5mm wetsuit that stays warm topside

[theundertow]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I'm looking for recommendations on a 5mm suit that can be kept on topside for long periods while wet. At times I'm in and out of the water all day. Obviously most normal neoprene gets cold and clammy and is worthless.

My first 5mm that accomplished this task was a henderson gold core. The build quality was crap but that liner material was amazing, if a bit stiff. Went through 2 or 3 of those suits. They don't exist anymore.

My current 5mm (that just ripped) is a Pinnacle Merino stretchy suit. The merino lining is great - it doesn't stay quite as warm as my old gold core, but is built and fits better. Still it does the job of staying warm topside and is my top contender for a replacement.

Can anyone suggest other suits? I'm particularly interested in any linings similar to the old henderson gold core.

Update: Seems this type of liner may be referred to as "Skin-In", though googling the term only produces dive skins. Also apparently Aquaflite's 'Oceanliner' may be similar to the old Gold Core. Looking into it.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Rred]

Chris-
I can't suggest specific suits, but anything made from Rubatex G231, the only nitrogen-blown neoprene, will be warmer. And if you go for full 1/4", you pick up a little thickness and warmth. Also, anytime someone "skins" a wetsuit and then glues down some fabric on it, there goes some warmth. I think some fabric on the inside only, leaving the suit a little thicker and with NO fabric to make you colder by holding water that evaporate in the breeze on the outside, will help.

There's also a trick that you may have seen looking at old Cousteau videos. Captain Jack always used to wear a red wool (WOOL) watchcap and we all used to make fun of it. Then one day I said to myself, you know, this guy is not an idiot, maybe there's some reason he wears it. Yup. If you buy a well-fitting tightly knit WOOL watch cap and put it on when you surface, it makes an incredible difference, wet or dry. Warmer than a hood, and more comfortable. Stash it in your pocket while you're diving, and if anyone thinks it is funny...just remind them that Captain Jack knew just a little bit more about diving than most of us, or them, ever will.(G)

(Having someone knit a cap that actually is sized for your head, allows a much closer & tighter knit, and is way warmer.)

 

[Pedro Burrito]

Have you looked into wearing a dry suit? The wonderful thing about a dry suit is not that it keeps you warm on the first dive, it's that it keeps you warm during the surface interval and subsequent dives.

 

[Canadave]

Yes, I second getting a dry suit. Problem with wet suits is that they get wet.

"a well-fitting tightly knit wool watch cap". In Canada we call that a toque.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

I wouldn't recommend keeping a wetsuit on during any surface interval. Cold is a factor of time and the longer your skin is wet the more you lose body heat. Like said above, a drysuit is highly recommended for what you're looking at. If you cannot do a drysuit then remove the wetsuit, dry your skin, and throw on a boat coat or some fleece during your surface interval.

 

[theundertow]

Thanks for the suggestions but a drysuit is not an option as I freedive about as often as i scuba. I already own a drysuit.

Rred - thanks I'll look into the rubatex though I'm not that concerned about the in-water warmth of the suit as I am about its behavior after you're out of the water. I already own a quality hat.

Aaron - appreciate the thoughts but removing the suit is also not an option as i'm in and out of the water often on short notice. This isn't for an average dive day.

I am very specifically looking for info on wetsuit linings that keep you warm topside (gold core, merino etc). Manufacturers generally use proprietary names for materials and a bunch of marketing lingo that means nothing so I can't research this properly online. I live on a small island so can't explore suits in stores either.

(this isn't an "i'm cold, please help" thread

Any other thoughts would be much appreciated. Cheers,

Chris

 

[dumpsterDiver]

What you want is not common, but is available. You want a freedive suit made with a nylon lining and the exterior of smooth bare neoprene. this makes the exterior vulnerable to tears and abrasion and also UV damage (with time), but the suit itself will be unparalleled in warmth on the boat.

The smooth rubber will dry in 2-3 minutes and the black rubber is a magnet for the sun and you will be warm.

Elios wetsuit company in Italy is kinda difficult to work with, but they can make an off the shelf 5 mm suit for you or a custom one.. They do very good work and offer many choices in the types of neoprene you can choose. you most likely will want the medium density rubber.

 

[Steve_C]

Wetsuits cool above water due to evaporation. Toss on a long rain coat. Stops most evaporation. Stops the cooling effect. I do that when diving wet in cool weather.

 

[tbone1004]

what Steve says. You have to stop evaporative cooling. Only way to do that is to stop the wind. Boat coat is really the best solution if you don't want to pull it down from your chest and put something else on.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Evaporative cooling is stopped with the suit I described. More so than a boat coat or raincoat