Fit of Mares 6.5mm Trilastic Isotherm Semi-Dry Jumpsuit

[wirelessboy]

Hi! I am thinking of buying a Mares Isotherm Semi-Dry wetsuit. The thing is, when I look at the sizing chart it says that a small starts at 36" chest and I am a 35". Does anyone know how these suits typically fit? Thanks.

 

[ean3x]

I dive an Isotherm and my suit fits snug in the upper arms and legs. Very snug in the calf and forearm area. Loose in the torso and chest area. It's not supposed to fit very tight in the body. If it did you would never get it on because of the rear entry drysuit zipper. DO NOT BUY ONE WITHOUT TRYING IT ON FIRST AND MAKE SURE THE SEALS FIT VERY SNUG AROUND YOUR WRIST AND ANKLES. You have to roll the seals in for it to seal properly.
One way to take up some of the extra space is to wear a sweat shirt. I always wear a t-shirt with my suit. It keeps you a little warmer. Just make sure you change shirts between dives if it gets wet, trust me. You will be very happy with the Isotherm. I dive in 38 degree water with mine. Not exactly a drysuit but I rarely get wet past my elbows and knees.
Oh yeah, DO NOT PEE IN IT!!! Its not like a wetsuit, you can't lie and get away with it.
Hope I helped.

 

[Kern]

Loose in the torso and chest area. It's not supposed to fit very tight in the body. If it did you would never get it on because of the rear entry drysuit zipper.

This will turn out not to be the case. Get 1 that fit's properly, it'll work much better. A semi dry is nothing but a glorified wet suit. So it has to fit like 1 or it can't work well.

Not exactly a drysuit but I rarely get wet past my elbows and knees.

So, if your torso doesn't get wet there's an air pocket around it. How do you deal with the suit squeeze.

Sorry but I hear this all the time & I'm yet to see anyone get out of a semi wet suit, dry. Semi dry, semi wet, it's about as sensible as saying someone is a little bit pregnant.

 

[Bowtie22]

This will turn out not to be the case. Get 1 that fit's properly, it'll work much better. A semi dry is nothing but a glorified wet suit. So it has to fit like 1 or it can't work well.



So, if your torso doesn't get wet there's an air pocket around it. How do you deal with the suit squeeze.

Sorry but I hear this all the time & I'm yet to see anyone get out of a semi wet suit, dry. Semi dry, semi wet, it's about as sensible as saying someone is a little bit pregnant.

The suit is pretty warm.... I have had mine in 40 degree water and I was fine.... You will get a little wet usually when you move your wrists around a lot but never really past the elbows or knees.....

Now what Kern mentioned about dealing with the squeeze that is another story...... Since there is air trapped inside of the suit it squeezes the s!@# out of you especially where you don't want to be squeezed if you know what I mean..... I have taken mine down to about 110ft and it was not comfortable at all..... I would rather use my drysuit than be squezed like that but it is a good alternative to a drysuit if you don't have the money for one (if you can deal with the squeeze).

In my opinion Mares got a little over there heads when they had the idea of this suit with no way to equalize the pressure in this suit (what were they thinking... it is one of the 1st things divers ever learn is equalizing air spaces to prevent a squeze). I have been really close to attempting to modify the suit with an inflator and an exhaust valve to see if it would make the suit more usable.....

 

[ean3x]

Yes Kern, you are right. "Loose" is a bad choice of words. And absolutely buy gear that fits properly. Not only does it work better it is safer. But if the Mares Isotherm ("glorified wetsuit" as you put it) fit like a wetsuit you would NEVER be able to get it on. And yes, even though my Mares Isotherm is (chose one: "a little loose" or "snug but not tight like a wetsuit") it works well, very well. As a matter of fact it fits properly also. If you wear yours tight like a wet suit you are the exception and very limber. Take a look at the Mares website, you can see that it is not tight on the guy wearing it. Look closely under his arm. It's hard to see but you can see where the material is "loose". Its more visible in the catalog. As I stated before, the arms and legs are tight. They are supposed to fit like a wetsuit, very snug. I am sure that is Mares meant the suit to fit tight in the torso they would have made it that way. They've been around a long time and they know what they are doing.

