Most compact and lightest exposure protection suit?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I do both freediving and scuba. I travel a lot and unfortunately I like to do a lot of diving as well. It gets expensive renting equipment all the time but it's also a pain in the ass to take equipment. I actually travel with my mask/snorkle + long freediving fins.

I'd like to also carry an exposure suit with me, since with that I'll be able to at least snorkel wherever I go. Something like a 5mm equivalent, but the problem is that suits are just too bulky and also kinda heavy.

Are there any kind of space-age exposure suits out there that I don't know about that could alleviate my traveling woes?

 

[tursiops]

You might try a 3mm plus a Thermalution heated vest.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

You might try a 3mm plus a Thermalution heated vest.

Holy crap. This changes things. Holy crap!

Haha, anything else I should know about?

Are there collapsible freediving fins that pack down really small?

 

[Doctorfish]

If you need a 5, you need a 5.

Not aware of any space age solutions. I'd rather just pack a 5 than worry about charging batteries for a heated vest.

 

[rongoodman]

If you have enough room for long fins I don't see how a 5mm suit is going to take up that much more room. They make good padding too.

 

[Tickler]

You could go with a drysuit. Most are very light and easy to pack compared to wetsuits. The only problem is you will not be able to free dive.

 

[Rich Keller]

You might be able to get away with using a cheap self donning shell drysuit. You could get one for under $100 without any valves that should cover your snorkeling needs as suit squeeze shouldn't be much of an issue at snorkeling depths. Don't use drysuit underwear, your street clothes should be enough as you will tend to be more active then a scuba diver the trapped body heat should be enough to keep you warm as long as you keep moving.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I've got a Whites drysuit that I've tried freediving in before. It's not ideal, haha. The compression gets uncomfortable pretty quickly because even in shallow water it tends to push most of the air out by the neck seal, it gets cold as a result, and you lose the unrestricted movement of a wetsuit. Plus you can't pee. The compression increases the chances of accidents with the condom cath.

I think the Thermulation vest plus a thin 3mm freediving wetsuit sounds like it would be the best option. The freediving suits have very little water exchange between the suit and outside since they seal so well, so if the inside water can be kept warm around the chest area I could probably take the 3mm in some pretty cold places.

Plus it allows me to use the suit by itself in warmer waters (uncomfortable to do if I'm lugging around a 7mm), so it's not only light and warm with the vest, but flexible in terms of temperature ranges.

What do you all think?

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[hupe]

hi,

try lavacore. or something from forth element. buy an overall and a vest with hood. a d9 from waterproof is maybe a little bit too special.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba.]

Fourth element thermocline, sharkskin, or lavacore can be what you are looking for.


Windproof, water repellent, doesn't compress. Without the compression, they can be the equivalent of 2mm warmer than a 5mm atdepth You may also like them on the boat rides back, because of the windproof factor.