Need Help! Bare Velocity, AL SolAfx, or Hollis Neo Tek Semi-Dry?

[Narc'dSculpin]

Hello all, I am in the market for a new semi-dry suit, and am looking at these three on leisurepro. The Bare 8/7mm is on sale at $289, on clearance since it's last years model.

Bare 8/7mm Velocity Sem-Dry Men's Hooded Suit at LeisurePro

I dive mostly in SD and LA in Southern California, so water temps are rarely below 50, but would like the ability to do some Monterey diving in Northern CA, which could get into the mid-40's. Most of my dives are 90-130ft with some light deco.

I am interested in pursuing tech and deep wreck diving, which I know I really need a drysuit for, but that is not in the budget for now, so I'm looking for a quality semi-dry for the mean time.

I've read all the threads I can, and the SolAfx seems to be the most popular, and the NeoTek has pretty good reviews too. Does anyone have experience with the Bare? The Bare just seems like a great deal, and at the end of the day it's just a wetsuit, it won't last forever, and I'll get a solid drysuit soon enough.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[scubamarketing]

I’ve personally used both the Bare and the Hollis doing ~2-3 hour dives in the caves near Playa del Carmen (~70ºF) and have been warm enough to need to flush fresh water through at times. Most of my diving is Oregon/Washington, so a tiny bit cooler than you’d experience in California, but I personally dive a dry suit around here. I’d think a semi-dry may work for shorter dives, but I’d probably budget in something like a Lavacore or Sharkskin underlayer.

 

[1bubbleoff]

Narced-

My opinion...based on experiance...NONE OF THE ABOVE!

For what you indicate you PLAN to dive in the future...do yourself a favor. Put that money toward a GOOD drsuit that FITS you. I have and dive semi-dry..and quite frankly am a HUGE proponent of a good semi dry. I LOVE...I mean LOVE... my SP Nova Scotia 6.5mm. I'd probably have freakin married it if it...errr...anyway. Point is... A PROPERLY fitting semi dry will work well in colder waters. ( Wisconsin diver here) and I've had mine in 39 degree water. Core was fine ...good for almost 30 minutes. But make no mistake...NOTHING will be warmer than a good drysuit that fits YOU properly with the proper thermal protection. And a semi dry doing teck/deco down the road simply will NOT cut it for long dive/hang times. It IS a safety issue. DCS and cold have a known relationship.
I can spend the same 30 minutes in my BARE ATS trilam in a 200 gm undergarment...in 39 degree water..with similar results...but add a another layer or go to 400 gr undergarment..and its a whole nother story. Warm and toasty for the most part...AND I'm not limited to a single dive day cause of mild hypothermia or my hands impersonating the claws of a pizzed off Peregrine falcon lol.

Buy 3 times before you find the right tool for the job..or invest your resources in the PROPER gear for the planned dive profile now. Theres a definite place for a semi dry...its just NOT here...imo based on your percieved profiles.

HINT: Watch the SB classifieds closely...ALOT of VERY good drysuits come up VERY often at VERY reasonable prices. Be patiant...and make SURE you know what will do the job and will work FOR YOU. Educate yourself about whats available and narrow your choices to the proper tool. Then watch... it's just a matter of time.

And one more thing...do yourself a REAL favor. GET PROPER DS TRAINING. It's a safety issue..and will REALLY help with relearning to dive. Cause thats EXACTELY what you'll be doing going dry.

Best of luck!!

BUBS

 

[Narc'dSculpin]

BUBS, I really appreciate your advice. I understand that a drysuit is an absolute requirement for the type of diving I plan on doing in the future, but that is a little ways away, as I do not have the budget for the proper gear and training to do that within the next year, just wanted to give an idea of where I'd like to go.

I need a new suit for the diving I do now, which is mostly local, in the 90-130ft range. I figure even once I have a nice drysuit, there are times when a solid wetsuit will come in handy as well, and for under $300, that Bare seems like it's worth a shot while I save for a drysuit, twin reg set, and training.

By the way, what do you mean by "DS training"?

 

[chillyinCanada]

I dove Mares
until I discovered Bare Velocity.

 

[Aquavelvet]

You may want to budget another $200 for a Lavacore or similar undergarment to go with your semi-dry. As a bonus, that kind of undergarment can be used instead of a thin wetsuit in warm locations, such as Cozumel. I have a pretty good tolerance for cold, but I wouldn't dive in Monterey without a dry suit. I just use lighter undergarments than here in Puget Sound. Dry suits maintain their warmth at depth due to being able to add air inside the suit.

DS training refers to dry suit training. It's necessary due to needing to know how to properly manage the air bubble inside the suit.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

---------- Post added October 27th, 2014 at 11:27 PM ----------

A serendipitous post in another sub-forum:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7255385


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[decompression]

For dives in that depth, for safety and warmth, a drysuit is really the way to go. Keep an eye out and use that money towards a drysuit.

 

[Narc'dSculpin]

Seems like a lot of folks are saying drysuit, which I was half expecting. What do you guys think of this Bare Next Gen Pro:

Bare NEX-GEN Pro Men's Dry Suit, Black at LeisurePro

It seems like the shell style drysuits would be more versatile for me, and I could use it year-round in California by changing the undergarments. What are the big differences between bilam and trilam suits?

 

[decompression]

Nex gen is a solid suit. I've used one for a back up for years. Bi-lam vs tri-lam really doesn't mean much, cost mainly. I do prefer a shell suit for its ability to use different undergarments and no buoyancy shift of neoprene suits. A drysuit is the way to go.