Lavacore vs pinnacle vest

[Pyro_]

Looking to pick up a vest to use either by itself or else with my current aqualock wetsuit depending water temps

Am considering either the lavacore or the pinnacle ones right now. Just wondering if any of you have any comments on either one and which you prefer

Thanks

 

[smoothfin]

I currently own the Lavacore vest, owned the Pinnacle merino-lined hooded vest in the past. I used the Pinnacle in Florida and at the Socorro Islands under a 3mm and was happy with it. When it finally started falling apart I got the Lavacore and have used it in Belize under the 3mm and I'm happy with it also. I think the Lavacore is warmer, and is marketed as being neutrally buoyant, whereas the Pinnacle vest is neoprene so it's going to be a bit positively buoyant, but for me the slight increase in buoyancy didn't make much of a difference. Between the two my preference is for the Lavacore because it seems like it's a bit warmer. Not sure what the price difference between the two is.

 

[Pyro_]

Thanks for the response. At this point I am not taking price into account as it is not that far off from each other. Really just trying to decide on which one is better

 

[cb5150]

I have both. My wife has both. Neither one of us can see any significant difference, good or bad.

 

[Kharon]

I have a question about this comparison. I have LavaCore and lycra socks. I find that if I don't wash the LavaCore out (with soap) as soon as I get home, before they dry, they really, really stink. The lycro socks don't do this. I just rinse and drip dry. Does this happen with the vests? Any ideas why this might be happening?

 

[BugHunterNY]

I have a question about this comparison. I have LavaCore and lycra socks. I find that if I don't wash the LavaCore out (with soap) as soon as I get home, before they dry, they really, really stink. The lycro socks don't do this. I just rinse and drip dry. Does this happen with the vests? Any ideas why this might be happening?

I have a few pcs of Lavacore, and they always smell too. I actually just washed them in the machine for the first time - on delicate cycle, with very little detergent, then in the dryer on low heat and delicate spin. Seems to have lost some of the funk .


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[tangfish]

I've got a lavacore in medium, which I usually am, but it fits strangely, tight at the bottom and loose on top. Best to try it on somewhere, for exposure protection I always think proper fit is more important than any other factor.

 

[hellhole]

Issit lavacore by pinnacle?? Same same but difference thing going on here ?

 

[CathyCA]

LavaCore is by Oceanic. Pinnacle uses Merino wool. Pinnacle now has 2 types of vests. One is 5mm neoprene lined with Merino wool. The other is V-skin which has no neoprene, just a tri-laminate (whatever that is) and Merino wool.

I found this thread because I am trying to find out if anybody has tried the V-skin. I am thinking about getting it to go with a 5mm for the Galapagos. I normally dive 7mm in California and would like less mm for this trip.

 

[ScubaDocER]

I am thinking about getting it to go with a 5mm for the Galapagos. I normally dive 7mm in California and would like less mm for this trip.

I dove in the Galapagos in May of 2013 and would suggest a 7mm suit. It seems counter intuitative, but because of the currents, the water feels colder than it really is. But it is a matter of personal preference. The water temp was about 74-75, but with the current felt more like 71-72. If you do well in water temps in that range then I would go with the 5 mm. I was glad I had my 7 mm. It was a fantastic trip by the way!!