stupid dry suit question

I just got a Bare Ultradry suit, and the neck seal is so tight it makes my face turn red. Do I need to strech it out (the seal not my neck)? How do I strech it out? Is it normal and I just need to tough it out?

Thanks guys.

Tough it out or by an oneil boost. The guys I ride with all say the same thing about the bare. I do get a little wetter in my boost but its the price I am happy to pay to be able to breathe. The neck seal will stretch out. You might try leaving something in the neck when you don't use it to help it stretch.

That has a latex neck seal right? Is it shaped like a cone? If so you can trim small increments off untill it fits better. Check with Bare and see what they say.

(Message edited by wake upppp on November 27, 2006)

I would start with stretching it...try a bottle of the right size to stretch, like a bleach bottle or soda bottle. Do some sessions with that and see what happens...it will loosen with a bit of use and the bottle stretch technique. Trim it as a last resort...as Sparky mentioned, it is cone shaped, so when you trim, a little trim goes a long way in making the neck hole wider.

(Message edited by scws on November 27, 2006)

The bare ultra dry is supposed to be really tight on your neck. As for stretching it, i dont think it will make a difference because that material always go back to the same size no matter how much you stretch it. I too thought i was going to die because it was so tough to breathe , but if you pull the suit down on your neck a little, it makes a huge deal. i had mine right on my adams apple so the second i pulled it down as low as it would go, the suit felt normal.

I definitely wouldn't trim it down. It'll stretch and get more pliable as you use it. Tough it out!

Looks like toughing it out is the way to go.

Thanks for the help

Or, get an O'Neill Boost, which has a neoprene neck that is much more comfortable.

As Mike said said "I do get a little wetter in my boost but its the price I am happy to pay to be able to breathe." This is why I didnt buy a boost. The whole object is to stay dry. The rubber neck on yours can be stretched w/ cans, bottles, etc, it will get looser, the more its worn. This is the better seal. The rubber comes back to its closer to its original size. Neoprene gets stretched out & doesnt snap back to its original shape, & eventuallly leaks all the time.

Keep all of the Latex seals coated inside and out with a coat of 303 protectant! It will help with getting in and out, keep the seals from drying out and splitting and give you a little lube so the seal does not chafe.
This is what all dive shops recommend for latex gear.

Instead of the neck seal going up the neck, you can invert it so that it extends down the neck. This keeps it below the adams apple, the typical point where pressure is really uncomfortable.

The 303 is critical! If you need additional lube or if the 303 irritates your skin, use KY.

My Bare Ultra used to be really tight too, but the more I use it the better it gets. Just put it on and ride!

Leave it over night wrapped around a big bottle.

Yet another use for KY...

I contacted BARE and they said
"The neck seal is trimable. You can trim to the ring on the neck seal which will help expand your neck seal"

So good fer me, I don't have to suffer through the neck tourniquette, I'll be much happier now that blood will be able to flow to my brain... or maybe not?!?!

When I used mine for the first time I was in the water and started hallucinating. I realized that when exerting myself I was not getting enough oxygen from being choked out by the seal. Now I just stretch the bajeezus out of it before I hop in. Its nice.

Has anyone here experienced the sensation when you are floating there where the material is super tight around your lower half and it gives you a bionic wedgie complete with 1) Drysuit 2) Sweat pants & 3)Chonies - all lodged sufficiently up your ass? That is a lot of material to be forced into a small area.

I love my bare drysuit! The neck is real tight and after drinking a few beers and riding a little, you get a great buzz from the lack of oxygen to the brain. I can't ride worth shiat so I might as well get a cheap buzz on!

Big heavy ,YES!

I have that feeling on more then one occasion and it sucks..

especially the embarrasment of digging it out before the boat comes back around

Could be another use for KY...