battery heated vest anyone?

[Captain Brian]

Same as above. Tried several and had so-so results. I managed to waterproof the battery, but didn't like having to turn the vest on before zipping up the drysuit, especially on those days when it was HOT on the surface and cold on the bottom. And there was no way to change the heat setting once in the water,

I went with the Golem Gear vest. About $1,000 but find I don't want to dive without it. Even on cave dives, when I've got an hour or two on deco, the heat is great. You turn it on when you need it and, with the GG, you have 3 different heat settings to crank it up as it gets colder. Probably could have paid for it with all of the other vests I tried and discarded.

I second the recomendation for Golem Gear. I've dove mine for a year now and love it. It controls easily from the switch on the battery. The low setting is plenty even in the 38 degree water we dive. It's alot easier to turn a switch than to plug in a cord with drysuit gloves.

 

[DarkCoffee]

With the proper use of heated vest, I have not witnessed any issues. Most important is the need to be comfortable for the end of the dive, with Deco involved. Being cold and shivering for Deco is not good. Issues regarding heated vest (only heard of these on Deco dives) have come from failed vests and divers in too light (relying on heat) of an undergarment.

Yes, that jives with what I was told. On-gas more when warm, then during deco, if there is an issue and you start to cool down (vest failure, battery) then you off gas slower. According the the doc, and how my buddy related the info to me, the direction was to reserve the use of the vest till later in the dive/end of the dive to remain warm during the deco.

 

[lof]

Golem vests are being used by US Coast Guard and by US Government in Atarctica as well as many users in coldest areas in the world.
And by me in Florida

 

[mattpatton]

Check out our website www.HeatedWetsuits.Com. We are the US Distributor of Thermalution heated wetsuit and dry suit vests and have many different models available, based on your specific needs. They will dramatically improve your bottom time underwater and keep you from shivering on those long cold dives.

Wireless models are available, designed for dry suit use, operated by a wrist watch temperature controller! Feel free to contact us with any questions you might have. We're more than happy to help out at any time. Stay Warm!

 

[lof]

Does the Thermulation still have the heating coils on the back only? I talked to them years ago and they would not move it to front for divers.

 

[mattpatton]

Does the Thermulation still have the heating coils on the back only? I talked to them years ago and they would not move it to front for divers.

Yes, heating coils are still only in the back. Runs from the upper shoulders to the lower back. Here's a video on the 15M suit. The 70M scuba diving suit is identical, but rated to 210ft underwater.

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfV40pf-b24[/video]

Also a video done by sport diver:

[video]http://bcove.me/ewfyvvhi[/video]

The wireless models are available now for drysuit use. Batteries are twice as large with twice the battery life, but the heating area is still only in the back, where it is most effective at keeping your core body temperature up. Let me know if you have any other questions. Stay Warm!

 

[w ripley]

I did a 4-hour dive in Ginnie Springs yesterday and was faced with an additional 2.5-hour deco (6.6 hours total for those of you math challenged, LOL). It gets pretty cold when sitting there for that long after being so warm from swimming. I carry extra gloves and wear an additional hood, but without the heated vest I would be frozen. I kept the battery on the lowest setting, so as not to go thru the battery before deco was over, but did kick it up to the second heat setting for the last 20 minutes.

IMO, you can't do such long dives without some kind of supplement heat + you need to be able to to keep the heater in reserve, until you need it = external controls. I posted above, but as a reminder it is a Golem Gear.

 

[jimmy71]

Yes, heating coils are still only in the back. Runs from the upper shoulders to the lower back. Here's a video on the 15M suit. The 70M scuba diving suit is identical, but rated to 210ft underwater.

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfV40pf-b24[/video]

Also a video done by sport diver:

[video]http://bcove.me/ewfyvvhi[/video]

The wireless models are available now for drysuit use. Batteries are twice as large with twice the battery life, but the heating area is still only in the back, where it is most effective at keeping your core body temperature up. Let me know if you have any other questions. Stay Warm!

I looked on your website and do not see anything about the wireless models. Any help?

 

[mattpatton]

Not a problem! Check out the Yellow Grade Thermalution. It has the wireless controller and twice the battery life of the standard 70M heated wetsuit vest.

 

[Davedagc]

I have a heated vest from a u.k company called blazer. It has heaters front and back and has no problems with turning on or off underwater. Only down side is once it is switched on you can not change it, but at only £99 who cares


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