Trilam Drysuit for a student: Bare Trilam Tech or Seaskin Nova

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I'm assuming you mean it's good quality then?

Great quality and made in your home country, support your local industry, buy Canadian first. Bare has excellent customer service in my experience with them the last few months.
 
Great quality and made in your home country, support your local industry, buy Canadian first. Bare has excellent customer service in my experience with them the last few months.
Are you suggesting Bare drysuits are great quality?
 
Are you suggesting Bare drysuits are great quality?

Yes, indeed. VERY high quality.
 
Great quality and made in your home country, support your local industry, buy Canadian first. Bare has excellent customer service in my experience with them the last few months.
I’m pretty sure my POS X-Mission was made in Malta.
 
Hi there,

I am a newly certified advanced open water diver in Vancouver Canada. I've done 13 dives this year on a rental BARE tech trilam 2XL and don't have many complaints. I had issues putting fins on until I bought fins with a spring strap but have no issues donning or doffing those in the BARE.

I am entering a marine biology program this summer where I will be diving frequently and need to get myself a drysuit so I am not freezing my butt off in a 7mm all day.

I am ~6'2" and currently 290 lbs but I do fluctuate, my heaviest ever was 312 and that was on purpose and doubt I will get back to that again, when getting in shape for a competition I have gone all the way to 230. The tightest part of the BARE 2xl for me was my legs and glutes when squatting.

I have a quote from my local dive shop for a BARE tech trilam with added pockets and changeable wrist and neck seals but I noticed the seaskin nova with the same upgrades would be 1/3 the price if I factor shipping and expect customs.

My question is, is the local service center and quality of the BARE really worth the price of 2-3 seaskin novas? Will I be kicking myself in a year if I buy this BARE now?

Past that, what other considerations should I take into account for the suit? I am hoping to only buy it once and have it last at least 5 years as I am on the budget of a student here.

Also, I think I am set on socks instead of fixed boots.... I just think everyday use could end up rather smelly and the inability to flip it inside-out to air or clean is a deal-breaker but please let me know if I am misinformed!

I will also be picking up the Halo 3D as an undersuit and am hoping that allows me more flexibility and less lead when compared to the multiple layers I wear now.

If anyone else has any suggestions I am all ear :)

Cheers,
Reilly
Hey Reilly, I am over in Victoria. I ordered a Trilam Tech Dry, and I actually did my OW in my own suit. 250 dives on it now. I wore the tech boots out and had them replaced with neo socks, and I now use rock boots. Most of my dives are shore dives, if I was going to be primarily boat diving, the tech boot option is nice. My regrets ordering my suit; I did not opt for custom sizing. Big mistake, the stock size has just a little too much length in the legs. My other regret was not having the customer replaceable neck seals put on. I put Si Tech dry glove system on mine, one pocket (largest avail) and a P Valve. otherwise, I love my Bare. I have no knowledge on the other suit you mention.
 
I got a Nova suit and have been very happy with it. The only changes I would make is getting the telescoping torso and not having the warm neck collar (not needed since I changed over to a neoprene replaceable neck seal). Boots vs socks tends to stir lots of debate! I have owned suits with both and I end up preferring boots over socks. With socks I had to be very careful not to have any creases in the material under the wet boots or I could end up with a painful bruise after a long dive. I’ve also misplaced my boots and had others do the same, diving with just a sock doesn’t work well! A well fitted boot on dry suit has minimal air bubble and is comfortable. I’ve never really noticed any ‘smell’ to the dive boot either.
I agree that having a heating system is very beneficial to dive comfort in the colder waters here in Michigan/ Great Lakes region. They are pricy but after I got mine, I was kicking myself for not doing this sooner. I have the Light Monkey external battery and vest, along with heated glove liners which are used almost every dive. During the winter I add in heated socks to keep the toes warm. I used to use heated pants but saw minimal benefits from them. I dive a rebreather so now I finish my dive when I’ve seen the whole wreck or don’t want any more deco, not when my hands are too cold to move my fingers!
 
A well fitted boot on dry suit has minimal air bubble and is comfortable.
Absolutely; I much prefer the Tech Boots I HAD on my suit. I am however, primarily shore diving, climbing in over some gnarly rock formations. I wore a hole in my Tech boots. Switched to the neo sock and rock boot, mainly because the rock boots hold up way better in the conditions I dive. I only have to buy new shoes, as opposed to sending my suit away for new boots. If I was primarily boat diving, Tech boots, hands down. I am also diving the same conditions as OP. I live on the south end of Vancouver Island and his research station is on the west coast of my island.
 
Hey Reilly, I am over in Victoria. I ordered a Trilam Tech Dry, and I actually did my OW in my own suit. 250 dives on it now. I wore the tech boots out and had them replaced with neo socks, and I now use rock boots. Most of my dives are shore dives, if I was going to be primarily boat diving, the tech boot option is nice. My regrets ordering my suit; I did not opt for custom sizing. Big mistake, the stock size has just a little too much length in the legs. My other regret was not having the customer replaceable neck seals put on. I put Si Tech dry glove system on mine, one pocket (largest avail) and a P Valve. otherwise, I love my Bare. I have no knowledge on the other suit you mention.
Great feedback to hear. I have dove a 2XL BARE tech trilam for 13 dives this year and think its nearly perfect. I am going to try it on one more time with a Halo 3D under to see if I need custom sizing.

I think I am going to order the BARE today but only if my LDS tells me I will have it in hand before I leave. If they can't do that I will just go with the seaskin as I don't want to pay more money for a suit and still have to pay a bunch of money to get it to me.

I am definitely going with changeable neck and wrist seals and socks + rockboots as BC diving can be rough on the feet.

How did you know the suit had too much material in the legs/ arms? Was it blatantly obvious or did someone have to point it out to you?
 
I think I am going to order the BARE today but only if my LDS tells me I will have it in hand before I leave.
Anything with custom, will take longer than that? What shop are you using in Van? The other thing you can do is check with other shops. I know Rockfish here in Vic has a virtually new .2XL they have as a demo, could poss sell at a reduced price. They are affiliated with Ocean Pro Divers.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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