Aqualung fusion vs Bare trilam

[Marie13]

I have a dry core (5 years now)- The aircore looks awesome, but I was wondering if it much heavier and/or is it any more buoyant than the dry core? Does it require more lead?

Seems the same to me.

 

[ajduplessis]

Just for accuracy, it was Aqua Lung that acquired Whites, although I'm not sure what the business arrangement is with Apeks since they do make the Kevlar version of the Fusion and supply the valves for Fusions.
http://www.aqualung.com/militaryandprofessional/press/whites_manufacturing_join_aqua_lung.pdf

yes correct, i made a mistake

 

[The_Goat]

Are the fusion air cores identical in all the models? Just asking cause during my reading one could buy the tech or rec model for $2000 and just add the bullet skin for $600 more. Instead of buying the bullet with air core for $2700?

 

[Trailboss123]

Are the fusion air cores identical in all the models? Just asking cause during my reading one could buy the tech or rec model for $2000 and just add the bullet skin for $600 more. Instead of buying the bullet with air core for $2700?

It is my understanding that the skins are all interchangeable beginning with the Sport Skin and on up. Only skin that is stand alone and not interchangeable is the Fusion One, as it is a back zip.

 

[Diver0001]

Just looking for opinions on which drysuit would be better? The Aqualung Fusion or the Bare trilam?

I have yet to dive either but am diving the Bare in two weeks to try it out.

Thanks

I can't advise you about the Aqualung suit but I've been diving 35 years and I have had 35 years of proof that BARE suits are really good.

I lived in Vancouver when Fitzgerald (the name of BARE at the time) was looking for test divers to try a new type of material they were developing... trilaminate. I signed up, got selected and was one of the first divers on my block to dive a trilaminate suit. At the time they looked a lot different than they do today. They were bright blue and the material looked a lot like plasticized tent material. It had a power-inflator on the chest (most drysuits at the time still had inflator hoses attached to the chest that were used orally) and the outlet vent was a small valve on the left wrist that you needed to actuate manually (pressing it) rather than having it vent automatically like the ones we have today.

The suit was amazing. Part of that was that it was custom cut for my body so it fit like a glove. The trilam never leaked and I had no failures of any of the components during the whole time I tested it. At the time the suit seemed to have no down sides, although when compared to modern suits it required more attention to dive in and the material was as stiff as the skin of a kayak compared to what we use today.

Nevertheless I continued to use BARE suits throughout my diving career and never had one that I was unhappy with.

I "cheated" on BARE once by buying a Mares drysuit. I did this because the shop I was teaching for was Mares dealer and I could get the suit cheap.

I had to return two of them because of severe quality issues. The third time they offered me yet another new suit and I asked for my money back (which to Mares' credit they did without any argument or delay -- their customer service is top-shelf!) and I bought another BARE suit. I've been happy as can be with it. It was more expensive but it does what a drysuit does best.... it stays dry.

And before you think I'm just slagging off Mares, I have to say that their suit was PERFECT except for being a tea-bag. It fit like a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It was far and away the most comfortable drysuit I had ever used..... it was just jinxed by a quality issue in the material they used.

R..

 

[Zef]

I have a dry core (5 years now)- The aircore looks awesome, but I was wondering if it much heavier and/or is it any more buoyant than the dry core? Does it require more lead?

The drycore fabric is slightly thinner from my recollection, the last time I handled a drycore Fusion suit was a couple of months ago. The thinness difference is due to the waterproof/breathable laminate the Aircore fabric is made from compared to the thin waterproof/non-breathable fabric the Drycore is made from. There is no buoyancy difference between the 2 types of fabric, so no increase/decrease in lead is needed.

My suit is made from Aircore material and I find it very comfortable in and out of the water. In comparison, my wife's techniflex USIA suit which seems to be a urethane coated (inside) trilaminate suite, I can only imagine how sweltering she will be as the airtemp warms up before the water temp here, and then as summer rolls in, she will need to switch to a wetsuit as I continue to dive dry by adjusting my layers.

Supple, flexible, waterproof, breathable, adaptable to changing weather and diving conditions and/or changing body morphology. To me the Fusion Aircore suits are a total winner.

-Z

 

[Zef]

It is my understanding that the skins are all interchangeable beginning with the Sport Skin and on up. Only skin that is stand alone and not interchangeable is the Fusion One, as it is a back zip.

The only thing to note is that in the past the Bullet model had its outer-skin attach around the main zipper via zippers and the lower tier models were attached via velcro. I don't know if it was the 2017 or 2018 model year but sometime in the last 2 years, Aqualung did away with the velcro attachment system around the main zipper and started using zippers to attach the skins around the main zipper.

There is still old stock out there that is velcro only...so if one is looking at purchasing a replacement skin this is something that needs to be asked about prior to purchase. DRIS currently stocks both the old (velcro) and new (zipper) type skins, just need to specify what is needed when ordering.

-Z

 

[Zef]

I'm not sure what the business arrangement is with Apeks since they do make the Kevlar version of the Fusion and supply the valves for Fusions.

The business arrangement is that Aqualung acquired Apeks in 1997. Apeks is Aqualung's premium/tech line of gear...kind of how Maker's Mark is Jim Beam's premium label (actually both are now owned by the Japanese company Suntory).

-Z

 

[Trailboss123]

The only thing to note is that in the past the Bullet model had its outer-skin attach around the main zipper via zippers and the lower tier models were attached via velcro. I don't know if it was the 2017 or 2018 model year but sometime in the last 2 years, Aqualung did away with the velcro attachment system around the main zipper and started using zippers to attach the skins around the main zipper.

There is still old stock out there that is velcro only...so if one is looking at purchasing a replacement skin this is something that needs to be asked about prior to purchase. DRIS currently stocks both the old (velcro) and new (zipper) type skins, just need to specify what is needed when ordering.

-Z

Good to know!

 

[RVBldr]

The business arrangement is that Aqualung acquired Apeks in 1997. Apeks is Aqualung's premium/tech line of gear...kind of how Maker's Mark is Jim Beam's premium label (actually both are now owned by the Japanese company Suntory).

-Z

Didn't know they were owned by AL, thanks.