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Just booked onto a Blackbeards in mid March. This will be my first dedicated dive live-a-board so I am not terribly knowledgeable when it comes to exposure protection for repetetive diving in warm waters. Looking to this forum for any advise, suggestions, opinions, etc.
My LDS (and i prefer to purchase locally,) carries the Bare line. I am relatively familiar with the Bare cold water products as I dive Bare 7mm wet and am purchasing a Bare trilam ATR HD dry for cold water work. But I am at a loss when it comes to their warm water line up.
I am leaning towards the Bare Velocity 5/4 Fullsuit for the Blackbeards trip. I am assuming this will be more than enough exposure protection for 3 or 4 dives a day in Bahamian waters in March. Or should I look at something lighter? Would appreciate any advise board members could offer.
Also, any feedback (good or bad) concerning this particular suit would be greatly appreciated.
i myself am leaning towards a Bare Velocity 5/4 for winter diving here in South Florida (72 deg coldest)
currently ive been using a 3/2 with a 3mm shorty and 6.5 mm hood
i figure a 1 peice 5mm would be alot easier to put on and less restricting
i like that this suit comes in a wide variety of sizes with a chart comparing measurements. porportionally my limbs are short and im barrel chested, so i usually end up with alot of slack in the limbs
i have yet to try one on in the store
a local retailer is selling them here for $179
I was looking at one as well for some diving in Cyprus in April with water temperatures around 17 celcius. I haven't had the chance to try one on yet as there are very few distributors anywhere near me in England but before I go to Cyprus, I am going back to Winnipeg for a couple of weeks and I was going to try one on at my local LDS.
I figured it was a good suit to purchase as if I do decide to do some more cold water diving, I can always supplement it with a 2-3mm vest.
I use my BARE 4/5 for all my tropical diving, Caribbean and Indo Pacific. It is very good for all temperature ranges that I run into and as I am taking photos and not moving around much I appreciate the heavier and warmer suit over all the 3mm full suits that I had before. With a 3mm suit I carried a vest and hood, with the 4/5 I don't carry either anymore. I also like BARE's fit.