Bare T-100 adequate for the cold?

[jiveturkey]

I'm looking at getting the Bare T-100 Polar Wear as part of a drysuit package. I don't really have hte option of buying the T200. I dive in temps ranging from 1-12 degrees celcius (33-55 degrees F)

Is this underwear going to be adequate? If not, is there anyway to supplement the T-100 without having to buy more underwear? Like maybe wear something over or under the T-100? How will this affect the wicking properties of the underwear?

 

[JeffG]

I'm looking at getting the Bare T-100 Polar Wear as part of a drysuit package. I don't really have hte option of buying the T200. I dive in temps ranging from 1-12 degrees celcius (33-55 degrees F)

Is this underwear going to be adequate? If not, is there anyway to supplement the T-100 without having to buy more underwear? Like maybe wear something over or under the T-100? How will this affect the wicking properties of the underwear?

Depends on your cold tolerance. I would wear the T200 and add more...but I am a weenie.

You can add some fleece sweats to make it warmer, just stay away from cotten fleece. (Cotten bad....very very bad)

 

[jiveturkey]

You can add some fleece sweats to make it warmer...

Over or under the T-100?

 

[Boogie711]

The simplest and easiest way to add 'warmth' to undies is to wear polypropylene underwear next to your skin. You can pick some up at any outdoors shop or work place. Polypro wicks the moisture away and thus keeps you warmer - cotton is a big sponge and will freeze you out.


And I would stay away from the Bare Undies - I had a pair and hated them. Went with Diving Concepts Undies - they rock.

 

[Deo]

Using T-100, I got cold yesterday after 40 minutes in water which was on the upper edge of your range -- 53F.

The suit was NexGen, ifor what it matters

 

[JeffG]

Over or under the T-100?

Usually Under. My buddy got a fleece vest that adds some extra warmth to his T200.

But there are other issues...I was doing a dive in the 40deg F range, my body was fine but my hands were frozen (I was using neoprene gloves). The next day I walked into the dive store and bought some drygloves.

Moral of the story....If you cheap out now, you end up paying for it later. Either through money and/or bad dives.

 

[jiveturkey]

Using T-100, I got cold yesterday after 40 minutes in water which was on the upper edge of your range -- 53F.

The suit was NexGen, ifor what it matters

Uncomfortably cold or dangerously cold? I can sometimes handle uncomfortably cold.

 

[Mike Newman]

The general message seems to be, if you can't afford a heavyweight polarfleece undergarment, go for some snug fitting polypropylene thermal wear. I use Cabelas excellent new material that has a honeycomb texture to trap air and really capitalize on comfort.

Cabelas have a whole range of good thermals - and I'm sure that the Mountain Equipment Coop do too. They may be easier for you. Don't be afraid to layer - but beware the extra weight that bulking out on underwear will attract. Dive safe - and warm!

 

[Deo]

Uncomfortably cold or dangerously cold?

I-can't-stop-shivering cold. Fortunately, we were diving breakwater wall, so we simply went 15' up, where it was warmer.

Granted, that was 2nd dive, after 20-minutes surface swim, and the first dive was total 90 minutes in water. I notice that i grow progressively more cold every dive in a day.

Anyway, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to dive 40F using T-100 with no additional layers. YMMV.

 

[jiveturkey]

The general message seems to be, if you can't afford a heavyweight polarfleece undergarment, go for some snug fitting polypropylene thermal wear. I use Cabelas excellent new material that has a honeycomb texture to trap air and really capitalize on comfort.

Cabelas have a whole range of good thermals - and I'm sure that the Mountain Equipment Coop do too. They may be easier for you. Don't be afraid to layer - but beware the extra weight that bulking out on underwear will attract. Dive safe - and warm!

How about this item: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...93&PRODUCT<>prd_id=479821&bmUID=1092107894084 It's not polyproplyene but polartec seems to do the same type of thing: wick water away from the body. This item has long johns to complement it and the price is definitely right. I wonder how much of a difference something like this would make when layered with the Bare undergarment.