Drysuit undergarments - Santi or Fourth Element?

[buddhasummer]

I liked the FE Dry Base, but replaced it with KamGear undies, which are slightly fleecier and a bit warmer.

I also like undergarments you can wash, which is part of the reason I've ended up with the Whites Thermal Fusion.

What at size did you end up buying? WTF that is, that looks rude let's call it the Whites Thermal Fusion. Cheers.

 

[Doppler]

I wear O'Three PBB+ undies for warm to cool water and slip the light-weight Santi one-piece over the top for really cold water

Thermal Undersuit | Diving Undersuits | Point Below Base | Layering | Baselayer

Light CDS 40 | SANTI

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I wear O'Three PBB+ undies for warm to cool water and slip the light-weight Santi one-piece over the top for really cold water

Thermal Undersuit | Diving Undersuits | Point Below Base | Layering | Baselayer

Light CDS 40 | SANTI

I want to talk to you about these O3 items at DEMA. Looks like what I have been looking for and we are about the same size.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Doppler]

I want to talk to you about these O3 items at DEMA. Looks like what I have been looking for and we are about the same size.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

Any time, Jim. The PBB+ is the best all-round thermals I've had... and I've tried most.

 

[Redshift]

I'm interested in knowing if there are any developments regarding this. I'm now faced with the same choice, Halo 3D or Santi BZ400 or 400/200.
Are there more people now who have tried both? How do they compare in terms of insulation, comfort, buoyancy, properties when wet, durability...?
And I have recently heard some people not happy with the quality of the newer Santi...

 

[mpspringer]

Whites thermal fusion keeps me warm and toasty in the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest

 

[dbulmer]

I'm interested in knowing if there are any developments regarding this. I'm now faced with the same choice, Halo 3D or Santi BZ400 or 400/200.
Are there more people now who have tried both? How do they compare in terms of insulation, comfort, buoyancy, properties when wet, durability...?
And I have recently heard some people not happy with the quality of the newer Santi...

I use the 4th Element Xerotherm as a base layer and the Santi BZ400 as my undersuit. Both can be washed but I suggest you only wash these when people start complaining The Halo3D is pretty bulky - I do know that Gareth Burrows (UK Gue Instructor) did flood his suit on puirpose to test out the Halo3D and if my memory serves me right he found that the Halo3D did take an awfully long time to dry compared to everything else out there

The combination I use I'm very happy with - I have a Santi suit and the undersuit - for me the undersuit is a real joy it fits well and movement is exceptionally good. People I've met using the Halo like the warmth of the garment but not too many people are happy with the bulk of it particularly twinset users doing valve shutdowns - it's possible but not as easy as they'd like.

I'm not aware of issues with the new Santi so can't comment - I have never had a problem with the undersuit.

I see a lot of people using Arctics over here in the summer but less so in the winter - personally they'd be nowhere warm enough for me even in the summer but the Arctic socks are really really good and I'd recommend those socks anytime.

 

[Redshift]

Only the arctics would not be enough for me!
I have the hotfoot socks and they are great, although a bit bulky for my suit...

The bulk of the halo comes with it's design... so I'm wondering if that design really makes it warmer than more "traditional" undersuits or not that much.

I don't have problems with valve drills, but that's something I'd like to try before committing to a suit.

The drying time can be important, but I'm more interested in the properties while wet. What did he find during his flood test? I've read reports of people who got water inside and were ok with the halo.

 

[PRO-FOUND]

I wear 2 pair of cotton socks 1 short sleeve cotton T-shirt. 2 long sleeve cotton T-shirts 1 sweat shirt a pair of footless tights and a pair of sweatpants
I wear this lot on every dive where the water temperature is less than 16 degrees Celsius, never been cold at 60/70 metres with water as cold as 2 degrees Celsius

Easy to clean and dry costs around 70 euros easy to replace

Note I recommend 4th element

 

[dbulmer]

Only the arctics would not be enough for me!
I have the hotfoot socks and they are great, although a bit bulky for my suit...

The bulk of the halo comes with it's design... so I'm wondering if that design really makes it warmer than more "traditional" undersuits or not that much.

I don't have problems with valve drills, but that's something I'd like to try before committing to a suit.

The drying time can be important, but I'm more interested in the properties while wet. What did he find during his flood test? I've read reports of people who got water inside and were ok with the halo.

As far as I can recall he got cold quite quickly. I'm going off my dodgy memory here so I might be misrepresenting his view so take what I said with a pinch of salt
The material in the Santi is pretty good and helps ward off the cold but from my perspective if you get water in your suit you are going to get cold - the material just buys you some additional time before your voice goes squeeky.

Just found a post by Gareth on a different forum:-
He said: (I'm quoting)
"

• The Halo is very flexible and warm, but I found it awful in the case of a suit flood with little thermal protection. It also takes days and days to dry out properly once wet.
• The Santi 200 is a great UK summer suit
• The Santi 200 is a great UK winter suit. They are bulky but settle down after a few dives.

I have the Santi and Halo, and prefer the Santi by far. They also come made to measure. "