Very UNhappy with Lavacore

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I had my first experience with Lavacore a couple weeks ago at Grand Cayman. I have long sleeve uppers and lowers. I'm tall and thin and the XL fit me very well - both top and bottom. I wore a 2.5 mil shorty over the LC for 6 dives (4 in one day, 2 another) and was very comfortable. Water temp was 79. I had read posts about the outer later of LC snagging so I was pretty careful with it, but had a realativily good experience with the garments. Time will tell in terms of how it wears over time.
 
Hey Buddhasummer,

Yeah, I emailed them the same day I posted here. Only got a response here (which is OK, but one of the co-worker emailed them too like 2 weeks ago and has not heard yet...)

Doug told me that they would replace it and the store I got it from told me on Sunday that lavacore had contacted them.... The shop is out of M and are still waiting for a shipment to come in, so we'll see how it goes!

Cool that's good news, hopefully your new one will hold up better than the first. If this is a recurring issue perhaps Lavacore can have another look at manufacturing process.
 
So it's been a week since I received the new one... My first impression when I look at it was that some improvements were made (neck is stitched now) and it feel a little different too (maybe it is because mine was used, I dont know....)

However, after a couple of dives, the threading on the left sleeve broke and again, the black material separated from the inside stuff....decided today to cut the damn thing off and glue it back together!!!!

Also, I got the same size I had before and the fitting feels really different, especially around the arm pits!

This product sucks and will never buy one again as it is the second one already!!!
IMG_1654.jpg
 
Sounds to me that if you normally wear an XL and took a Lavacore in a medium, that you are stretching the living s**t out of it. The quickest way to get materials to delaminate and stitches to burst is to over stretch them. I put a dozen or more dives on mine in Cancun and had none of your issues, but I didn't try to squeeze into the smallest size I could wiggle into.
 
Sounds to me that if you normally wear an XL and took a Lavacore in a medium, that you are stretching the living s**t out of it. The quickest way to get materials to delaminate and stitches to burst is to over stretch them. I put a dozen or more dives on mine in Cancun and had none of your issues, but I didn't try to squeeze into the smallest size I could wiggle into.

No ****! L was too big and M fits good everywhere but by the arm pits.... 12 dives is what i do it a few days and I do it all year long! the other one had over 200 dives in the few months i had it.... the other arm looks like new but the only problem is the left arm that is falling apart.
 
had my long sleeved lavacore shirt for 2 years now' tats 2 years useing it kitesurfing and recently diveing. not even a little issue. then again mine fits perfectly I actually ****ing love it haha I was ment to be looking up dive conputers and saw a lavacore thread got excited and had a look then read this. im in disbelief hahaha oh well
quite impressed returned. and replaced. how I can kite in.mine for 2 years around world with no issues and you floating around with bcd anyways whatever. intresting none the less

---------- Post added May 20th, 2012 at 07:06 PM ----------

had my long sleeved lavacore shirt for 2 years now' tats 2 years useing it kitesurfing and recently diveing. not even a little issue. then again mine fits perfectly I actually ****ing love it haha I was ment to be looking up dive conputers and saw a lavacore thread got excited and had a look then read this. im in disbelief hahaha oh well
quite impressed returned. and replaced. how I can kite in.mine for 2 years around world with no issues and you floating around with bcd anyways whatever. intresting none the less
 
I use mine all day long, 5 days a week.... 2 other staff have the same problem too.

had my long sleeved lavacore shirt for 2 years now' tats 2 years useing it kitesurfing and recently diveing. not even a little issue. then again mine fits perfectly I actually ****ing love it haha I was ment to be looking up dive conputers and saw a lavacore thread got excited and had a look then read this. im in disbelief hahaha oh well
quite impressed returned. and replaced. how I can kite in.mine for 2 years around world with no issues and you floating around with bcd anyways whatever. intresting none the less

---------- Post added May 20th, 2012 at 07:06 PM ----------

had my long sleeved lavacore shirt for 2 years now' tats 2 years useing it kitesurfing and recently diveing. not even a little issue. then again mine fits perfectly I actually ****ing love it haha I was ment to be looking up dive conputers and saw a lavacore thread got excited and had a look then read this. im in disbelief hahaha oh well
quite impressed returned. and replaced. how I can kite in.mine for 2 years around world with no issues and you floating around with bcd anyways whatever. intresting none the less


---------- Post added May 20th, 2012 at 12:39 PM ----------

Also, on the new one the treading around the wrist broke so now the 2 materials have split... I would say that while floating around like you say, you have a lot more contact with the bcd rubbing against the wetsuit??? thats how i see it
 
Well what are the alternatives?

I make it a point to store my stuff inside out to prevent snagging. It also dries faster that way. I also have no issues with sizing but understand that can be an issue.

With that said I wonder if there may be an environmental issue since all three of you are having the same issues. And coupled with the fact that one arm has the problem and not the other arm makes me wonder.

Sent from my DROID X2
 
I'm pretty happy with mine. I bought it about 9 months ago. It has about 200 dives on it. And works great and looks good. The sizing is goofed, I'll agree with that. What's your height/weight and chest size that you are in a medium? I'm usually an XL and I'm in a Large.
 
I use mine all day long, 5 days a week.... 2 other staff have the same problem too.

I also wonder if it is not an environmental issue coupled with overstretching the suit. Are the 200 "dives" that you referred to ocean, quarry or pool dives? If a lot of your work is in a highly chlorinated pool and you are in a size too small, might find an explanation there. With all staff having the same issue it does make one wonder if there is a common environmental thread such as heavy use in a highly chlorinated pool.

 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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