Apeks KVR1 sizing query

[GuyCScuba]

Hey all,

I'm looking to invest in a new drysuit, and have had my eye on the Apeks KVR1 for a while.

I know this suit is designed to be a bit oversized on the inner layer, and due to that, what is the recommended protocol when considering sizes?

Normally I'd be an Xl, but my measurements (when wearing my undergarment) put me at the very top end of the range for the L/XL, and bang in the middle of the 2XL/3XL.

My measurements are: Height 5'11, Weight 225lbs, Chest 45", Waist 40", Hip 43", Inseam 33".

Do any of you have experience with this suit, and how baggy the underlayer is? If so, is it oversized enough that I can purchase the smaller of the two, or should I play it safe with the bigger.

Kind regards.

 

[ajduplessis]

L/XL is going to be to small IMO. I dive a Bullet in L/XL and I am 165, 5'8. The arms is maybe an inch to long for me and the socks 2 sizes to large, if I had to nitpick at something. You might fit in a L/XL but with little room for thermals. The best advise is always to fit the suit with full thermals to understand fit.

Too large or too small in not good fits options for drysuits.

 

[Zef]

I have a 2xl/3xl bullet. Here are my stats:

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 240lbs at time I purchased the suit; 185-190lbs now.
Inseam: 32 inches
Waist: 38+ at time I purchased suit; @34.5 inches now.
Shoulders: 44 inches
Neck: @16 inches

I find the inner suit to be comfortable but I am finding the outlayer to sag a little in the lower half sometimes especially right after I get out of the water. I should probably play with the pocket support bungees and see if that resolves anything. Overall I find the suit comfortable and I needed the extra space when I bought it.

You could probably do with the L/XL. As long as the shoulders are comfortable, as in the suit does not pull restrictively down on your shoulders when you are standing upright then you should be ok. If I was purchasing the suit based on my current measurements I would probably be leaning towards the L/XL. There is plenty of room in the inner bag so unless you have some weird body part proportions then the L/XL should fit if it fits comfortably when standing upright....also ensure there are no issues with your arms outstretched above your head (superman position).

My understanding is that there are options available with this suit that are not found in versions off the rack. For instance, one can have the suit ordered from Aqualung with a relief zipper installed across the front to make peeing when out of the water easier...I have this feature on a whitewater kayaking drysuit...on a diving drysuit one would need to weight this option and how often they would use it against installing a p-valve. The p-valve would be a smaller hole and less of a failure hazard in my opinion.

One can also order the suit with the inner layer of one size and the outer layer of another size. I am currently tossing around the idea of purchasing either an L/XL bullet skin or an L/XL lycra skin.

Any particular reason you want the kevlar version? Do you plan to dive in caves and wrecks where the added durability of the kevlar is desired? If not, it should be known that the kevlar version is really heavy when wet. The one thing I don't like about the bullet neoprene skin is that it is heavy when wet, the Kevlar more so because it starts out heavier.

I have a thermal fusion undersuit in Size 2xl/3xl and have only used it 3 times since buying it last June. I found I needed that size due to my weight at the time of purchase. I now don't need the extra girth and find it a bit too long in the crotch. If you need a 2xl/3xl fusion thermal I would be happy to trade mine for a L/XL.

-Z

 

[GuyCScuba]

L/XL is going to be to small IMO. I dive a Bullet in L/XL and I am 165, 5'8. The arms is maybe an inch to long for me and the socks 2 sizes to large, if I had to nitpick at something. You might fit in a L/XL but with little room for thermals. The best advise is always to fit the suit with full thermals to understand fit.

Too large or too small in not good fits options for drysuits.

Thanks for the info man. Unfortunately no shops near me carry the KVR1 so I have no chance to try them.

I must admit, I’m a sucker for Apeks gear, so naturally I want to purchase their products, but all things considered this suit is probably a bit overkill for the kind of diving I’m going to be participating in; so I’ll explore different options.

Thanks for the reply though, and I’ll keep it in mind for the future.

 

[GuyCScuba]

I have a 2xl/3xl bullet. Here are my stats:

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 240lbs at time I purchased the suit; 185-190lbs now.
Inseam: 32 inches
Waist: 38+ at time I purchased suit; @34.5 inches now.
Shoulders: 44 inches
Neck: @16 inches

I find the inner suit to be comfortable but I am finding the outlayer to sag a little in the lower half sometimes especially right after I get out of the water. I should probably play with the pocket support bungees and see if that resolves anything. Overall I find the suit comfortable and I needed the extra space when I bought it.

