a lot of hull cleaning and inspection work on some container ships. With the old 7mm suits, after about 90 minutes in 55-degree water, you were just done. Shivering, fingers getting stiff, the whole deal. The company invested in the compressed neoprene suits for the whole crew. The first dive I did with the new gear, I was down for over two and a half hours on the same job, same water temp, and came up feeling way more functional. It wasn't just about comfort, it was about being able to actually focus on the task and not just the cold. The suits were a huge upfront cost, but the boss said productivity went up enough to justify it in under six months. Has anyone else's company made a gear switch that seemed expensive but actually paid off fast in a real way?