Product Review: New “Generation 2” BARE SB Drysuit

[Deep South Divers]

Northern Diver. Good, plain suits. Inexpensive and effective. There's only one self-donning front zip trilam model, though. Most ND suits are back-zip.

My Northern Diver was a Vortex. A solid, good-looking suit but a back zip, which was a problem for me when on the job alone.

No TiZip option, no stretch trilaminate, unusual features. Very dry but not common in caving.

 

[Deep South Divers]

Have you looked at the Santi flex190 midlayer? It is thinner and supposed to be stretchier and I'm thinking about it. I got a new suit and the Bare SB midlayer is still a problem in it. Not as much as with my Trilam Tech Dry, (I can actually reach the valves but it's a big struggle). Maybe this is a sign that I should go to sidemount, but not willing to give up yet.

I just talked to my buddies in High Springs and they tell me it's between the Xerotherm and the Arctic in terms of thickness and warmth. They tell me it's "about as stretchy as the Arctic," which isn't much compared to the SB midlayer... But with a lot less bulk, buoyancy and warmth.

...So it sounds like it's LESS than an Arctic and similar in weight and flexibility as a DUI 200 weight fleece. He did mention that it had a water repellent outer layer, which would beat the DUI fleeces. SANTI's always had a better fit, too, in my opinion.

For now I'm gonna stick with getting an Arctic in and taking that to 40* or so as a working diver... With a plain base layer or UnderArmour underneath. We'll see how that goes. People say it's chilly if you're not working, which tells me it might be spot on for us... With the benefit of lower buoyancy and additional flexibility. I'll add a Xerotherm in place of a base layer if I need more.

Thanks for the heads up about the SANTI Flex 190.

 

[Deep South Divers]

I just found out that SANTI's newly-designed (for 2016) E.motion drysuit is made of a similar stretch trilaminate material. Brilliant! I think this is a dramatic change and is undersold and much more significant in the market than they're advertising.

The main design differences between the two suits is that the E.motion includes a choice of blue, red, or black top and sides, sewn-on SANTI "cave" thigh pockets, and a telescoping torso made popular in the DUI TLS350 (all SANTI suits have telescoping torsos). To me, the torso seems unnecessary and extra fabric which detracts from the appearance, offers a place to trap air and muck on the job, and makes hanging up a pain... But they kept it anyway.

Knowing the fantastic (possibly best in the industry) build quality of SANTI suits, I'm sure it'll be a great suit!

A stretch trilam, front-entry/self-donning, TiZip-equipped suit: You now have two options in the market... The BARE SB and the SANTI E.motion.

It's a brilliant move by SANTI, if you ask me... And this will make a lot of divers hung up on the pocket thing with the SB very happy.

I like that there's colors available... And SANTI's build quality. I have had an issue with their boots in the past, but I believe that's been addressed.

I'd have still like to have seen them offer an extending torso delete option. It's unnecessary with stretch trilaminate fabric and more streamlined - not to mention flattering - without it.

 

[Deep South Divers]

I received a private message about this suit this morning and figured I'd share it here.

HI there.
I love your drysuit review, but if you don't mind, how it's holding up now?
I tried one on a scuba show and really liked how easy it is to handle.
My main concern is durability, since I dive in rivers with lot of razor sharp limestone rocks, so tear ups high on my problem list.
Tnx,

Flawless. No punctures or delamination anywhere. The suit is rock solid.

There's two labels on the suit... One on the back between the shoulder blades and one on the left arm below the dump valve. The one on the back is beginning to peel off, although not completely. I think that's just a high stretch area and not very conducive to taking a label. I can totally see why BARE doesn't recommend ever gluing pockets to this suit. Yes, it stretches that much.

When I ordered my suit, I opted for the protective butt pad, which is made of the same material as the kneepads. I recommend that for you, too, if you plan to dive in areas with sharp rocks. I've never noticed a loss of stretch there, but I'm sure there is... The material is pretty tough and has warded off splinters and even the occasional exposed nail head on the docks where I work. It's good stuff and very tough.

I still love the internal left pocket. Very clever and streamlined. It's roughly the same size that you'd normally have in a large non-bellows flat glue-on pocket - maybe larger - but much better designed. There is no internal loop for clipping things off, so when I open it I roll a bit to my right before opening and retrieving anything out of it, although that may be mental and not necessary. I've never dropped anything out of it, but I'm not always in a prone position when I'm working. Cavers will prefer an internal loop... I'm happier without one, as I've found they interfere with zippers, and Velcro wears out.

