Avatar 102 Airon Drysuit Review: Lightweight, Durable & Travel-Friendly

by Mark Evans

Before we start this Avatar 102 Airon Drysuit Review, it’s worth taking a little look back. When the first Avatar drysuit (now referred to as the Avatar 101) came on to the market a couple of years ago, it represented a great-value-for-money membrane drysuit, and when I reviewed it, I was suitably impressed with what you got for your hard-earned cash.

Coming from the same stable as the iconic line-up of Santi Diving drysuits, its heritage was not in doubt, but there was just a little something lacking.

Don’t get me wrong, I still think it is a fantastic suit for the money, it’s just it was a little… well, underwhelming in the looks department.

The subtle blue-grey and black colour scheme was pleasant enough on the eye, but apart from extremely small Avatar logos on the suit itself, and on the valves, there was nothing which immediately made you think of the brand when you saw it.

If a diver walked past wearing one, you would be hard-pressed to state what make of drysuit it was.

That all changes with the Avatar 102 Airon. I saw a prototype of this suit at the BOOT show and I am glad to say that much of the design elements have remained in-situ for the production version.

And for those that are wondering about that name, it comes from the ethos that the suit is ‘light and breathable like air, strong as iron’, hence Airon.

Design and Visual Impact

This suit is a completely different animal to the Avatar 101. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is straying very close to Santi territory in look and feel. You really do not feel like you are in a suit with this price-point, and could easily add another $600-plus on to that SRP.

No one will mistake what suit you are wearing when you are in an Avatar 102 Airon. The main body is a gun-metal grey (or ‘Steel’, as Avatar call it), with sections on the lower arms, shins, etc, in contrasting black. So right from the getgo, the Airon has more visual impact than the Avatar 101.

But this is further heightened by that vividly bright orange pocket on the left thigh, a vibrant color that matches the elasticated braces inside the suit. You simply cannot mistake the Airon for any other suit with that pocket – it stands out a country mile.

Which was part of the reasoning – one, it makes the suit unique, and two, it makes you easy to see. Even underwater in murky conditions, that bright orange pocket positively shines!

Rounding out the package are the logos – the Airon gets far more branding, and is all the better for it. There is a large Avatar ‘A’ on the back of the drysuit, as well as on the valves, in a little red tab on the neoprene thermal collar, and in a bright-orange roundel on the right upper arm.

Then there is an embossed Airon logo on the waistline, as well as truncated AVTR logos right across the chest, on the right upper arm, and even on the clip for the crotch strap.

There are also embossed Avatar logos on the bar running across the bottom of the flap on both thigh pockets. This attention to detail all adds to the ‘quality’ feel of the suit.

Materials & Construction

The Avatar 102 Airon is made from an innovative, breathable, four-layer nylon membrane material: – 260 g/m2 Cordura Nylon Oxford fabric on its top layer, with reinforcement in sensitive areas (knees, crotch, elbows and buttocks) for added protection against wear and tear, and a vapor-permeable membrane allowing increased comfort on the surface.

This makes for a lightweight suit (coming in at less than 9lb), so it would be ideal for traveling divers who might want to use their drysuit abroad – say in Malta, for instance – but it is robust enough to cope with whatever you want to throw at it on a day-to-day basis.

It has a really nice, quality feel to the material – again adding weight to my statement about it nosing into Santi territory and feeling like a more-expensive suit.

The telescopic torso design allows for full body mobility and adaptability underwater, and the internal suspenders and external crotch strap ensure proper drysuit positioning on the body. The plastic T-Zip is easy to use and protected by a material flap, and the clip for the crotch strap, with dual red release buttons, is a nice touch and a step up from a standard pinch-clip.

The Airon benefits from an advanced ergonomic cut which eliminates cross-seams at the underarms and crotch, which Avatar say ‘allows for unparalleled mobility and seam durability’, which is aided by a special bonding on the seams for maximum flexibility.

I will say this – I tried contorting myself into all sorts of positions and shapes while diving the Avatar 102 Airon and I can honestly say I never felt restricted or confined at any time. The suit is incredibly comfortable and easy to move around in, both topside and underwater.

The latex neck seal is protected by a neoprene collar, which is longer than most I have seen, which means your hood can tuck in, providing decent thermal protection against the cold.

The Airon is equipped with Santi Diving’s acclaimed Smart Seals system in the sleeves, with latex wrist seals. This means it is a simple job to swap out damaged seals yourself out in the field, or even use the system to attached drygloves.

The thigh pockets are spacious, capable of swallowing a spare mask, spool and DSMB, torch, etc. The ‘bars’ across the flap make them easy to open even wearing thick neoprene gloves or drygloves, and there are zippered pockets on both flaps for smaller items.

Internally, both in the main pockets and the zippered pockets, there are rubber bungie loops for securing accessories.

The neoprene boots are very comfortable, and with the neoprene coming up over the ankle, there is no hindrance to you making smaller movements with your feet when helicopter turning, or back-kicking, for example.

They also have a Velcro-closing strap around your lower calf just above the ankle, to reduce air migration into your feet, and there is a handy webbing tab on the back to aid pulling them on.

As I’ve said about Santi, and the previous Avatar suit, I would just like a slightly thicker sole on the boots, as you can feel sharper rocks through them.

This is easily rectified by adding an inner sole, of course. If you mainly dive off boats, or on flatter terrain, this obviously wouldn’t be an issue anyway.

The Avatar 102 Airon is available in 12 standard sizes for men, with a women-specific model being introduced later.

The Airon comes with a spacious, waterproof travel back pack for easy transport to the dive site (suitably adorned with Avatar 102 Airon logos, of course), as well as a kit that includes a neoprene Avatar hood (which is extremely warm and comfortable, and has quite a long neck, which tucks neatly into the extended neoprene thermal collar), inflatable system hose, talc for the seals, and silicone lubricant for the T-Zip.

Verdict: Is the Avatar 102 Airon Worth It?

With its upgraded materials, bold design, and premium touches, the Avatar 102 Airon feels closer to a high-end Santi drysuit than its price tag suggests. It’s lightweight enough for travel, robust for daily diving, and stylish enough to stand out at any dive site. For divers seeking value, performance, and distinctive looks, this could easily be the best Avatar drysuit yet.

The Avatar 102 Airon delivers premium comfort and style at a mid-range price making it a real contender in the drysuit market.

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This article was originally published in Scuba Diver UK #81

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