Bare Drysuit suited for me?

[GRH]

The Tech Boots that come standard with the Guardian, they're attached. I also use Fourth Element's arctic socks. Which BTW are awesome.

While the standard Tech Boots look good I might want something a bit more robust, possibly go the rock boot route again but possibly go up a boot size. Puget Sound beach dives can be pretty rough and I have a lot to carry.

Interesting review on the suit. In the comments the reviewer answered a question about warmth and replied he felt even though it is neoprene, it is crushed to the point it doesn't feel any warmer than a trilam to him.

Thanks.

 

[Storker]

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.

Um, what? The drysuit keeps you (usually reasonably) dry, the undergarments keep you warm. If you think your suit is too warm or too cold, it isn't the suit's fault. You're using too thick or too thin undergarments.

The only thing the drysuit has to do with warmth is that it should provide just enough room for proper undergarments.

 

[GRH]

Understood. I have never owned a drysuit made out of Neoprene and was led to believe while researching a neoprene drysuit, including multiple threads in this forum, added a little bit of insulation over a trilam or shell based drysuit. in addition to appropriate undergarments'.

I could add layers in my SB but tended to feel more constricted the more layers I added and two pair of socks resulted in a tight fit for my feet. I was OK with the SB system two layer set up but didn't like adding the vest, just too much and was comfortable enough except for my feet and hands.

 

[lexvil]

A neoprene dry suit, that isn’t crushed like this, will be warmer, trapped gas in the material will insulate better.

 

[Storker]

I have never owned a drysuit made out of Neoprene and was led to believe while researching a neoprene drysuit, including multiple threads in this forum, added a little bit of insulation over a trilam or shell based drysuit. in addition to appropriate undergarments'.

It does.

However, a neoprene or compressed neoprene DS loses a lot of its insulation properties at depth, just like a neo wetsuit. A crushed neo drysuit is somewhat more elastic than a trilam, but has next to zero insulation properties. Just like a trilam.

If you're going dry and want to stay warm, work on the undergarments, not the suit. I may have mentioned it once (or twice, or most probably several times, oftener than you care for), but your base layer is vital. Did I mention that wool is totally superior? Nooo, never.

 

[kelemvor]

What kind of water temps are you dealing with? I think Storker dives very cold water. I dive freshwater springs that are about 72f. I generally only wear a lavacore or sometimes just shorts and a t-shirt under my trilam suit. The shorts/shirt is fine for an hour or so. I'm good all day with the lavacore for an undergarment. I come up shivering on the same dives with a 7mm neoprene wetsuit.

 

[Storker]

I think Storker dives very cold water.

A matter of definition, but by your (and many other's) standards, most probably.

But in any case, I've dived both compressed neo and trilam drysuits. And, frankly, just as many DS users prefer to use their BCD gas for buoyancy and their suit gas to counter squeeze (even if suit gas can be used for buoyancy), I prefer to let my undergarments take care of my warmth and ask my suit to just keep me (reasonably) dry. Even if a neo DS may provide quite a bit of warmth.

De gustibus and all that, of course.

 

[GRH]

It does.

However, a neoprene or compressed neoprene DS loses a lot of its insulation properties at depth, just like a neo wetsuit. A crushed neo drysuit is somewhat more elastic than a trilam, but has next to zero insulation properties. Just like a trilam.

If you're going dry and want to stay warm, work on the undergarments, not the suit. I may have mentioned it once (or twice, or most probably several times, oftener than you care for), but your base layer is vital. Did I mention that wool is totally superior? Nooo, never.

I simply commented on a review where I had an assumption neoprene drysuits added some insulation and learned the Bare high density, crushed. compressed, neoprene really doesn't add much if any and also doesn't change buoyancy at depth due to compression, unlike thicker neoprene drysuits.

I understand the role of undergarments, really I do.

Thanks.

 

[GRH]

What kind of water temps are you dealing with? I think Storker dives very cold water. I dive freshwater springs that are about 72f. I generally only wear a lavacore or sometimes just shorts and a t-shirt under my trilam suit. The shorts/shirt is fine for an hour or so. I'm good all day with the lavacore for an undergarment. I come up shivering on the same dives with a 7mm neoprene wetsuit.

Puget Sound, Seattle/Tacoma, WA. High 40 to low/mid 50's F.

Thanks.

 

[GRH]

For the record, my current undergarments are Bare SB system; Base Layer Top and Pant, Mid Layer Top, Pant and Vest. I rarely if ever wear the vest, it adds too much bulk and may make managing trim a bit more challenging but I haven’t worn it enough to be sure of that assumption.

For the most part, they keep me warm enough but when swimming slow with a large pro-sized DSLR camera housing with large port or dome and a pair of strobes, I'm not working hard enough to generate much body heat.

I'll give them a try if I can't repair my SB and buy a new drysuit and try other undergarment options if I need to.

Thanks.