wreck diving - bullet proof suit?

[schnabbs]

hi everyone - i'm planning to buy a new drysuit that i will use for wreckdives. i'm considering a bare drysuit (dui is too expensive and i had a really bad experience with usia customer service), but i was wondering if someone here could weigh in on their drysuit preference when wreckdiving?

 

[evil_xander]

Don't have a Bare suit, almost did buy their Trilam HD, but because several other factors (price being also one) I opted for Pinnacle Evolution 2.

If you're looking for a 'bulletproof' suit, have a look at Evolution 2, it's a cordura Trilam, looks and feels like it will take a lot of abuse. It is a bit on the heavier side and more rigid then Bare Trilam HD. There's nothing wrong with Bare, but having seen/felt the materials on both, Evo 2 looks like a winner for abuse...

 

[japan-diver]

For heavy duty suits the Dive Rite can't be beat.

 

[schnabbs]

I just had a look at their website - the 905 looks like a good suit, pockets and suspenders are included - I'll see if i can track a suit down around here to check it out more closely - thanks.

 

[Narcd_dvr]

Checkout the Bare XCD2, which is a 2mm compressed neoprene. I was gonna get this suit, but opted for the Bare Trilam HD instead.

 

[nereas]

The only drysuit that I have actually seen torn before my own eyes was a BARE suit. So make sure you buy their top of the line tri-lam, and not their budget skinny.

I have also read in some of Gary Gentile's manuals that some wreck divers wear cover-alls over their drysuits. That is an interesting thought.

 

[tc_rain]

I would recommend the Techniflex by USIA but you stated you had a bad experience with their customer service. I experienced the exact opposite and found Jerry Langan (Vice President , Sales & Marketing for USIA) very helpful. In fact, in my opinion, he went above and beyond what most suit manufactures would do. I asked about a problem via private message and he answered it. A few weeks later, he took the initiative and contacted me to see how things were working out. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Maybe it was a misunderstanding or perhaps you were not dealing with USIA directly. I don’t know but thought I would throw in my 2 psi. I will say the Techniflex is a great suit at a pretty good price. It will hold up well to wreck diving.

 

[contender]

I have the Bare XCD2 Tech and love it. It's a tough suit that will last, I use mine for Cave diving and it's bulletproof. This is the third bare suit that I have owned and I have been pleased with them all.

 

[Rec Diver]

I second the Bare XCD2. I own one as well. I also wreck dive in the Great Lakes. I can't say enough good things about this suit. Glad I bought it, and I would do it again. Don't buy a White's! I had nothing but problems with myWhites's and my friends did as well. White's may be a high priced product, but the quality and service is very, very poor!

 

[fireflock]

This might seem like a silly question, but what do you mean by wreck diving? We dive a ton of wrecks around here (NC) but I bet 95% of divers don't do anything in or around those wrecks that would require any kind of special suit. The 5% who do crawl in and around the wrecks can tear up suits if they are not careful.

Rich