First impressions: focus on comfort
The Hollis DX-300X immediately impressed us with its focus on diver comfort. Donning the suit is remarkably easy, almost pleasant, thanks to the soft, silicone neck seal and clever placement of the single, plastic low-profile YKK zipper. If I don’t need the thermal protection from neoprene, I find silicone the least constrictive.
The zipper has been conveniently moved downward so it wraps around the beginning of the right hip. As such, I find it easier to grab when closing it without any struggle to zip it shut.
There’s a velcro flap that protects the zipper, which is also easy to open and close. I find it sometimes sticks up over my shoulder and I need to pat it down. I’ve heard other divers worry about the velcro losing its stickiness over time, but I’ll wait and see on this.
While testing, we noticed a nice freedom of movement. That might be due to the bias-cut design. By cutting the fabric diagonally, Hollis achieved more stretch and flexibility than traditional suits (they claim 25% more), for more freedom of movement underwater.
Combined with a telescopic torso (space for the suspenders and crotch strap to pull the fabric in), this approach is designed for a closer, more streamlined fit, reducing air migration and enhancing buoyancy control.
It’s not a big thing, but the reflector stripes on both arms are also a nice feature for other divers, especially in murkier waters. You can easily identify a specific diver by their stripes.
You’ll need a pair of dive boots, sized up to compensate for the 5 mm socks. Some might prefer the extra comfort and versatility of the socks.
This means you can change the boots depending on the dive conditions and they’ll give you more warmth. Bear in mind that the neoprene is the only place that’s not reinforced, so boots are needed for protecting the suit too.
For $2,399 (as sold by Hollis online as of March 2025), this premium suit provides a really positive experience before, during and after diving.
Material and construction: durable and flexible
During our testing, we found that the triple-layer construction creates a comfortable and reliable diving experience.
The heavy-duty nylon Cordura ripstop outer layer protects against punctures and gives an abrasion resistance with an impressive tear strength rating of 300N. This refers to tensile strength based on thread count. For reference, premium tents and military clothing usually have only a 30N rating.
The middle layer consists of 12 layers of butyl, an enhanced type of rubber that does the heavy-lifting as far as water protection goes.
The silk-weave polyester inner liner is soft to the touch and makes donning and doffing notably easier. The suit feels nice on the skin when diving in a t-shirt, too.
Reinforced knees and elbows in the form of an extra ripstop layer are well-placed to give just a bit of extra peace of mind.
Innovative neck and wrist seals
The Hollis DX-300X’s standout features are the easy donning and doffing and comfort when you’ve got it on—assuming you get the right fit.
The Si-Tech Neck Tite seal makes the suit stand out for comfort, but it also has a downside. Because there’s no neck gaiter, my head squeezes through very easily, which means it’s also less protected against the cold. So, although I have good freedom of movement and my nose and ears don’t feel like they’re getting pulled off when donning/doffing, it’s colder at my neck.
Visually, the Si-Tech Neck Tite seal stands out too, especially since there’s no neck gaiter to hide it. It has a wide and flexible ring with cuts or indentations that make it flexible. Previous iterations of this were more rigid.
The suit stands out visually with the teeth-like indentations along the flexible collar ring. Since the neck seal makes it far easier to fit over your head and to change out as well, I find it is the easiest seal to pass my head through. The neck seal design also offers excellent head mobility with ample space to swivel.
While this is great for donning, the downside is that it also provides the least amount of thermal protection of all the suits I’ve tested. There could be a neoprene neck gaiter here, for example. This convinces me that the DX-300X isn’t necessarily as ideal for colder dives.
On the other hand, no neck gaiter means there’s nothing to get in the way when replacing the neck seal. During our hands-on testing, we were able to remove and install a new neck seal in just two minutes. Literally. This feature sets a standard for drysuit maintenance—carry a spare so you can make a quick change anywhere.
