Adding warmth without adding buoyancy

[k374]

I want to add some additional warmth and I'm trying to avoid wearing more neoprene such as a vest.. I don't want to carry any additional weight. I have heard that there are some types of shirts that can be worn underneath the wetsuit that can provide a good amount of additional warmth, anybody have the details?

 

[redacted]

Chemical heaters: Heat Pack, Hot Packs, Instant Heat Packs, Quantum Heat Pack, Reusable Heat Packs, Portable Heat Packs, Instant Hot Packs, Quantum Heat, Reusable Hot Pack, Portable Hot Pack, Heat Pack Chemistry, Instant Hot Pack, Reusable Heat Pack, Quantum Heat Pack

 

[princessaprilia]

Fourth Element makes a fantastic product called Thermocline. It adds warmth without needing anymore weight. It's about the equivalent of 2.5 - 3 mm of neoprene. It's all I wore in Cozumel (even in the cenotes) this year.

I love it.

 

[k374]

looks really good... how thick is the material? It does say it can be worn under a wetsuit.

Fourth Element makes a fantastic product called Thermocline. It adds warmth without needing anymore weight. It's about the equivalent of 2.5 - 3 mm of neoprene. It's all I wore in Cozumel (even in the cenotes) this year.

I love it.

 

[princessaprilia]

I have the 2-piece, jumpsuit and long sleeved shirt. They remind me of sweatshirt material. Fleecy on the inside.... smooth on the outside.

It dries so quickly that sometimes if I hang the shirt up during SI, it's dry within 90 minutes.

Simply amazing product. I haven't worn it under a wetsuit yet... haven't needed 5mm of warmth yet.

 

[k374]

thanks for the recommendation and review! I will have to look into it.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I want to add some additional warmth and I'm trying to avoid wearing more neoprene such as a vest.. I don't want to carry any additional weight. I have heard that there are some types of shirts that can be worn underneath the wetsuit that can provide a good amount of additional warmth, anybody have the details?

Adding a neoprene vest would probably be the cheapest, short-term upgrade in exposure protection you could make.

If you want to continue to dive wet in SoCal but don't want to add a neoprene vest, you could check out some of the quality semi-dry wetsuits on the market. Some people have nice things to say about them.

For a little more, you could probably get a quality custom-made neoprene wetsuit made of Rubatex. This suit will certainly outlast a typical stretchy neoprene wetsuit.

Or you could do what most of the serious SoCal divers do...get a drysuit. It's probably the most comfortable way to do multiple dives per day and dive year-round here. FYI, you can get a decent, middle-of-the-range drysuit for $1200 or less. Estimate the cost per dive for that drysuit (typical lifespan of drysuit = hundreds of dives) and compare it to the cost per dive in a typical wetsuit (lifespan of wetsuit << lifespan of drysuit). Also, consider that your comfort in the water is worth something. When I purchased my drysuit, it completely changed the diving experience for me. I wasn't shivering anymore during dives, I hovered more, and consequently I got to see more. I was able to dive more often. Multiple dives off a dive boat in water temps in the low 50s (degrees F) became a reality.

All of these options will probably entail carrying a few extra pounds to remain properly weighted while diving. Personally, I don't mind carrying the extra weight if I'm more comfortable temperature-wise.

I hear that the Fourth Element clothing works great when worn as drysuit undergarments...and could minimize the amount of extra weight that the drysuit diver would need to carry. The material isn't that bulky for the amount of warmth that it provides.

Good luck...

 

[beepbird]

I use the Mysterioso fleeces that are meant to be worn kayaking. You can get them from NRS. They are very similar to the 4th Element fleeces. They keep me toasty warm under my semidry. Yes they get wet but still insulate. Amazing what they can do with a 2 liter bottle. I typically stay warmer than the guys in their wetsuits and I have no body fat. They are pricey but worth it!