I did finally miss closing the TiZip zipper all the way once and was surprised how quickly water came in. Yow!! I was able to solve the problem immediately with a quick tug on the zipper. I LOVE THIS TIZIP... But check twice that it's seated in the closed position. I've only done it once in 200+ dives.

I've switched to using Fourth Element undergarments underneath of my BARE SB. The BARE SB undergarments are oddly placed in terms of the warmth they offer.

Here's the temperature range I am finding... I do believe I tend to dive warmer than most people because I am a working diver and not relaxed on my dives:

Greater than 70°F: Fourth Element Base Layer or UnderArmour top and bottom with UnderArmour socks. Fourth Element is better designed and prettier, but I had a lot of UnderArmour stuff already. These are thin and stretchy, like spandex but not as shiny and obnoxious.

60° to 70°F: BARE SB base layer, which fits snug and stretchy like the Fourth Element Base Layer/UnderArmour stuff, but is fleecier and warmer. I add the Fourth Element base layer (or UnderArmour) or take it away for "a little extra" or not. In this configuration and less, I'm weighted like I am in a 3 mm wetsuit, so it's really lightweight and flexible and clean to work in all day.

50° to 70°: Fourth Element Xerotherm value package. This is my go-to undergarment lately. The package comes with four pieces... Top, bottom, socks and vest... All of it fits snugly and is very stretchy, and is like the Fourth Element base layer but with fleecy thickness, stirrups and thumb loops. It's the same material as the SB base layer, but nearly twice the thickness and much warmer and more comfortable. It's also better made, doesn't lose fleece in the washing machine, and much better looking, complete with a silkscreened graphic between the shoulder blades. The stirrups of the Xerotherm are uniquely designed, and I'm a big fan of them because they're so wide and virtually unnoticeable. Best of all, the separate pieces give me lots of flexibility in terms of warmth. Add the Fourth Element base layer, and there's a whopping seven different pieces (including the socks) to mix for the ultimate in temperature flexibility. When using the Fourth Element base layer, the Xerotherm top and the Xerotherm vest all together, there's an equivalent 400g or so of warmth over my core, but without the bulk or buoyancy that comes with thick undergarments.

This season hasn't seen really cold waters (we had a low of 48°F - last year was 36°F), but if I were to go any colder I'd consider the new SANTI 190 Flex or a one-piece Fourth Element Arctic (which has some stretch but not nearly as much as everything else I've listed here). I didn't buy one this year because I didn't need it.

The mid-layer BARE SB undergarment is ridiculously thick but incredibly stretchy. I've never seen anything quite like it. I find it too bulky and buoyant, accounting for something like 16-20 lbs of buoyancy all by itself, and resists compression unlike anything I've seen. It's kinda like wearing a full suit made of 5 mm thick foam, covered on both sides with fleece. It's surprisingly flexible, but I don't think I'd consider it unless I was ice diving... And certainly not with BOTH the BARE SB base layer and BARE SB mid layer combined, like BARE recommends. I'm not sure if there's a warmer undergarment, though, so if cold is your problem, this would definitely be it, shy of going electric (which is very cool but very expensive and creates a slew of issues like battery life and charge times - especially if you're diving long dives every day).

All of the above undergarments are machine washable, which I do on a gentle cycle with 1/2 the amount of soap, and I hang dry (it all dries overnight - quicker than expected because the fabrics are hydrophobic).

In short, the suit is great, but if i were purchasing all over again I'd do the BARE SB suit with a Fourth Element base layer and Fourth Element Xerotherm value package and be happy with it all.

It's important to note that SANTI is now offering a stretch drysuit. The new 2016 e.motion is made of stretch trilaminate, which means that the BARE SB is no longer unique. As with all SANTI products, I assume that the craftsmanship and customizability is outstanding, and they do offer a TiZip in a self-donning design like the BARE SB. The SANTI e.motion is also available in a variety of colors, too, which is pretty cool... And cavers will notice that it comes equipped with a standard flat or bellows leg pocket on each leg (we'll have to see how they hold up). But there is no option to delete the telescoping torso in the e.motion... Which means that the suit's bound to be a little sloppier and less user-friendly, especially when hung to dry. This feature is a leftover from non-stretch trilaminate material and unnecessary in a stretch trilam in my opinion. Some people - especially those with long torsos - may really like the telescoping torso, however, so it may be a preference kind of thing. I haven't dived the new e.motion, so I can't really comment on it with any authority... But it is out there this year. Valves and seals are the same brand and models between the SB and the e.motion... All Si-Tech stuff.

