Does anybody have experience with the newer Bare Hi-Loft underwear.
Bare Hi-Loft Underwear
- Thread starter grf88
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I have a Hi-Loft.
When I first got it, I was impressed. It kept me warm. However, as I have been diving it more and more, I am just getting colder and colder. I find I am beginning to shiver at around the 15 minute mark in about 45 degrees (also wearing polypro shirt and pants, and a very thin layer of fleece underneath the hi-loft). By the time I come out of the water at around 40-45 minutes (I absolutely canNOT go longer than that with this undergarment) I am a complete and total popsicle with no feeling in either hands or feet. However, I am a very small woman and get cold much, MUCH easier than most.
I also find it a tad restrictive. There are no stretch panels in the front of the knees, so it is hard to bend my knees beyond 90 degrees.
It would keep someone who is not quite as susceptible to cold as me quite warm, I should imagine, it is just not enough for me. I am thinking of switching to the whites MK3 or weezle extreme plus...just not quite sure which yet!
When I first got it, I was impressed. It kept me warm. However, as I have been diving it more and more, I am just getting colder and colder. I find I am beginning to shiver at around the 15 minute mark in about 45 degrees (also wearing polypro shirt and pants, and a very thin layer of fleece underneath the hi-loft). By the time I come out of the water at around 40-45 minutes (I absolutely canNOT go longer than that with this undergarment) I am a complete and total popsicle with no feeling in either hands or feet. However, I am a very small woman and get cold much, MUCH easier than most.
I also find it a tad restrictive. There are no stretch panels in the front of the knees, so it is hard to bend my knees beyond 90 degrees.
It would keep someone who is not quite as susceptible to cold as me quite warm, I should imagine, it is just not enough for me. I am thinking of switching to the whites MK3 or weezle extreme plus...just not quite sure which yet!
jim T.
Guest
creamofwheat, have you tried Diving Concepts extreme stretch thinsulate/200gram undies? Just wondering if you have if they've
been warm enough for you?
grf88, stretch feature is nice. Not only will it help make up for some shrinkage from drying or expansion from holiday eating
but if you ever go to doubles or a singe tank H valve it makes it easier to reach your valves.
I dive 41-45 degree water in a neoprene drysuit wearing the DC stretch undies and I'm good for about 45 min. to an hr.
In 51-53 degree water I'm good to an hr. and twenty/thiry minutes
with a layer of polypro long johns under them, if that helps you in choosing something. I have some body fat though.
6' 196 lbs...
I tried the Bare undies on (a buddy's) and missed having as much stretch in the knees too. I didn't get to dive in them though so can't comment on warmth.
been warm enough for you?
grf88, stretch feature is nice. Not only will it help make up for some shrinkage from drying or expansion from holiday eating
but if you ever go to doubles or a singe tank H valve it makes it easier to reach your valves.I dive 41-45 degree water in a neoprene drysuit wearing the DC stretch undies and I'm good for about 45 min. to an hr.
In 51-53 degree water I'm good to an hr. and twenty/thiry minutes
with a layer of polypro long johns under them, if that helps you in choosing something. I have some body fat though.
6' 196 lbs...
I tried the Bare undies on (a buddy's) and missed having as much stretch in the knees too. I didn't get to dive in them though so can't comment on warmth.
scubadobadoo
Contributor
Maybe I am missing something but my bare hi-loft has stretch panels in the knees and in other places as well. Sounds like a possible fit issue or someone is confusing the bare hi-loft with the bare 200 gram thinsulate suit that isn't of the hi-loft variety. The hi-loft variety is in fact thicker than 200grams, is a hi-loft garment, and is also thinsulate so I doubt if it is much less warm than the diving concepts brand mentioned above at 200 grams. The hi-loft is comparable to the dui 400 gram and the weezle but it's much cheaper at LP. In fact, I prefer it as those two (dui and weezle) come with there own issues like plugging the dump valve on my shoulder with soft fabric but that's for another thread.
Chreamofwheat...good luck. The answer is that you are small and the water is cold. Moreover, Men are natural energy factories and tend to have more muscle and fat/size than most woman and this increases warmth. In addition, judging from your post above, you probably aren't using dry gloves and maybe need a better hood if your hands and head are frozen solid after only 15 minutes. The bare undies have nothing to do with this problem. If your extremities are cold, then you will likely feel colder than you really may be. Again, that's natural in cold water and no dry suit or any undies out there will help that for some people or any person given an extended dive It's a dry suit, not a warm suit and I always feel that it's somewhat of a fallacy when people say that they are much warmer in a dry suit than in a wet suit. Yes, it's mostly true, but the water is still 40 degrees. The dry suit only slows the inevitable.
I also get cold easily and I have waisted money and time on multiple pairs of undies. The best thing you can do is get dry gloves and maybe a better hood. That may help a bit. And still, the water will be cold and you will be thin/small.
People always use the word "toasty" here on SB to describe how they feel in their dry suits. I have never felt "toasty" warm in my dry suit and most of the people I dive with don't feel "toasty" warm in a dry suit. Toasty warm is the feeling I get when I sit in front of a fire and not at the end of a 1 hour dive in 40 degree water.
