Bare Drysuit suited for me?

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GRH

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Current Bare Drysuit options best suited for me?

I haven’t been diving for the last few years but recently retired and want to get in the water again. Unfortunately, when taking my BARE SB Dry suit out of storage I found a critter, likely a mouse, had chewed a small hole through the drysuit near the knee. I contacted Bare and they replied the suit couldn’t be repaired because the material was no longer available.

The best the offered was a 20% discount on trade-in. While I hadn’t yet noticed the common delamination issues, I assume I would have eventually and the SB was discontinued.

What I liked about the SB was fit, flexibility, ease of rinsing and drying to name a few. What I didn’t like was warmth. Diving in Puget Sound has a lot to do with that and I tend to get cold easier than many I dive with but I don’t like to be cold. My feet and hands especially, the feet likely because my rock boots were just a little too small and with drysuit gloves holding a large camera housing my hands would get cold. I doubt the feet and hands issue were due to the SB.

Assuming I can get a better trade-in from Bare, what recommendations for current model Bare Drysuits? I have heard Neoprene suits tend to be warmer. I like rock boots to deal with the beach diving I like to do but would consider other options if they keep my feet warmer. Finding a larger boot size may be all I need though.
The Sentry Tech Dry looks good but I’m not finding many reviews.

As a photographer with a large pro sized DSLR housing, mobility, flexibility and easy air control are important. I am open to the top end suits, including tech, but don’t plan on tech diving.

I tend to be a strait off the rack large with the exception of 12 to 13 size feet with a high instep and large hands. Fit, 6’ tall, 190 pounds.

Thanks.
 
have you contacted a 3rd party repair like d3 diving to see if they can just patch it?

It wouldn't hurt for me to ask but I remember due to the three fabric construction even adding pee valves or pockets was a challenge if it could be done at all. I wonder if patching a hole would be as challenging due to the fact the layers are unique materials, no longer made, and delaminated even when they were designed to be laminated together? What could be used to patch it and could it be secured?
 
I have the Expedition HD2 Tech Dry - BARE Sports and i am really happy with it!
A guy from our dive club has the X-Mission Evolution - BARE Sports and it looks a little bit better. Don't know if it is worth the price difference though.

All in all i think that BARE is a pretty decent brand and if you cannot fix your drysuit you should use the special deal they are offering you.
 
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They have some suits I like but...

If it were me I would look at ordering a Seaskin and patching the present suit and use it while I wait, they (Bare) have some lower cost suits that once you take 20% off are a decent price but more than a Seaskin, advantage is no wait.

I would love to try their sentry techdry, like the front zip in plastic but a pinnacle black ice is 1/2 the cost...
 
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I have the Expedition HDC tech and like it. I gather there have been some improvements as they replaced it with the HD2 tech. No idea what the difference is in the new version.

Had a good experience with the warranty replacement of the zipper in the first year I had it.
 
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For my 2 cents, I have the Bare Guardian Tech, custom fit. And I LOVE it. It's the driest and warmest I've ever been. I also dive in the Puget sound, and have yet to experience cold feet (something which before this suit was a regular experience for me.) I recently had a cold hands on my last dive, but nothing I couldn't handle, and I suspect it was due to lack of air in my dry gloves.

If you can't get your suit repaired, and you have the money. I would highly recommend a custom fitted suit from Bare. Especially the Guardian.. or the Sentry which is the male version. :)
 
For my 2 cents, I have the Bare Guardian Tech, custom fit. And I LOVE it. It's the driest and warmest I've ever been. I also dive in the Puget sound, and have yet to experience cold feet (something which before this suit was a regular experience for me.) I recently had a cold hands on my last dive, but nothing I couldn't handle, and I suspect it was due to lack of air in my dry gloves.

If you can't get your suit repaired, and you have the money. I would highly recommend a custom fitted suit from Bare. Especially the Guardian.. or the Sentry which is the male version. :)

What kind of boots do you use?

Thanks.
 
What kind of boots do you use?

Thanks.

The Tech Boots that come standard with the Guardian, they're attached. I also use Fourth Element's arctic socks. Which BTW are awesome.
 
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BTW, here's a pretty good review of the Sentry when it was being prototyped.
 
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https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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