Mares Tech Fit LX - Any thoughts or experiences?

[dive_turkey]

So, the LDS has a pretty solid deal on a Mares Tech Fit LX in my size (Large). I'm the only person that's been in the suit in the water, so it'd be new to me as far as I'm concerned. With the used gear price, and the VAT exclusion, I would be somewhere around $900 for a brand new drysuit. My dry suit certification dive is taking place this sunday in the same suit I'm considering purchasing.

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this line? To me, it seems like a pretty solid Cordura based Tri-lam drysuit, has a great fit for my size, and backed by a decent warranty and trustworthy LDS.

I know I can probably score a used drysuit for less here on SB, and I've been looking, but I also know that it would always be a gamble with size/fit. I also don't mind paying a little extra to support the LDS, so long as I'm not being overly cavalier with my hobby cash.

What do you think? I'm ready to hear opinions on the suit, the LDS consideration, the cost, as well as reasonable alternate courses of action. One of which is to continue to rent the suit at 15 euro per use until somebody else buys it, leaving me without a rental option going into my mountain dives this March... (PS, it's cold here in Europe)

Thanks for the help! Dive safe!
-Luke

---------- Post added September 20th, 2013 at 11:09 PM ----------

Correction: Overall price would be around $1,070

 

[dive_turkey]

Can I bump my own thread with a caveat... I just did.

I'd like any advice on spending $1,000 on my first new drysuit.

I completed two OW dives with the suit today.
1) I was considerably warmer now that I'm wearing the proper under-garments (picked up a Fourth Element Halo 3D on super clearance yesterday - IT IS AWESOME!) Also, wearing a hood and gloves made everything better, too!
2) I paid more attention to the suit today, and it is well constructed. Reasonably easy to don and doff alone, and absolutely air/water tight. I will need to trim the seals down one or two more rings as they are uncomfortably tight, though breathing and circulation in my hands was not affected. (This is one advantage to owning and not simply continuing to rent)
3) The suit is definitely the right size. There was no bunching of material or limited freedom in movement.
4) I'm still the only person to have been in the water with this suit, so it is bran new with only two pool dives and two OW dives, all conducted by me, myself, and I.

So, is $1,000 a good price on a new drysuit?
Is it a steal that I'll regret passing up later?
Is it silly to buy new with such a strong used market?
If I buy a used suit for $600, will I easily spend another $400 on shipping, seals, and extras before I'm ready to dive?

I need to make a decision soon. The other two suits are already sold, and I'm pretty sure the only thing keeping this one available right now is my expressed interest to the shop owner... and the fact that it is drying in my garage right now.

 

[tracydr]

It sounds like a good price for a new suit that fits you well. If you buy it, you can add options like the rings for replaceable seals/dry gloves, which will really make it nice, compared to renting. If you have the money, I'd go for it, instead of waiting to buy a used one that might not fit as well or might have issues.

 

[dive_turkey]

That's sort of where I'm coming from. Comfort over continuing to rent, which I know I'll be doing from now until April here in Germany. Plus the availability of rentals. If someone else comes along and pounces on this deal, I won't be diving for at least the period of time it takes for the shop to replace this suit.

Also, I just got approval from "Household-6" tonight! Now I wonder if I need to be concerned about her enthusiasm towards me spending a grand on another toy... that's probably for a different thread though.

 

[tracydr]

I'd go for it.
Take a look at the wrist seal system and dry gloves. That's going to be my next present to myself. I'm also trying to decide if I want to switch to a silicone neck seal. I have this feeling of claustrophobia every time I put my neck seal or hood on and I'm thinking that the softer, lighter silicone might help.
I love diving dry, although it does have a learning curve. For women, we have a steep learning curve to learn how to use the she-p. that's my pool project this winter, after I get off crutches from this week's knee surgery.

 

[dive_turkey]

I've seen the dry gloves, everyone here has them. I imagine that is something I'll look towards around christmas. My LDS is going to the mountain lakes in March and I'm aiming to tag along for my Altitude and Deep Diver specialties. I figure I should get some good practice in before now and then.

As for the anatomical difficulties, I'm not sure my wife will like the idea of using that device. She'll be going for her basic certification this spring when it warms up. Fortunately, it will be a while before she's diving dry and she will have time to build some of the core skills up front in a wet suit.

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I've already mentally committed myself to this, now I'm just double checking for rationalization vs legitimate reasoning.

 

[DarkAbyss]

Are you happy with the suit? (if you ended up buying it, that is)... I'm considering TechFit myself, or the Ursuit Heavy Light Softdura. They both look very good, but the Mares will save me somewhere around $500.

 

[dive_turkey]

Are you happy with the suit? (if you ended up buying it, that is)... I'm considering TechFit myself, or the Ursuit Heavy Light Softdura. They both look very good, but the Mares will save me somewhere around $500.

Yes! I did purchase the suit and have been on several cold water dives here in Germany over the winter. I'll be ice diving with it in Austria next month!!! It's been very good to me. It took me a while to really figure out the best undergarments, but I think I've got that figured out now. On one dive I had a leaky neck seal, but it was in the warm water pool and found to be a result of a folded neck seal. I'll be more careful in the lakes. I am 5'10 and weight about 170, I have a size L... I think. I can confirm that when I get home if you need me to.

For undergarments, I have the Halo3d, and for christmas my sister-in-law bought me a 10mm Waterproof hood! I still wear 5mm scubapro gloves for now, but am considering dry gloves soon.

Hope that's helpful. Good luck!

 

[DarkAbyss]

Sounds good! I currently have the Mares ProFit neoprene suit. To me, the TechFit looks like a cordura version of the ProFit, which I like very much. It's feels a bit thick compared to some of the Bare or Ursuit models, but that is not necessarily a drawback. I'd probably have to go for the XL version and a Halo3D
Yes, those Waterproof 10mm hoods are awesome. I'm trying to affect Mares to produce trigloves with their Waterstop-system

 

[dive_turkey]

I just ordered dry gloves for my suit last week. I'm actually headed over to the LDS to have them installed after work today, and leaving for Austria tomorrow! Very exciting! I'm not sure the make/model of the glove I'm going with as irresponsible and uninformed as that sounds. They are the brand my LDS carries and everyone I'm diving with uses. I like to shop around and am normally very careful with my purchases, but sometimes I trust the guys I dive with and like to throw a little business towards the LDS. The importatnt thing for me is that they are a ringlock and I can use whatever insulatory glove I'd like underneath.