People are different when it comes to tolerance for cold and one's body/etc... plays a huge role in this.
Good luck!
Chreamofwheat...good luck.
The answer is that you are small and the water is cold. Moreover, Men are natural energy factories and tend to have more muscle and fat/size than most woman and this increases warmth. In addition, judging from your post above, you probably aren't using dry gloves and maybe need a better hood if your hands and head are frozen solid after only 15 minutes. The bare undies have nothing to do with this problem. If your extremities are cold, then you will likely feel colder than you really may be. Again, that's natural in cold water and no dry suit or any undies out there will help that for some people or any person given an extended dive It's a dry suit, not a warm suit and I always feel that it's somewhat of a fallacy when people say that they are much warmer in a dry suit than in a wet suit. Yes, it's mostly true, but the water is still 40 degrees. The dry suit only slows the inevitable.I also get cold easily and I have waisted money and time on multiple pairs of undies. The best thing you can do is get dry gloves and maybe a better hood. That may help a bit. And still, the water will be cold and you will be thin/small.
People always use the word "toasty" here on SB to describe how they feel in their dry suits. I have never felt "toasty" warm in my dry suit and most of the people I dive with don't feel "toasty" warm in a dry suit. Toasty warm is the feeling I get when I sit in front of a fire and not at the end of a 1 hour dive in 40 degree water.
People are different when it comes to tolerance for cold and one's body/etc... plays a huge role in this.
Good luck!
I am with you on this!
I had a hi-loft for about a year (130ish dives on it) and just recently upgraded to a whites MK3, which I'm told by people who have dived both is comparable to a weezle.
My experience with the hi-loft was that at first it was decently warm. I was able to pull hour long dives wearing thermal underwear and only be 'chilly' (for what it's worth as a description) after about an hour, a bit less if it was a relaxing dive. The main issue I see with this undergarment is that it loses its ability to retain heat fast - that is after being compressed it doesn't bounce back very well and so its thinner and less insulating on the next dive. All undergarments suffer from this to a degree, but especially the hi-loft. By the time I made the switch to the MK3 I was getting out of the water quite cold if not shivering after only 45min dives. I'm 6'1 195lbs if that means anything to you.
The Hi-Loft is NOT comparable to the Weezle, MK3 or DUI 400g. It's a 200g undergarment. It would probably be pretty good for diving in california, but never having dove there i wouldn't really know.
The BARE Hi-Loft does have stretch panels in the knees, but they're in the back which is kind of dumb.
Bottom Line: Since you're in Ontario you'd do best to get either a whites mk3 or a weezle and avoid the hi-loft. After a 75min dive in 43ºF water I was warmer in my MK3 than I ever was in my Hi-Loft, even in water 10 degrees warmer.
Cream of Wheat: You should really get some dry gloves, seriously...
My experience with the hi-loft was that at first it was decently warm. I was able to pull hour long dives wearing thermal underwear and only be 'chilly' (for what it's worth as a description) after about an hour, a bit less if it was a relaxing dive. The main issue I see with this undergarment is that it loses its ability to retain heat fast - that is after being compressed it doesn't bounce back very well and so its thinner and less insulating on the next dive. All undergarments suffer from this to a degree, but especially the hi-loft. By the time I made the switch to the MK3 I was getting out of the water quite cold if not shivering after only 45min dives. I'm 6'1 195lbs if that means anything to you.
The Hi-Loft is NOT comparable to the Weezle, MK3 or DUI 400g. It's a 200g undergarment. It would probably be pretty good for diving in california, but never having dove there i wouldn't really know.
The BARE Hi-Loft does have stretch panels in the knees, but they're in the back which is kind of dumb.
Bottom Line: Since you're in Ontario you'd do best to get either a whites mk3 or a weezle and avoid the hi-loft. After a 75min dive in 43ºF water I was warmer in my MK3 than I ever was in my Hi-Loft, even in water 10 degrees warmer.
Cream of Wheat: You should really get some dry gloves, seriously...
*snicker* Oh, you. Muah!!
scubadobadoo, as is implied by S. starfish there, I do indeed wear dry gloves. Dry gloves (and a good hood, for that matter) are not the issue. The issue is that the hi-loft is not the best undergarment on the market and i get cold wearing it. It is not comparable to a Weezle or MK3 or DUI 400g. The hi-loft is comparable to a 200g undergarment. And yes there are stretch panels in the knees, but they are in the back, which still means I cannot bend my knees more that 90 degrees without fighting with it.
Anyway, was just giving my opinion on the undergarment, and I don't think I would buy another one. I would pay a bit more and get something a bit warmer, but that's just me. I know people who love the hi-loft. All a matter of opinion, really.
scubadobadoo
Contributor
I have used the dui 400 gram and the weezle and find them no better or warmer. JMHO. I do find them much more expensive though. I also find that people I know who get cold easily who have used the dui and the weezle still complain about the cold water even after they paid all that extra money to switch to them. But that's just my experience and may not be yours. I have not used the mk3. Good luck!
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