As for the wrist seals, Hollis uses the Si-Tech Quick Cuff wrist system. These aluminum cuffs have a lower profile than the PSI dry-glove system, but I could still feel them catch resistance when using a double underwater scooter. I like the silicone seals but I’d like to try the dry gloves so I can describe how well the system works with them.
A well-placed zipper
As mentioned above, the zipper track starts on the front of the left shoulder. That makes grabbing it much easier than many other suits where the zipper runs over the shoulder, sometimes ending where it’s difficult to reach with undergarments and thick gloves on.
The plastic YKK zipper is flexible and extremely easy to close and open with one hand. On top of that, there’s a velcro flap with the Hollis logo and DX-300X printed on it to protect the zipper from any dirt getting into it.
On me, the flexible zipper track tends to bulge out slightly around the middle of my belly, a consequence of off-the-rack sizing, but it doesn’t negatively affect diving at all. When descending, air is vacuumed out and that extra space disappears.
Pockets
Two nice-sized thigh pockets, secured with Velcro and featuring 2-inch D-rings, provide ample storage and are generally easy to open. The Si-Tech Quick Cuff rings can impede getting smaller items, but we didn’t really have that problem during testing.
Off-the-rack sizing
The Hollis DX-300X comes in standard off-the-rack sizing, which contributes to its more-accessible price point compared to fully customizable drysuits. This is not a bespoke suit—you’re limited to the predetermined sizes listed below:
| Standard Sizes | Short | Tall |
| Small (S) | Small Short (SS) | Medium Tall (MT) |
| Medium (M) | Medium Short (MS) | Large Tall (LT) |
| Large (L) | Large Short (LS) | Extra Large Tall (XLT) |
| Extra Large (XL) | ||
| Extra Extra Large (XXL) |
It’s worth noting that the bias-cut design and telescopic torso create some forgiveness. This means that, while the suit can accommodate different body shapes within each size category, proper sizing remains essential for optimal performance and comfort.
You should be able to measure the following five dimensions to find the right size.
- torso
- chest
- inseam
- waist
- hip
If your measurements are far off, write to Hollis for assistance. It’s possible you might need a custom suit.
Price/Quality Ratio
This off-the-rack drysuit offers solid value due to the quality of the fabric, robust construction, and thoughtful design elements that facilitate easy maintenance and repairs. Divers who align well with the standard sizing dimensions will like this suit.
Although we think this drysuit competes with higher-priced custom suits, it’s important to emphasize that this excellent price-to-quality benefit applies primarily to divers who naturally fit the suit’s specific sizing and configuration. Additionally, the lack of a neck gaiter makes it ideally suited to moderate-temperature waters rather than extremely cold environments.
If you match these criteria, this drysuit represents an outstanding balance between affordability and diving experience quality.
Do we recommend the Hollis DX-300X drysuit?
Yes, we do recommend the Hollis DX-300X drysuit for the reasons stated in the above section. I personally love the Si-Tech neck system and the freedom that my neck has to swivel side-to-side. I appreciate it being less unpleasant sliding my head through it too.
With all the features that make this a great and reliable suit for diving, it’s hard not appreciate the value of this suit, listed at $2,399.
While the 5 mm neoprene socks might not be ideal for everyone—boots are a separate purchase—the overall package is impressive.
If you’re looking for a high-quality drysuit that’s comfortable, capable, and easy to maintain, the Hollis DX-300X is definitely worth considering. Just be sure to pay close attention to sizing.
Specs & Features
| Material | Outer layer: heavy-duty nylon Cordura ripstop with 300N; Middle layer: 12-layer butyl mass; Inner liner: silk-weave polyester |
|---|---|
| Neck seals | Si-Tech Neck Tite with silicone seals |
| Wrist seals | Si-Tech Quick Cuff with silicone seals |
| Fit | Off-the-rack |
| Zip location | Front |
| Boots or socks | 5 mm neoprene socks |
| Pockets | Two large velcro bellows pockets with internal D-rings |
Take a moment to look at this.
