High end drysuit undergarments

[Mark Vlahos]

Thanks for the reply, Mark. I agree about needing adequate thermal protection for longer runtimes. My hope/need is to get this without compromising my ability to reach my posts. So far, I've found I can have warmth or reach, but not both (which is why I came up with my t shirt and sleveless sweatshirt combo). The DUI Powerstretch hasn't bunched or restricted your reach?

Stu

Can't speak for anybody else, but in my case the Powerstretch has not restricted my movement very much. I can still reach my posts. The most important thing for me to remember is when I get in the water to make sure that the suit has enough material up around my arms and chest BEFORE I let it squeeze.

Mark Vlahos

 

[MarkUK]

Bob – weird you had to add substantially more weight to sink using the FE Arctic. I have both the Xerotherm and the Xerotherm Arctic set-ups (tops, bottoms and socks) and I found I didn't need to add any more weight to sink when using either with my Outer Edge 3mm compressed neoprene drysuit than when I used to use my old, knackered polartec fleece.

I also dive a Weezle Extreme and I use the same weight with that, too, and I have always been warm as toast. I read a lot on here about you needing loft, etc, with these undersuits and I've found that to be bollocks. My Weezle fills any space in my suit pretty tightly, but I have never been cold, even after spending three hours doing an equipment test in 6m of 3°C water. It even kept me warm when my neck seal went five minutes into a dive in 12°C water and I still dive a 50 minute dive.

It is all horses for courses, but I highly rate the Fourth Element stuff. It's great for mountain biking in cold weather too!

Mark

 

[CompuDude]

Bump... just wondering if anyone out there has actually directly compared the warmth, flexibility and thickness of the Fourth Element and DUI PowerStretch undergarments... Bueller? Bueller?

 

[RussR]

Where can you get the Fourth Element undergarments online or in the New York Area?

I found Northeastscubasupply.com bt would like to shop around a little

 

[cys]

I am late to this thread, but I am keenly interested in any further comments that anyone had about how buoyant the Fourth Element Arctic undersuit is in comparison to say... 200g thinsulate or the Diving Concepts TPS 1.7.

I was about to pull the trigger on the Fourth Element Arctic undersuit until I found this thread. I need something that is streamlined and flexible to optimize mobility in my tls 350. DUI powerstretch sounds interesting but as I just sank $$ in some DC undergarments that turned out to be too bulky for my current drysuit I would sooner spring for the less costly option.

 

[CompuDude]

I am late to this thread, but I am keenly interested in any further comments that anyone had about how buoyant the Fourth Element Arctic undersuit is in comparison to say... 200g thinsulate or the Diving Concepts TPS 1.7.

I was about to pull the trigger on the Fourth Element Arctic undersuit until I found this thread. I need something that is streamlined and flexible to optimize mobility in my tls 350. DUI powerstretch sounds interesting but as I just sank $$ in some DC undergarments that turned out to be too bulky for my current drysuit I would sooner spring for the less costly option.

I'd like to know re the buoyancy comparison, too, although I must say there's not a huge difference in cost between the two, with some careful shopping.

As far as optimizing mobility, though, I kinda wonder what the difference will be between the one piece DUI and the two piece FE.

 

[*Floater*]

I purchased the Fourth Element Xerotherm Arctic tops, bottoms, and socks a few months ago. Ended up only using the top on some dives, and the socks on every dive, as the entire unit proved to be too buoyant for my purposes.

Given other options available to me, I'll probably be selling the top and bottoms ... I love the warmth, but they take an awful lot of weight to sink ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Bob, I know this is an old thread, but I'm a fan of the Xerotherm Arctics so I have to ask: What "other options" did you find better suited for your diving needs?

 

[CompuDude]

I seem to recall Bob went back to his Softwear UGs.