How to make 5 mil wetsuit warmer

[WhyMe]

Does anyone know of any heeded vests that zip in the front, like many of the non-hooded vests do?

 

[redacted]

Does anyone know of any heeded vests that zip in the front, like many of the non-hooded vests do?

Front zippers tend to compromise neck seals losing some of the benefit of a hooded vest. They are not difficult to don and doff without the zipper.

 

[tursiops]

tursiops, it may be an old wives tale, but keeping your neck and head warm is crucial to staying warm. Your neck has two very large blood vessels that are very close to the surface of the skin and without protection cause you to lose a great deal of body heat, and a cold head also makes you feel colder than you are which then exacerbates any other cold issues like poor decision making.

The point is simple: if the head is the thing that is not covered, then that is where you are losing the heat. So cover it. But there is no basis in fact that the head or neck lose heat more so than anywhere else on the body. The misconception comes from an old study by the Army where they bundled people up, and then checked where they were losing heat....surprise! From their uncovered heads! You often hear that half your heat is lost from your head. If that were true, you could cover just your ehad and NOT the rest of your body and stay just as warm. Doh.

Yes, for heaven's sake, cover your head and neck, and keep cold water from flushing through the wet suit. and wear warm booties. And gloves. There is no magic here.

 

[tbone1004]

true, but that was just from skin studies, the arm pits, crotch, and neck are most susceptible to heat loss because of the large veins and arteries that are close to the surface. Your body can pull blood back from capillaries in the skin, not from the artery and vein that move almost half your blood up to your noggin. Luckily your crotch and arm pits, while the arteries and veins are close to the skin, they are generally pushed up against other skin so it is a nonissue, but your neck is SoL on that front.

Front zip hooded vests are fine for over vests, but most of them are designed to just pull on like a turtle neck and go under your wetsuit. This all but eliminates any gaps in the suit for water to accumulate.

 

[WhyMe]

I see something in my quick online searching that is called a step in hooded vest, which looks like a shortie with a hood that zips up. Maybe that would work if I can't manage the pull on hooded vest. Since I get cold easily, the extra coverage on my body might be ok. And might compensate for the zipper making it not as warm.

 

[uncfnp]

I add a Core Warner similar to this one.

Henderson Thermoprene Women's 3 mm Core Warmer at LeisurePro

and/or this hooded vest

Camaro Ice Vest Pro 2 mm, Women's at LeisurePro

I mix the combinations as needed for the water temperature I am diving. The vest is very elastic around the neck and face so it's extremely comfortable and may feel less claustrophobic.

 

[tbone1004]

The step in ones are nice, my better half has one. It's your call, but I usually prefer the ones that go on under the wetsuits. They're easier to work with. The step in ones can get a little restricting to your hips which can make kicking hard for some people.

 

[uncfnp]

I wear the core warmer under the wetsuit as well. Makes donning and doffing the wetsuit a breeze and I can just unzip and peel down the upper portion of the wetsuit (or remove completely depending of the surface temperature) and still be quite comfortable during the SI.

The advantage of the core warmer is no added zipper so no extra bulk.

 

[Rich Keller]

That is an old wives tale.

When the body starts to experience hypothermia it reduces blood flow to the extremities in order to keep the core and head warm. The head is the only extremity that gets priority and is more exposed then the core so you loss the most heat from that area.

 

[WhyMe]

Thanks for the links uncnfp. The hooded vest says it's very stretchy and has a sides zipper too! I might have just not tried on enough, enough in the right size. The dive shops where I live are pretty small and have limited selection. I'll be in Dallas in a couple of months and think they have a big dive shop there that might be worth a visit.