A couple other notes... The BARE hood designed to work with the SB suit is the 7 mil "SEALTEK" drysuit hood. The fit of it is odd, especially around the face, and requires trimming. Mine gaps pretty badly - trimmed or not - at my face which completely negates the point of the taped, sealed seams.

A much better solution is the Fourth Element drysuit hood, which is available in several thicknesses and does not require trimming. The fit is very good but it runs exactly one size smaller than everyone else's hoods. I ALWAYS take an XL in my hoods. With the Fourth Element I took a XXL. The seams are not taped, but I find a 5 mil, untaped Fourth Element dry hood is warmer and fits better than the BARE 7 mil SEALTEK hood... Probably due to the gapping issue.

In fact, my favorite hood to use with a drysuit is a Fourth Element WETSUIT hood, or even a cheap Neosport wetsuit hood... The ones with the bibs attached. I'll then trim the bib - higher than I'd use with a wetsuit but lower than a typical drysuit hood - to fit low inside of the drysuit's warm neck collar. I get better coverage this way and less flow around the neck, especially when looking down while working. Getting a trickle of cold water at the base of the neck - right along the spine when you look down - sucks.

BARE has a Kevlar-palmed glove out that's excellent for a working diver. We find them great, although we always have to trim the long cuff, which is weird. Maybe the long cuffs work better with a wetsuit. They also have a completely unique full-Kevlar glove (made out of nothing but Kevlar) that offers no warmth but will do us great for hand protection during the summer months. Interestingly, it has no cuff at all and instead a Velcro closure. Both of these - one for winter and one for summer - have replaced the myriad of gloves we have used in the past. Good stuff!

...Anyway, that's it... The suit rocks. Fourth Element makes better undergarments and hoods, although the hoods are oddly sized. BARE's gloves are fantastic for the working diver.

BTW... Thanks for the compliments on the review. Glad it's helping you!

 

[Deep South Divers]

More.

WOW. I expected something like:" It's still dry and I love it, goodbye!"

Great info, especially on undergarments. To try and pay something back, I talked with BARE rep and he told me the same thing about SEALTEK hoods. But, they have new hood Elastek, which solves problems with Sealtek.

Btw, I can't remember from your posts, which seals you have, latex, neoprene, silicone?

If you ever come to neighbourhood, give me a call, there is a lot of cold beer for your help!

You're very welcome... I've spent tens of thousands of dollars on drysuits over the past few years, and a lot of information out there comes from people who have only a few dives on one brand of drysuit... So it can sometimes be quite slanted or even wrong... Especially on ScubaBoard, which is great as an open conversation with lots of opinions... But often lacking in professional backgrounds. People mean well, but their opinions are hardly concrete if they have few qualifications.

In short, I'm flattered to talk about my gear, especially my BARE SB, which I am still quite in love with.

I'd be surprised to find that BARE's SEALTEK and ELASTEK hoods are built using different dimensions... That doesn't sound right, but who knows. In all fairness, I have not dived or even tried on an ELASTEK hood. I saw the sealed seams and know how great that feature is in a wetsuit... And went for the SEALTEK.

Maybe I'll order an ELASTEK and see if it's any better.

I chose the latex seals all around. Neoprene works fine if your buddy can tuck them for you, but often times I'm solo on the dive site and don't have that luxury... So for me, it was latex or silicone.

I like them both and actually prefer the silicone because it's softer and stretchier. It also seems to handle UV better and doesn't degrade over time. However, silicone is very susceptible to tears, and even a tiny nick can quickly turn into a completely torn seal. For that reason, I recommend latex seals over silicone unless you have a latex allergy.

I went with a trimmable latex neck seal, which I managed to get right the first time. I have a cutting mold made out of a 4" PVC pipe fitting (see ), but after using it once I trimmed again using a really sharp pair of stainless steel scissors - cutting slowly and continuously - and got better results... And nailed it. I like 2-3 cm of flat seal against my neck (as low as possible). It should feel slightly uncomfortable when you try it on, but not cutting off blood supply or interfering with breathing, obviously. Remember, you can always trim more but can never go back, so trim tightly and remove another ring later if it's a problem. The seal should be able to handle being under a garden hose without leaking - that's probably the time it's most likely to leak... During a rinse. If you get a tiny trickle down the back when you look down and hit it with a hose, stop trimming.