You could probably do with the L/XL. As long as the shoulders are comfortable, as in the suit does not pull restrictively down on your shoulders when you are standing upright then you should be ok. If I was purchasing the suit based on my current measurements I would probably be leaning towards the L/XL. There is plenty of room in the inner bag so unless you have some weird body part proportions then the L/XL should fit if it fits comfortably when standing upright....also ensure there are no issues with your arms outstretched above your head (superman position).

My understanding is that there are options available with this suit that are not found in versions off the rack. For instance, one can have the suit ordered from Aqualung with a relief zipper installed across the front to make peeing when out of the water easier...I have this feature on a whitewater kayaking drysuit...on a diving drysuit one would need to weight this option and how often they would use it against installing a p-valve. The p-valve would be a smaller hole and less of a failure hazard in my opinion.

One can also order the suit with the inner layer of one size and the outer layer of another size. I am currently tossing around the idea of purchasing either an L/XL bullet skin or an L/XL lycra skin.

Any particular reason you want the kevlar version? Do you plan to dive in caves and wrecks where the added durability of the kevlar is desired? If not, it should be known that the kevlar version is really heavy when wet. The one thing I don't like about the bullet neoprene skin is that it is heavy when wet, the Kevlar more so because it starts out heavier.

I have a thermal fusion undersuit in Size 2xl/3xl and have only used it 3 times since buying it last June. I found I needed that size due to my weight at the time of purchase. I now don't need the extra girth and find it a bit too long in the crotch. If you need a 2xl/3xl fusion thermal I would be happy to trade mine for a L/XL.

-Z

Cheers, that was a very helpful run down. I figure I’m on the high end of the L/XL spectrum, but I’m currently on a diet and am losing weight so am factoring that in.

Honestly I’m always drawn to Apeks products; I admire their craftsmanship and design, and I’m always looking for top quality equipment. Apeks usually fits the bill, and the flexibility and robustness of this suit attracts me.

Alas, the vast majority of the diving I do is shore; I sometimes do wrecks but never caves. So when considering the suit has heavy when wet, it seems it prove to be an impractical feature when walking to and from dive sites.

I think I’ll look at other, more suitable options.

Thanks for your detailed response, I’ll bare this in mind in the future.

 

[Zef]

For all practical purposes the Apeks KVR1 is the same suit as the Fusion Bullet (Apeks is owned by Aqualung)....it just has a kevlar outer skin layer instead of neoprene, comes with a hood instead of the hood being an option you pay for, and comes in a drybag type sac instead of a mesh duffle bag.

It is a tough as nails suit but unless one has a reason for spending the extra money like needing/wanting the robustness for certain environments the cost and weight penalty is not worth the money.

I like diving my Fusion Bullet. The aircore suits are all the same for the inner layer. The difference is the outlayer and the features present on it.

The Fusion Bullet is a robust suit with a 1mm layer of neoprene all around, has really good size pockets with easy to handle velcro closed flaps.

The Fusion Tech is almost as robust but features a combination of 1mm neoprene in the outer layer in high-wear areas and then the rest of the outer skin layer is lycra. It has pockets but some have complained they don't like the pocket design.

The Fusion Sport is less robust with an outer skin of lycra all around and no pockets. Some Bullet owners purchase the Sport skin as an after market option for travel to save on bulk and weight for packing and so the outer skin will dry quicker before departing a dive travel excursion.

The Fusion One is similar to the Fusion Sport but is back entry instead of the unique front/top entry design of the other Fusion models.

I wouldn't write of the design as there are multiple options within the Fusion line. That being said there are lots of really good suits on the market. I particularly like the Fusion because it accommodates a changing body morphology very well, is soft and flexible, and the aircore fabric is breathable to a degree out of the water.

Whatever you decide, fit/comfort should be your primary guiding factor.

-Z

 

[chris kippax]

I use a Fusion Bullet, it is butt ugly but dry as a bone!

 

[Marie13]

The Fusion socks are supposedly “one size fits most.” Hah!