Bare vs. DUI Drysuit

[Raiderswim]

Anyone had experience with the DUI or Bare Trilam Dry suits?  I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience with these suits.  Obviously, fit is most important.  From what I've learned, both are good suits.  But, which is the better buy?  DUI has a great reputation, and I have a Bare wetsuit which I love.  If anyone has dove both that would be even better.  Please weigh in if you have either of these suits.

[divbum]

I vote for DUI.  But have the guys with the bare chime in.  Most that have them say there next suit will be a DUI.  So do you want to buy one or two?

[Chris H]

I have a Bare, and I don't hate it, but there are some things I would do differently next time.  I am lucky enough to have a Large/Tall fit me really well.  I bought a Bare, simply because the store I worked at sold Bare and it was available to me at a great price.  I have the ATR-HD with drygloves and the vulcanized boots.  If I were buying another Bare, I would get turbo soles (or whatever Bare calls them) and I would skip the tiny Bare pocket and have DUI Bellows pockets installed on both legs.  The suit is very heavy too.  I'm not sure if that is good or bad.    Another must have on a drysuit is a p-valve if have the parts to use one. 

DUI makes nice stuff, and a lot of people I dive with swear by them.  The DUI suits hold their value better than most, so if you were to grow out of it, and it was a normal sized suit, you could get more for it if you need to sell.  DUI will most likely cost more than a Bare, but fit is the most important anyway because we all have unlimited funds to spend on dive gear..

[matt t.]

DUI= the shit-nit!  ;D  Bare= solid, well made suit. Not quite as good a fit as DUI and HUGE "mook-like" boots. Bare seems to be a good value. You may also want to look at the Diving Concepts "Z-flex", another great value in a shell suit with smaller "sort of mook-like" boots. Bare will cost probably 1/2-2/3 what a DUI suit goes for (retail), depending on the model. Bare does seem to make a larger selection of "stock" sizes. If I didn't own a DUI, I would probably look at the Diving Concepts before a Bare. In the end like Chris said, it comes down to the "unlimited dive $$$" you want to spend.

[dfreeman]

I have dove both the Bare and DUI suits.  There are things that I like and dislike about both.  However, both work well and I do not feel that I would be disappointed in either of them.

I like the boots on the BARE, I am not a fan of rock boots.

I like the behind the back zipper of the DUI suit.  Can take or leave the suspenders.

The Zip-Seal gloves are nice on the DUI suit since my hands are large and it is a bitch getting them through the rings on the Bare suit.

I know a lot of people at DUI, My locel dive shop sells Bare.

You pay your money and take your chances.

I also dive Posiden regulators.

Doug

P.S I hear the Andy's is getting out of the business. 

[matt t.]

Ah s**t Doug, it always comes back to those Poseidon regs....... ;D. You don't have to get "rock boots", you can get "turbo soles". They are also the shiz-nit.

[divbum]

What about that new suit you had on the boat last year ???
That was funny shit!

[Omicron]

Vote for Bare.  A solid, well made suit.  You can get a large range of sizes.  The boots on them rock as they keep your feet warm.  I've had mine for several years, put a TON of dives onto it and beat the living crud out of it.

Keeps going strong!

[dfreeman]

Jason,

We know that the feature that you like most right now is the p-valve.

Doug

[Omicron]

I loves me my P-Valve   Hehehe.  One of the greatest diving inventions of our time!