For the wrists, I sent them my wrist measurement and they sent me the correct size bottle-shaped wrist seals already on my suit. No trimming required. I did opt for the oval wrist ring system, which makes it easy to change seals in the field or add drygloves if I ever need them. As a working diver, I figured that I'd need to change often, but I haven't needed to change them once yet. In fact, the plastic ring seems to protect the seals a good bit, and gives me something to pull on when doffing the suit. I like them a lot, and it'd be easy to change to cone-shaped, trimmable seals or silicone seals if I ever want to. Cheap too.

All of my other suits have had cone-shaped wrist seals, and I was anxious about ordering my SB with nontrimmable bottle seals... There is no cone seal option when ordering. Yes, they are harder to get out of than cone seals, but offer a much wider seal than a cone does, which is good overall. I usually push cone seals up my arms a good bit - past my wrist tendons - to get a good seal... These work best pushed DOWN toward the hand instead, BELOW the wrist tendons. At first that was a bit odd, but I prefer it now as it seems warmer. To get out of them, I run my other-hand index finger underneath them and pull the seal over my knuckles... Then grab the ring and pull my hand out. The seal inverts and releases my hand brilliantly.

I powder my seals every dive, once the suit is dry, which is usually just an hour or two. The suit comes with a good powder bag and can be refilled with any brand of plain talc. I use Trident - cheap and easy. It takes seconds and makes getting into the suit a breeze.

I have large hands (XL gloves), especially as compared to my wrists. Because of this, I can not wear metal-banded wristwatches unless they come completely apart. The "unfolding" types are either too big for my wrists or are too small for my hands. I thus figured that I might have a problem with the oval ring system, as some people seem to complain that they aren't large enough for big hands. Yes, they're a tight fit to get through, but that makes them smaller and less obtrusive than larger rings, so I find them ideal and recommend them.

I did not do a ring system at the neck seal because it's been known to get in the way of a scuba harness/bp&wing/BC and/or not be large enough to get your head through easily.

So far, so good... Likely I'll probably send the suit in for annual seal/zipper/watertightness maintenance anyway every summer when I'm diving a 3 mil wetsuit.

Alas, I have no plans on being in Europe... But I'll have a beer with you anytime you come to the 'States. Perhaps we should meet in Bermuda.

 

[reefvagabond]

Did Bare pull the SB Drysuit from its lineup? I don't see it listed on their website anymore.

I sent my 2nd generation SB in for repairs. I took it on a 2 day liveaboard and it just kept leaking, I was soaked the whole time. Luckily the SB Midlayer did a decent job of helping me deal with that.

 

[Deep South Divers]

The BARE website mentions the SB under the menu item "DRY LAYERS," but there's a clear departure from the suit because they gave it its own website:

BARE SB SYSTEM

Did you ever find the source of the leak?

Where were you liveaboarding that necessitated the use of the BARE mid layer? Sounds interesting.

 

[reefvagabond]

No, the Dry Layers shows only the undergarments, which of course I am a big fan of. The SB Drysuit itself used to be listed under the trilam drysuit section. The dedicated website was there when the SB first launched, I remember drooling over it back then.

I don't know where the leak is but I'm hoping Bare will take care of it. It is covered under warranty of course and they provided my great service before. This time around Huish owns Bare and I sent my SB Drysuit to Utah instead. I haven't heard back from them yet, they only received the suit on Monday.

I was diving in Califorina, and I get cold. The water was in the 50s to low 60s. For me the SB undergarments is good there. I've used the SB Midlayer on colder dives, 48 F and those are brutal, I need something warmer. On dives that are 70+ mins I still get cold, however I'm just a recreational diver and I don't move as much as a commercial diver, plus I think i get colder than most people.

I hope bare fixes the suit, it has a lot of merits and if that damn thing didn't leak so much and always just before I have a big trip coming up I'd love it again.

 

[Deep South Divers]

Yesterday's nasty, sharp, low-vis job in my BARE SB:

 

[BARE Sports]

With the introduction of our new and upgraded drysuits, such as the BARE X-MISSION and D6 HD PRO DRY, we have removed the SB system outer layer from the line-up. The SB Layers will continue to be available.

Did Bare pull the SB Drysuit from its lineup? I don't see it listed on their website anymore.

I sent my 2nd generation SB in for repairs. I took it on a 2 day liveaboard and it just kept leaking, I was soaked the whole time. Luckily the SB Midlayer did a decent job of helping me deal with that.