Industry Product Review of Thermal Fusion Undergarment

[WHITES Justin]

Hi everyone,

Scott Stevenson, freelance underwater photographer, recently started diving the Thermal Fusion. Here is his review:

Changing the Game

One of the biggest issues with diving in temperate waters or the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest is being warm. Whites Manufacturing has unleashed what they are calling a “game changer”, and I happen to agree. I spend hours under the water, and warmth and comfort are the most important factors when I’m snapping away beneath the surface.

This game changer that Whites has sent forth to the diving masses is their incredibly ingenious, scientifically backed, Thermal Fusion undergarment. The Fusion dry suit hit the dive scene a few years ago and skeptics abounded, picking apart the suit for various reasons. However the Fusion dry suit and the advances that Whites have included in their new models have set the standard for the dry suit market around the world. As great as the suit is, the one thing that was lacking was a truly complimentary undergarment. The Thermal Fusion is that undergarment. Most undergarments on the market today have various bells and whistles: some are flexible but thin, others are thick and robust but buoyant, some are two piece while others may remind you of a multi-coloured unitard from the 80’s.

There's nothing worse than a too-techy undergarment, however Whites loves attention to detail, so its designers pursued the brilliant idea to create a two-layered undergarment similar to the design of the Fusion Drysuit. The first layer is a loose cut thermal core constructed of Polartec 200 fleece ™, that fits a wide range of sizes and does not restrict mobility while wicking away moisture. This Polartec is like soft cotton, but moves the sweat from your pits and pecks so it can find its way out and not pool up inside. The best undergarment in the world is just a worthless piece of cloth if it doesn’t have moisture wicking, quick-drying property about it. The second, outer layer is a Polartec Power Stretch Pro ™ compression skin, which streamlines the inner core to the divers body, provides a custom fit, and allows maximum range of motion. The Polartec Power Stretch Pro ™ compression skin, combined with Whites unique ATS (Air Transfer System) minimizes buoyancy, while allowing incredibly efficient air venting out of the suit. You'll truly enjoy the super-soft feel of this undergarment; it’s something you can stay in, relax in, and have a post dive beer in.
Above and beyond the important stuff, the little details and the thought that went into the design are what really make this a great piece of equipment. The extra large stretchy thumb loops to help hold everything in place on the arms so your wrists don’t get cold, vents positioned on the chest and arm at the inflate and exhaust valves locations allows for increased airflow, and of course the crotch zip.
No matter the type of diver you are when it comes to dry suits, and in particular the undergarments, four things are paramount when deciding which one is the best for you: warmth, comfort, flexibility and buoyancy (or lack there of). Whites developers have nailed each one of these criteria and have produced a piece of dive equipment that has incorporated all the necessities and made something that will be the benchmark for all other undergarment manufacturers. This is under-armour for your body against the cold.

For more information
Contact : Whites Manufacturing
6820 Kirkpatrick Crescent • Saanichton, BC, • V8M 1Z9 • Canada
Phone: 250.652.8554 • Fax: 250.652.8553
email: whitesinfo@aqualung.com

Scott Stevenson is a freelance underwater photographer, scuba diver, cold water junkie, oceanic nomad, marine conservationist, sclupin lover, creator of Pacific Marine Imaging and owner of Pinnacle Scuba Adventures based in Victoria BC

 

[Aqua-Andy]

I have an idea, how about sending a couple of the regulars here some Thermal Fusions to try out. This review sounds great but doesn't mean much to me because I have never heard of the person. Two that come to mind are DAaquamaster and TSandM, both are very respected here and have used many other undergarments to compare them against. I can tell you one thing if TSandM says it is as warm as her MK3 then I would purchase one right away.

 

[WHITES Justin]

Hi everyone,

There has been allot of requests for comparisons between the MK3 and Thermal Fusion in terms of thermal protection. So far everyone who has dove both (myself included) has said that the Thermal Fusion and MK3 are very similar in thermal protection, but the TF is much less buoyant and way more flexible. Check the Whites FB page for more user comments.

When we completed the thermal testing at the lab the TF out-performed the MK2 by a long margin, and the MK3 by a more tight margin. We were most concerned about our competition which is why that is what we published. However, due to many requests, below is the actual chart from the scientfific data showing the drop in body temperature post cold water immersion in each undergarment. As you can see, the TF beat everything.

For more information on how the tests were conducted visit the Whites website.