Neoprene vs lavacore

[Dave Kay]

Bare has released a new "buoyancy neutral" top and bottom called "Exowear". Same principals as Lavacore and Sharkskin. Pretty comfortable and a bit faster drying than my Lavacore. Similar prices.

If one wears a top and bottom wont cold water seep into them at the waist line?

 

[Dave Kay]

Lava Core as you already noted, is neutrally buoyant. In my experience, it is roughly equivalent in warmth to a 2-3mm wetsuit. I have a full top and full pant lavacore and am comfortable to 78-79 degrees-- but that is a very personal thing. Any colder than that and I am getting into my 5mm neoprene wetsuit. Any water in the 60's or below, I am in my drysuit. Life span for the lava Core is every bit as long lasting as a wetsuit, if you take care of it. I like that it can be washed in the washing machine and dried in the dryer. I like that it is 2 piece for going to the bathroom and makes it easier to don and doff. Although, I do find that the top is a bit challenging to get off, since there is no zipper. Putting it on is a breeze though.

can you answer this: Some people wear top and bottom wetsuits, wont they allow cold water to constantly get in from the waist line up an down?

 

[Esprise Me]

the inferno looks like something to wear under a wet suit. I see mentions of wearing vests and stuff under wetsuits. I thought that the wet suit was supposed to fit snug so how can one put other gear under it??

I wear a Sharkskin jacket under my 7mm wetsuit for local diving (water temps from low 50s to high 60s). It's thin enough to fit underneath, and it does make a difference.

 

[1isNone]

Doesn't a wool T shirt get waterlogged and heavy??

Yes, it gets 100% wet but doesn't get noticeably heavy. IIRC, wool insulates when wet. It does dry surprisingly fast once topside.

 

[Trailboss123]

can you answer this: Some people wear top and bottom wetsuits, wont they allow cold water to constantly get in from the waist line up an down?

In the case of the Lavacore, both the pants and the top, have an elastic drawstring that can be pulled quite snug to your waist- that combined with how the wetsuit compresses against your body upon descent seems to keep water from flushing in and out- (assuming you have a properly fitted wetsuit in the first place.

 

[Trailboss123]

the inferno looks like something to wear under a wet suit. I see mentions of wearing vests and stuff under wetsuits. I thought that the wet suit was supposed to fit snug so how can one put other gear under it??

I never wore my Inferno under another wetsuit, although I guess you could. I always used it as a stand alone wetsuit. I also used it occasionally as an undergarment inside my drysuit, but only when water temps were above 62-64 degrees. Below that, i am using my normal undergarment.

To your point, most wetsuits have some pull and give and stretch. It is not that difficult to wear a 2-3 mm hooded vest underneath your 3 mm wetsuit, for example. In fact, I often wore a hooded vest underneath my Pinnacle Inferno and will probably do so with the lavacore next month in Bonaire, should the water temps warrant it.