Bare Custom Size Drysuit

[RobPNW]

Looking at some of the Bare drysuit options and the size charts. I have about a 32" waist, a 44" chest, and I'm 5' 8" tall LOL. Literally nothing fits me. I've used some rental style drysuits for the limited dives I have in cold water but I want to do more diving. Wearing off the shelf sizes are too long or too baggy around the waist or I lose upper body mobility etc. I know they all collapse into you at depth but all the folds and creases are either uncomfortable or add a lot of unnecessary drag.

Has anyone done a custom size suit yet? Any regrets? Was it a ton more expensive? I'd be willing to pay a few hundred more if it fit better and dives were more enjoyable.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Rob

 

[bobmaggi]

Check out SeaSkins drysuits out of England. Great pricing for custom suits. I ordered one, it takes about 8-9 weeks for delivery, mine is should show up beginning of Feb.

 

[newmanl]

Yup - a couple of years ago I pulled the trigger on my first made-to-measure drysuit in over 40 years of diving. Now with well over 200 dives on it, not a single regret, other than I should have done it a long time ago. I'm also not an 'off the rack' sized guy. I got a BARE HDC Tech Dry suit - I think they have phased out that model for new ones, but got it with a neo neck seal, latex cuffs, pockets and the neo boots (not neo socks). Like you I was prepared to spend a little more for the MTM service, but BARE seemed to include it. It has transformed my comfort level while diving. It was about 8-9 weeks from measuring to delivery. If this isn't my last drysuit, the next one will be custom as well!

 

[RobPNW]

Yup - a couple of years ago I pulled the trigger on my first made-to-measure drysuit in over 40 years of diving. Now with well over 200 dives on it, not a single regret, other than I should have done it a long time ago. I'm also not an 'off the rack' sized guy. I got a BARE HDC Tech Dry suit - I think they have phased out that model for new ones, but got it with a neo neck seal, latex cuffs, pockets and the neo boots (not neo socks). Like you I was prepared to spend a little more for the MTM service, but BARE seemed to include it. It has transformed my comfort level while diving. It was about 8-9 weeks from measuring to delivery. If this isn't my last drysuit, the next one will be custom as well!

Nice! As a PNW guy, I know I need a decent drysuit to really enjoy diving around here. One of my bucket list things is to go diving in the lakes in Iceland so I want to get my drysuit muscle memory squared away so I'm not thinking about that stuff when dealing with 34F glacier water. Hoping to do a few dozen drysuits dives this next year and then plan my trip. Figured if I'm going to pay $1500+ for a drysuit, it's worth a little more, if they charge it, to do it right.

 

[kelemvor]

My Bare HDC Tech is custom cut. It's my first and only drysuit so I can't comment other than this. I had the same problem as you, nothing in standard sizes was even close to being right. Not JUST from bare but other manufacturers as well.

One potential drawback will be if you ever try and resell the suit, a custom cut will be much harder to sell.

 

[CanadaDan]

I bought a used Bare Trilam and had them alter it to fit me (my LDS measured me up and sent it in to them). They did a good job... I wouldn't hesitate to order a new custom from them. I have some odd ratios myself (rather short legs for my torso and arm lengths)... a tailored suit is fantastic... dry or regular lol