bare wetsuit

[steven1513]

There is a big price difference between the Elastek and Velocity series. Is there a big difference in stretch/comfort?

 

[NorthO]

I have a bare drysuit with a standard and elastek hood, 3/2 sport, 5/4 velocity, 7 alpine vest with hood and 7 elastek... Could say I'm a fan too!

I love my sport and elastek, the velocity and vest a bit less but maybe it's that I took a bit of weight since I bought them...

The difference in comfort between standard and elastek is huge if you go 5 mils and thicker (my personal feeling), but not so much for thin ones.

 

[schu1842]

I dive a Bare 6/7 at the Newport Aquarium and have been toasty warm in all the tanks. Great wetsuit.

 

[kiming]

I wore a Bare 3mm Progressive stretch suit on two trips to Cozumel last year. It's easy to put on, comfortable to wear and warm for me in 78 degree F water.

 

[scubabudie]

I have had my 7mm semi-dry for about ten years. I dive in New England into December. I have used it in 41 degree water. It was fine. I am in the process now of looking for a new wetsuit.

 

[Karibelle]

There is a big price difference between the Elastek and Velocity series. Is there a big difference in stretch/comfort?

I think so, yes. I have a 3 mm Velocity and a 3 mm Elastek, and also a 5 mm of each model (I know - so many wetsuits). The Elastek is much softer, stretchier, fits better.

-kari

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I have a 3/2 mm progressive stretch full and a 3/2mm shorty. I was told that the progressive stretch will compress and loose shape with diving so I was skeptical in the beginning. Since it was a cheap suit $110 if I remember correctly I thought Id buy it and then look towards upgrading to a custom made expensive suit that would last a life time. It turned out that the suit stoodvery well to the abuse of diving. I have close to 50 dives on my bare velocity and it still looks and feels like new! It also fits like a glove and keeps me warm down to 72 degree water. I have given up the idea of buying a custom suit altogether. I will use it for as long as it goes and then buy another one.

Bare makes very good products and I think their cheaper end suits give you a huge bang for the buck!

 

[Sea Lioness]

I have two 2-pc 7mm BARE wetsuits, with the full jumpsuit and the "hooded vest" (that also includes shorts) which goes over the jumpsuit, and I like them a lot. I usually dive in 32-50 deg F water, and while my drysuit beats any wetsuit anyday, when my drysuit is unavailable (getting new seals, for example) I'm still quite warm in those 2-piece BARE wetsuits. If I'm in water temps from 55-65 deg F, I will dive just the full jumpsuit without the "hooded vest" over it, and use a wetsuit hood instead. As others have mentioned, BARE seems to make wetsuits that fit really well. I like BARE's extra sizing options for women divers enough that I wrote it up on my scuba blog. I don't know as much about their men's sizing, but they definitely make some good suits that a lot of divers I know (male and female) are very happy with.

 

[TheCanuck]

I just came back from a week in Roatan. I dive a 3/2mm Bare Sport(the cheaper model) and was quite warm in 79degree water. In fact, I usually let in water once or twice per dive by stretching the collar a bit to cool me down. 4 of us were diving the sport, 3 the Velocity and not one complaint amongst us.

 

[tjmills]

I used my 5mm suit in the Denver Aquarium for lots of dives and almost nothing holds up well there with the amount of diving you do over the years. My Bare suit looks almost as good as the day I bought it. I am a fan of their suits.

I am thinking about replacing my old 3mm with the Elastek, anyone have any comments on this one?