|| This close to buying a drysuit...

[hex92]

Ok I have been reading the board, talking to people I know, and searching the web. I have been going back and forth between a semi-dry and dry. I think i have decided on dry. Mainly because the water temperature off Virginia Beach didn't get above 52 F at depth in 2003 until Hurricane Isabel came through.

I don't want to spend more than $1000 on the setup (suit, underware, hood) and I think a shell suit is the way to go. I'm tall (6'4") and thin (195 lbs) so that limits the companies that I can get an off the rack suit from. So taking all of this into consideration I have all but decided to go with the Bare Nex-Gen. I can get the entire package for $975 CND ($750 US).

Is this my best bet? I wanted to post to the board to see if anyone had an idea of another manufacturer that I should look at.

thnx

 

[Boogie711]

I applaud your decision to go dry. I started in a semi-dry. It's a great suit, but I should have just saved my money and went dry.

In terms of suit selection, there are a number of entry level suits out there. As a 6'4" 220 lb guy myself, I thought the Nex-Gen XXL was freakin HUGE on me. Even the legs were too long! I could have fit two of me in there. Depending on your build, try a stock XL - even if it says it's too short on the size charts, I fit into an XL DUI as if it was custom. Most of my height is in my torso, not my legs (34" inseam.)

I know Dive-Rite is supposed to have a good suit out now as well, but the name escapes me... the 900 something?

 

[MechDiver]

The Bare Nex-Gen appears to be a fairly decent suit. I've had a Tri-Lam HD for a number of years and it's been a very good suit. Still going strong.
If the suit fits, buy it!! That price seems very good for a complete setup, but I'm not all that familiar with current Bare pricing.

MD

 

[AzAtty]

Send a private message to Bob3 on the board. He's a great resource on drysuit sizing and deals in the Viking suits.

 

[Genesis]

The Bare Nex-Gen is a very decent suit for the money. I dove one for an entire winter spearfishing and had zero trouble with it.

 

[JeffG]

Ok I have been reading the board, talking to people I know, and searching the web. I have been going back and forth between a semi-dry and dry. I think i have decided on dry. Mainly because the water temperature off Virginia Beach didn't get above 52 F at depth in 2003 until Hurricane Isabel came through.

I don't want to spend more than $1000 on the setup (suit, underware, hood) and I think a shell suit is the way to go. I'm tall (6'4") and thin (195 lbs) so that limits the companies that I can get an off the rack suit from. So taking all of this into consideration I have all but decided to go with the Bare Nex-Gen. I can get the entire package for $975 CND ($750 US).

Is this my best bet? I wanted to post to the board to see if anyone had an idea of another manufacturer that I should look at.

thnx

Well I'm also tall and thin and I found that Bare had many more sizes than most of the other manufactures. I'm 6' and 163 lbs and the MT was a great fit for me. Note: Leisure Pro only shows less then 1/2 of the sizes available for the Next Gen (In case thats where you were looking)

And Yes I like the Next Gen.

 

[LowTide]

I have the Trilam ATR light, which I think is one step above the NextGen, and it is great. I have no complaints!

 

[hex92]

I'm not buying from Leisure Pro since they don't carry tall sizes. I am right on the line between a Large Tall and XLT. Of course every dive shop listed on Bare's website as being a dealer in this area doesn't have a single suit in stock so I can't try one on.

I was going to buy from Divesource.com (located in canada), but a LDS - and by local I mean 55 miles away :frown: - that gives my place of employment a price break can sell it to me for the same price ($750 + tax). So I guess I will buy it from them. Its worth the extra $37 to have a semi-local store with a pool for support.

ps- the Viking drysuits are just too expensive. I know they are good suits, but I don't want to pay $250 more.

 

[Ming101]

I was in the market for a dry suit about this time last year and I went and tried on the bear tri in my local dive shop and I hated it. I am broad in the shoulders and it was a bastard to get off and on. I got this one from http://www.divers-supply.com heres another pic http://divemar.com/Divemar/docs/typhoon.html for $650 ( THEY where ASKING $850 ) mailed to my house. I tried alot of suits on at my LDS and they had this one there for $1200. So all in all I recomend you find a store or friend thats got one and try it on. My suit had a zipper thats about 4 inches longer and man doe it help me to get in and out.

 

[SparkySFD]

Dont forget about eBay. If you know what you want, really know what you want and are patient you can save some bucks.

I have tortured myself over this very thing for quite a few months. I actually had my Chief Financial Officer (Wife) talked into a $1700 suit. It was really going to cost me double that as I was going to have to let her buy a bunch of new furniture.

But I watched ebay like a hawk. I knew I wanted a DUI CF200. I almost won one from a guy that only lived a few miles away! He even let me come over and try it on. So I knew the size I needed for sure. If you find THE suit. Look at the companies website and get the measurement instructions. If you are an oddball size this may not work. I am tall but have a shorter torso in relation to my legs and gorilla arms. The telescoping torso was a real plus in this regard.

To make a long story short, I only spent $788 for a two year old DUI CF200 with the underwear and rock boots! I thought that was a pretty good deal. Its even the color I like (black). The rock boots are not going to fit, but I dont care. I'll sell them and either buy rock boots that fit or some converse chuck taylors.


p.s.- hex92 If your interested PM me. I know of a DUI TLS thats on ebay. Been watching it. I think it might fit you. Its on its second listing. If you want it, lemme know I might have a strategy, that may work on the auction. I thought about it. Really wanted the CF, but this one looks good. If my other fell through I was looking at this one as a backup.