Some other brands of semi drysuits are made to fit like wetsuits. They are not made like the Isotherm. Some companies call their 6mil suits a semi dry. They don't even have drysuit zippers like the Isotherm does. (another reason it can't fit like a wetsuit.) I have worn some of these suits and yes they fit like a wetsuit and are wet like wetsuits. Maybe you are thinking of one of these "lesser" type suits.

As for the squeeze, I do a pre-dive purge like you would do with a drysuit. The "air Pocket" is very very small. Its not like it looks like a balloon. Squeeze is minimal but its also something you have to deal with. Also, the water I dive is so cold squeeze is not an issue, if you know what I mean. But if it does get bad I just wear a cup. Just kidding.

Lastly, I made the part up about and I quote myself: "I rarely get wet past my elbows and knees". It was a straight up LIE. Yes I appologize to everyone. I AM SORRY. What I meant to say is that I NEVER GET WET PAST MY ELBOWS AND KNEES.
Isn't it funny how someone that doesn't even know you can all but call you a liar? If you don't believe me I invite you to dive with me and watch me get out of my semi DRY, dry. Wait, I guess I'm just a little bit wet.

There are 3 types of people in this world, those who are semi dry, and those who are semi wet and those who pee in their semi dry (I guess that makes them semi wet). I am a semi dry type person. What are you?

Kern, I am curious to know if you own a Mares Isotherm or any other brand of semi drysuit. If you do own a semi dry, how many dives have you made in it?

 

[ean3x]

Bowtie22, if you alter you suit with inf/ext valves let me know how it works.

 

[bvmjethead]

I have a Mares Semi Dri Isotherm, 2007 model and I'm very happy with it.

No squeeze and I've never been wet past my elbow's or my knees.

 

[jl5619718]

I just bought one a couple weeks ago and have been very happy with it diving in low 60 degree water.

The fit is a bit odd. Mares should take a look at how they size these. I wear Med-Large for any other manufacturer but wear an X-Large for the Mares. It is pretty snug across the shoulders and arms, okay in the chest, loose around the stomach and pelvis and ok (some spots are loose) in the legs. The ankle seals leak the most but the wrist and neck seals are fine.

Some squeeze occasionally but leakage from the ankles keeps it from being unbearable.

FYI my stats are 5'9" and 175lbs. Trim build

Definitely try on the suit before buying since the sizing seems to be weird.

 

[ajmataz]

This will turn out not to be the case. Get 1 that fit's properly, it'll work much better. A semi dry is nothing but a glorified wet suit. So it has to fit like 1 or it can't work well.



So, if your torso doesn't get wet there's an air pocket around it. How do you deal with the suit squeeze.

Sorry but I hear this all the time & I'm yet to see anyone get out of a semi wet suit, dry. Semi dry, semi wet, it's about as sensible as saying someone is a little bit pregnant.

They're called "semi-dry" because it has rubber seals similar to a dry suit but still made of neoprene. What gets somebody cold in regular wetsuits is when cold water circulates into the suit and displaces the water warmed by the body. The semi-dry prevents this by either keeping the water completely out, or keeps the warm water in.

So like previously posted...don't pee in it.

There is a squeeze, but nothing that a little tug from the neck line won't fix - simple enough. However, I get cold easily. I live in the PNW and just went diving two days ago in 51 degree temp and I was kinda cold, but not enough that would keep me from diving here. But I was also cold in Maui in 75 degree temp in a 2/3 mil, so take it for what's it's worth. Personally, I wouldn't be able to do a 40 degree dive in the semi-dry. However, the cold isn't from getting wet, it's just from the coldness of the water, if you know what I mean.

Overall, love the suit.

 

[Golyth]

JL56, I am 5'8" 210 lb's. I fluctuate between 190 and 210 depending on my job. I am wearing an XL trilastic and I am looking at the iso therm. My chest is 44. Do you think I should move up to the XXL or something like an XXL short. I don't have ready access to try one on and I will probably be ordering.
Take care,