Disappointed with Bare over SB System suit

[BrotherBear]

I am one of two divers in just the last week who tried to order the new Bare SB System drysuits at my diveshop and weren't able to. It wasn't (stricktly speaking) an availability issue...they reputedly deliver rather quickly. What it was was a SIZING issue.

It would seem that Bare subscribes to the theory that all divers should meet the size criteria set forth in their sizing charts. If you don't fall into their preassigned categories then you can't buy their suit. No deviations or alterations are allowed or available. If your gut is larger than they allow (and they don't allow much) then no SB suit for you! If your torso to leg ratio doesn't work with your chest size then you are screwed. Even if a 3xL torso with an XL pant would work well...nope...no suit. We called Bare directly and confirmed that this is their policy.

Maybe I was spoiled by the wonderful service I got from DUI (I hope they come up with an equivalent to the SB soon) but it seems like they are going to alienate a lot of potential customers by using such strict sizing criteria.

Does this approach make anyone else an un-Bare-able customer?

 

[grf88]

It may just be the nature of this model and material that it may no lend itself to custom cut. They certainly provide custom cut in at least some of their other drysuits.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Dominoes says no to changes in their artisan pizzas. Some materials do not lend themselves to changes as was noted. The material used may be precut for each suit size and not be easy to trim. I got a HOG suit before I became a dealer. The company that makes the suits for HOG and Edge makes every suit they sell to order. Takes 4-6 weeks to get but customs sizes are no big deal. They are bit more expensive since they are cutting something outside the normal pattern but it is not crazy. A couple hundred bucks or so. I just got my GF an Edge suit. Sent the measurements, got a price, suit was made to order and no surprises. It fits. Is your heart that set on the SB? Maybe another model they make can be custom cut. Or there are other mfg that will do custom for any suit they make. My first drysuit was an OS Systems custom and there was no issue getting it done that way and it was only $200 more than stock if I recall correctly.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Ron, Now it all comes together. You were looking to order a new suit and your beloved FLX50/50 overheard. How would you feel if you heard you were going to be replaced? You would probably fall apart and leak also. You are looking for a new suit? The Fusions do seam to be very "gut friendly".

 

[BrotherBear]

Dominoes says no to changes in their artisan pizzas. Some materials do not lend themselves to changes as was noted. The material used may be precut for each suit size and not be easy to trim. I got a HOG suit before I became a dealer. The company that makes the suits for HOG and Edge makes every suit they sell to order. Takes 4-6 weeks to get but customs sizes are no big deal. They are bit more expensive since they are cutting something outside the normal pattern but it is not crazy. A couple hundred bucks or so. I just got my GF an Edge suit. Sent the measurements, got a price, suit was made to order and no surprises. It fits. Is your heart that set on the SB? Maybe another model they make can be custom cut. Or there are other mfg that will do custom for any suit they make. My first drysuit was an OS Systems custom and there was no issue getting it done that way and it was only $200 more than stock if I recall correctly.

I have a very nice DUI custom suit. I was looking at selling that and going for the SB for it's light weight and incredible flexibility (have you checked these out in person?). I wasn't looking for full custom...no special cutting, all I needed was a larger top attached to shorter legs. No Dice. Their sizing on this suit would exclude most of the divers that I know. (Andy...Ian won't be getting one, certainly not Chris or Scott either)

Ron, Now it all comes together. You were looking to order a new suit and your beloved FLX50/50 overheard. How would you feel if you heard you were going to be replaced? You would probably fall apart and leak also. You are looking for a new suit? The Fusions do seam to be very "gut friendly".

Sorry, bud, you've got it backwards. My lovely DUI suit stopped playing nice in 45 degree water...I don't think it has much room to gripe if i shop around a bit

 

[CaboJim]

Um.. That's funny, I just got off the phone with a LDS, that told me that if my measurements didn't exactly fit their suit's( Bare SB) measurements(ie XL) that Bare would custom fit the suit to my measurements. The big difference would be that it would be 4-5 weeks to get the suit...
So, I called Bare, & yes, they said that if a particular measurement didn't fit, they would custom one to make it fit....

I saw this suit at the Dive show in Long Beach, a couple of weeks ago. Its an amazing suit. It stretches & is very light weight. I'm going to get fitted next week.
I'll let you know if they need to custom fit it...

 

[Valery]

Um.. That's funny, I just got off the phone with a LDS, that told me that if my measurements didn't exactly fit their suit's( Bare SB) measurements(ie XL) that Bare would custom fit the suit to my measurements. The big difference would be that it would be 4-5 weeks to get the suit...
So, I called Bare, & yes, they said that if a particular measurement didn't fit, they would custom one to make it fit....

My LDS told me the same after contacting Bare