Whites Fusion or Bare HD Tech Trilam

[larryufl]

I dive in the great lakes with 7mm wetsuit and am tired of being cold. I have been looking at 2 dry suits. The Whites Fusion and the Bare HD Tech Trilam.
This will be my first dry suit. Since it is a sizable investment, I would accept any opinons and advice for this.

 

[James Bond boat entry]

I have had a couple colleagues who own the Trilams and dive a lot, they both had to send them back to Bare to be repaired or replaced because of leaks.

The Fusion bullet appears to be the way to go!!!!!!!

 

[Lenaxia]

I want to throw another drysuit into the mix.

I own the Pinnacle Evolution 2 drysuit. It is on par with the HD Tech and the DUI CLX450. It's super tough and atleast for my body (athletic build), fits well.

Evolution 2 - Drysuits - Zeagle Dive Systems

It also comes with a lot of stuff standard so there is no added costs. ScubaToys gave me an incredible deal on it and its price point is significantly lower than both the BARE or the Fusion, but when I did a search, I wasn't able to find any real negative feedback on it.

Here is a quote from my email conversation with Joe, one of the owners of Scuba Toys:

The EVO 2 is the best suit I have seen at any price... I have a DUI TLS 450
and I would trade for the EVO anytime.... So it looks like you have done
your homework!

 

[a22shady]

My G/F and I both have our Bare Tri-lam HD Tech Dry suits and love 2 years now over 60 dives no issues. A buddy who dives with us also has one he is a DM with and has many dives on suit without issues.

I have tried out the Fusion and Hated it. They are a nightmare to get it and out of. One of the people I met who at the dive site I asked him how he liked it. Had the same complaints about getting in/out of but once he was in it loved the suit compared to others. Said it was an wasy beginer suit since it was tighter fitting and less air. The downside to this suit being tighter less room for layering.

Best thing to do is find somewhere and try both on if possible. or find some buddy's that may let you try there suit on to see how it feels. My personal opinon on them Even If i was able to get in the suit and didn't mind the trash bag feeling. It wouldnt be for me as I dive the Northeast and I am sissy when it comes to cold So I layer up nicely so I stay warm and Not much room in that suit.

 

[Ouvea]

Hi Lenaxia:

Did you get a chance to test out the drysuit yet? I'm gonna try to get the weights correct this Sunday, assuming Monastery is calm. The suit material is incredibly strong. In fact, i think it's tougher than the my buddy's motorcycle suit jacket. Which undergarments did you buy?

Claude

 

[Crush]

Drysuit threads are very common on SB. Look at this one: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/354287-what-drysuit-would-you-choose.html especially Thalassamania's comments.

Thal's synopsis: once someone has sunk lots of $$$ into a drysuit, don't expect them to post anything other than "I have an XXXXXX suit and I love it."

That being said, I have a DUI TLS 350 and I really like it.

Nevertheless, as Thal points out, I have a limited diving history and have only ever worn the one suit. Even on SB you will have a hard time finding someone who has gone through several different suits.

Try them both out. See which you like.

From what I have read on SB, those who like the Fusions REALLY like them. Anything which is a drysuit and can claim to dive like a wetsuit sounds like a winner to me.

From what I have read on SB, those who don't like the Fusions REALLY can't make them work for them - be it body proportions, or whatever, some just can't make the suit work for them.

Finally, if you are independently wealthy (not me) or hooked on diving (me) you can opt for a custom-tailored suit - I did. TSandM has heard of horror stories with this approach (you should PM her), but my experience was very positive, but costly.

 

[Lenaxia]

Hi Lenaxia:

Did you get a chance to test out the drysuit yet? I'm gonna try to get the weights correct this Sunday, assuming Monastery is calm. The suit material is incredibly strong. In fact, i think it's tougher than the my buddy's motorcycle suit jacket. Which undergarments did you buy?

Claude

I've had a chance to try it out in the pool, and it feels solid. Unfortunately my next chance to really dive is the 23rd. Not to mention I just sold my BC and am transitioning all my gear to a hog setup. Hopefully I can get it assembled before next weekend, otherwise I won't have anything to dive!

Scubatoys actually included Hollis' AUG 200 undergarments free with my purchase of a drysuit (talk about a wicked deal) so I went with them. I figure if they aren't warm enough I can layer some of my snowboarding baselayers underneath.

 

[TSandM]

Getting in and out of the Fusion depends in part on whether you were an early adopter. The early suits, with the black bag interiors, were cut rather skimpy in the arms and legs, and can be a pain to stuff thick undergarments into. The newer ones are reportedly both more slippery and cut in a more generous pattern.

Whenever I find myself swearing at my Fusion, it's time to turn it inside out, wash it with a dilute detergent solution, and spray it with SailKote. Then it's EASY to get into for a couple of months, until it's time to do it again.

 

[oggy666]

+5 for fusion me and dive buddies and instructors. Its a breeze once you learn how to get in. really love the fusion. The bullet skin looks badass to.