How to break in a new Bare Dry Suit

[Soakedlontra]

In your post you mentioned a rush to take off your hood and neck seal. Any chance you were experiencing carotid squeeze from a tight neck seal? Was neck seal stretched and trimmed properly? Walking from your car to the water with the weight of the tank and strap/harness pressure can exacerbate restricting adequate blood flow to your head.

I did not stretch the neck before wearing the suit because I was afraid that it would become too loose and would not seal properly anymore. I understand that it is normal for a new neck seal to be tighter causing some discomfort in your neck blood vessels. When I tried at home my buddy told that my vessels looked constricted and I had a funny voice. Back on the beach with the weight of the gear I felt that my chest, neck and head were trapped inside a straitjacket and I began to think that I could not breath properly. I tried to relax but I couldn't, I guess some anxiety must have creeped in and that's why I hastily took the stuff off. As far as I can tell I may have had a carotid squeeze...

 

[bygolly]

This might make interesting reading for you.
Carotid sinus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After I read that article I trimmed my neck seal until my pulse rate remained unchanged after donning.

 

[Robert Gillcash]

Alleluia! After waiting for 3 and a half months last Saturday I got my new Bare dry suit. On Sunday I could not wait to do my first dive with it and went to Keystone jetty

That's unfortunate, but overall you will feel better about making a tough choice.
Some of my friends went to keystone also on Sunday, apparently there were five octopus at the end of the jetty....
Next time it will be much better!

 

[Soakedlontra]

You fit it while wearing your thickest undergarment right? And then you tried those various stretches, like the ones shown on page 10 of DUI's manual?

http://www.dui-online.com/pdf/drysuitmanual.pdf

I'm betting you already know this so don't mean to offend!! Best wishes!

I did the exercises, I tried the first two in the store but not the third = crouch and reach. I could not not do it as it is illustrated in the drawing. After that I did not feel like to cut even a clove of garlic with that suit on and promptly I took it off. I am convinced now that I got the wrong stock size! What a mess!

 

[RIdiverMike]

If you got a stock size, won't Bare replace it with a different size for you? Maybe they'd charge a fee or something but they should still help you somehow.

 

[Soakedlontra]

If you got a stock size, won't Bare replace it with a different size for you? Maybe they'd charge a fee or something but they should still help you somehow.

I am going to take it back to the store where I bought it from and take it from there...I don't know what kind of return policy it has...Wish me good luck!

 

[divad]

Alleluia! After waiting for 3 and a half months last Saturday I got my new Bare dry suit. On Sunday I could not wait to do my first dive with it and went to Keystone jetty...

but my body thought otherwise...

I could not get in the water. I felt I was inside a straight jacket, my heart beat went crazy and I began to feel a sense of claustrophobia. It seemed that I could not breath and I had to drop my tank on the beach, pull off the hood and free myself of the neck seal...I have never experienced anything like that with my semi-dry and my old dry suit (well that was used so doesn't count I guess).

So back home I decided to wear the suit inside my house while cooking:

and checking my e-mails

until I began to feel too hot and uncomfortable.

My plan is to keep wearing the dry suit at home for a while to break it in before passing to the next step: snorkeling and eventually diving with it...​

Thanks......for the pictures This is hilarious.

 

[Soakedlontra]

Thanks......for the pictures This is hilarious.

I am glad that somebody is laughing here!:depressed:

 

[coldwaterdufus]

It's not the drysuit, it's the fit. I've never had any issues with my Bare Nexgen. It's a great suit. You need to get a suit that fits you properly, including the squeeze when you get rid of the trapped air inside. Yes, it will feel tight. If that is an issue, continue doing what you are doing to get used to it. I also agree with the trim your neck seal post. A little bit at a time until it feels comfortable, but still a good seal. Trim it too much and you will be buying a new neck seal. Again, this will take some getting used to. Personally, from what I've read here, either your suit doesn't fit you or you need to trim the neck seal or both. Good luck.

 

[Soakedlontra]

It's not the drysuit, it's the fit. I've never had any issues with my Bare Nexgen. It's a great suit. You need to get a suit that fits you properly, including the squeeze when you get rid of the trapped air inside. Yes, it will feel tight. If that is an issue, continue doing what you are doing to get used to it. I also agree with the trim your neck seal post. A little bit at a time until it feels comfortable, but still a good seal. Trim it too much and you will be buying a new neck seal. Again, this will take some getting used to. Personally, from what I've read here, either your suit doesn't fit you or you need to trim the neck seal or both. Good luck.

Thanks! I do like the suit even if I am spoiled with the Mobby's easy entry (it's probably the easiest dry suit to get into). I am not going to try to break it anymore. I am convinced now that I need a bigger stock size. I am planning to discuss this with the Bare folks at the Dive & Travel Expo in Tacoma.