Thermalution Heated Vests

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

DiverGirl1972

Contributor
Messages
397
Reaction score
235
Location
South Central, PA
# of dives
200 - 499
I looked around in previous threads and there just doesn't seem to be a lot of posts regarding regular use of heated vests. I get cold quite easy. I dove a 5mm w/ 1.5 skin and beanie in Raja Ampat and was still cold. People thought I was nuts! :rofl3:

We're going on the Nautilus Explorer to Socorro mid February and I'm pretty worried, as the water temps are going to be in the low-mid 70's. I'd generally avoid cooler destinations, but it's Socorro and it's been my dream to see the giant pacific manta rays there for 9 years. I don't want to have to cut my diving short and I don't want to wear a 7mm. It's just too bulkey and I don't want to have to wear a bunch of weight in my travel BC.

Has anyone used one with success? I priced out Thermalution back in January when we booked this trip and they're weren't as pricey as they seem to be now. There is a "sale" going on now, which would save me $50 bucks but I have to buy it by December 16th.

Does anyone have any first or second hand experience with these? I feel it's my only hope to be comfortable, but would love some feedback if possible!
 
My wife and I dive with the Thermolution, but so far in cold water / dry suit setups. The vests are great, and so far have been very reliable and effective. We've had a pair of them for probably a bit over a year and done over 50 dives each. I recommend it. The first people I met using these vests were a couple in Indonesia diving in wet suits, and they really liked it too.

I've been to Soccoro a number of times and will go again next year. For sure my wife will bring her vest, I probably won't. You need at least a 5mm suit, and maybe will wish you had a 7mm if you don't bring one. If you stick with 5mm, get a hooded vest such as a LavaCore to wear under the suit. You will need the hood, especially if you get cold. I just just use a 1mm hood there, but the LavaCore will work great too.
 
I bought a thermalution several years ago to wear under wetsuits and have successfully used that heated-rash-guard under a 2/3 wetsuit where most everyone else is in a 5mil or 7mil. I have not had any problems with the heated rash guard. I did have some kind of defect in a spare set of batteries I bought, but they were replaced under warranty without any issues. The original batteries sold with the thermalution were pretty small, and I had to be pretty careful to make them last through 2 60 minute dives and a surface interval. Last year I bought a heated vest with the remote controller for use under a drysuit; it came with larger batteries; the larger batteries work with both my vests and last long enough for my purposes.
 
I looked around in previous threads and there just doesn't seem to be a lot of posts regarding regular use of heated vests. I get cold quite easy. I dove a 5mm w/ 1.5 skin and beanie in Raja Ampat and was still cold. People thought I was nuts! :rofl3:

We're going on the Nautilus Explorer to Socorro mid February and I'm pretty worried, as the water temps are going to be in the low-mid 70's. I'd generally avoid cooler destinations, but it's Socorro and it's been my dream to see the giant pacific manta rays there for 9 years. I don't want to have to cut my diving short and I don't want to wear a 7mm. It's just too bulkey and I don't want to have to wear a bunch of weight in my travel BC.

Has anyone used one with success? I priced out Thermalution back in January when we booked this trip and they're weren't as pricey as they seem to be now. There is a "sale" going on now, which would save me $50 bucks but I have to buy it by December 16th.

Does anyone have any first or second hand experience with these? I feel it's my only hope to be comfortable, but would love some feedback if possible!
What size are you? @Haaginheimer is selling one
 
I looked around in previous threads and there just doesn't seem to be a lot of posts regarding regular use of heated vests. I get cold quite easy. I dove a 5mm w/ 1.5 skin and beanie in Raja Ampat and was still cold. People thought I was nuts! :rofl3:

We're going on the Nautilus Explorer to Socorro mid February and I'm pretty worried, as the water temps are going to be in the low-mid 70's. I'd generally avoid cooler destinations, but it's Socorro and it's been my dream to see the giant pacific manta rays there for 9 years. I don't want to have to cut my diving short and I don't want to wear a 7mm. It's just too bulkey and I don't want to have to wear a bunch of weight in my travel BC.

Has anyone used one with success? I priced out Thermalution back in January when we booked this trip and they're weren't as pricey as they seem to be now. There is a "sale" going on now, which would save me $50 bucks but I have to buy it by December 16th.

Does anyone have any first or second hand experience with these? I feel it's my only hope to be comfortable, but would love some feedback if possible!
My wife and I have the Compact model, it works just fine. A friend borrowed my wife's for a Galapagos trip, and just came back with glowing reports. We don't leave them on....just turn them on for a few minutes when needed, usually near the end if a dive.
 
Thank you all for your feedback! I definitely am feeling better about buying one - though they're darned expensive, especially if you throw in a spare battery. I suppose if it does what it claims to do, it will be worth it's weight in gold to me.

What size are you? @Haaginheimer is selling one
Based on their size chart, I think I'd be a medium. Why are they selling?
 
The size is pretty flexible, it's just a thin lycra vest that is pretty elastic. As long as you are not multiple sizes away, it will probably work. Even if it were a bit loose as you wear it under a wetsuit it's likely to be snug against your back.

As for run time, the model I have "Yellow Grade Plus" will run for at least 3 hours on Low setting. I rarely go above low, except at the end of a long dive, last of the day.
 
Thank you all for your feedback! I definitely am feeling better about buying one - though they're darned expensive, especially if you throw in a spare battery. I suppose if it does what it claims to do, it will be worth it's weight in gold to me.

Based on their size chart, I think I'd be a medium. Why are they selling?
For Sale - Thermalution Yellow Medium He went with a full can setup for longer burn time at higher wattages.
 
I dive the vest as well. It has been amazing. I typically dive it under a 7 mil suit when water temps are under 50 degrees. I would buy again in a heartbeat. They aren't cheap, but they are priceless in cold water situations.
 
Has anyone used one with success? I priced out Thermalution back in January when we booked this trip and they're weren't as pricey as they seem to be now. There is a "sale" going on now, which would save me $50 bucks but I have to buy it by December 16th.

I get cold easily. I wear a Thermalution shirt under a 5mm wetsuit in Cozumel in Dec/Jan (79~82F water) and it makes a huge difference for me. I would be uncomfortable and would not enjoy the dives (particularly 2nd & night dives) without the shirt.

I usually turn it on about 1/2-way through a 75~90min dive. I've found that a set of batteries will always last through 1 dive, but sometimes runs out during the 2nd. I change batteries during the surface interval.

I did have a problem with the switch on mine after ~75 dives.

The US distributors were difficult to reach & slow to respond...but the manufacturer (out of Taiwan) was extremely helpful, clear, and prompt. The shirt was repaired quickly, at a reasonable cost, and worked fine afterwards.

Look on eBay -- they do come up occasionally.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom