Seaskin Undergarment

[ferdv]

@eweingarden How is your experience with the undergarments (and the suit) after a year? I've owned a Nova for over two years now but only started using it recently (I re-started diving this Summer) and I'm considering getting Seaskin undergarments. Can't decide between the 250gsm or 150gsm for diving here in New England. I tend to run warm and sweat rather easily. Less bulk would also be helpful. Currently leaning towards the 150gsm together with their "Tech Base System", but I do worry it might be too little. I'd like to be able to continue diving as fart into the winter months as possible.

 

[eweingarden]

I've got about 25 dives in my suit since last March. The coldest dives were in the mid 40's (F). I was warm in the 250 gm undergarment. I also have the 150 gm Shorty, which was sized to fit over the 250 gm. I used the pair together on one occasion, and found the combination to be too bulky. Subsequently I used the Shorty over a base layer only in warmer water (50 - 60 F) and was comfortable. Overall, I'm very pleased with the fit and quality of the Seaskin suit and undergarments. IMO, Seaskin is the best value available in the drysuit market.

 

[JBFG]

I ordered both the 150 and the 250. I have not used the 250 yet but I think I will during ice diving season. I really like their undergarments (less the socks which I find too bulky).

Edit. I only wear the undergarments with the tech base layered. Nothing else and I’m warm

 

[stuartv]

I still wear the Seaskin Tech Base layer on every drysuit dive. I think the stuff is awesome. Also an incredible value for the money.

I wore the 250 suit once, on a Lake Erie dive day. It felt bulky and warmer than I needed. I have only worn the 150 since then, including the next day, still on Lake Erie. Bottom temps on those dives was 43 - 44F and I was adequately warm with the 150.

A few months ago, I got some Waterproof MeshTec 3D undergarments to try. Since I first tried those, I have not worn the Seaskin 150 (or 250) again. I really like the WP stuff (still over the Seaskin Tech Base).

The coldest I have worn the MeshTec in is 48F, on a 71 minute runtime on the U-869. I was not cold. I also wore the MeshTec yesterday on a dive to 307' that was 51F at the bottom. I wore a hood, but did not wear any gloves at all. Total run was only 50-something minutes and the water above 80' or so was fairly warm. But, even then, the only thing cold was my hands.

I have not dived anything colder than that since I got the MeshTec.

 

[vinsanity]

I wore the 250 suit once, on a Lake Erie dive day. It felt bulky and warmer than I needed. I have only worn the 150 since then, including the next day, still on Lake Erie. Bottom temps on those dives was 43 - 44F and I was adequately warm with the 150.

A few months ago, I got some Waterproof MeshTec 3D undergarments to try. Since I first tried those, I have not worn the Seaskin 150 (or 250) again. I really like the WP stuff (still over the Seaskin Tech Base).

I read one review of the MeshTec that said while he loved how warm it kept him, it was really buoyant and he had to add more weight than his 400g undersuit. Can you comment on what the weight difference between your 3 undergarments?

I have a Seaskin 250 and think it's unnecessarily warm and am looking for a plan B. Order a Seaskin 150 or maybe something different, but if I'm going to do it, I'd like to shed some weight.

 

[stuartv]

I read one review of the MeshTec that said while he loved how warm it kept him, it was really buoyant and he had to add more weight than his 400g undersuit. Can you comment on what the weight difference between your 3 undergarments?

I have a Seaskin 250 and think it's unnecessarily warm and am looking for a plan B. Order a Seaskin 150 or maybe something different, but if I'm going to do it, I'd like to shed some weight.

It is entirely possible that you saw an earlier post from me that the MeshTec was extra buoyant. After more use, I don't know if it crushed some or what - I doubt it. I think I just screwed up when I first got it and was doing weight checks. Regardless, now that I've been diving with it, I am using less weight than I was using before with the Seaskin 150.

Let me be clear, though. I am now using no lead at all when diving my CCR in my drysuit, with the MeshTec undies, in fresh water. I used to use a 4# weight, with the Seaskin 150, in fresh water. But, it may be that I had not done a proper weight check with the 150 and really did not need that 4#. So, I am not saying the MeshTec requires less lead than the 150.

I'm just saying that the MeshTec does not require excessive lead, in my (current) opinion. It definitely does not seem to need MORE lead than the Seaskin 150.

I prefer the MeshTec to the 150 because:

- it's less bulky when you get dressed. But, once you're in the water and squeezed, I don't know that it makes any difference.

- It is 2 pieces. I have gone back and forth between preferring a 1 piece or a 2 piece. I have come to like the 2 piece MeshTec because I can get the bottom half of my undies and drysuit on and still have the top down and the under-top off, which is nice when it's hot air temps on the surface. And, so far, I have not noticed any loss of flexibility from the MeshTec.

- I don't KNOW, but my sense is that the 150 will gradually lose its loft, over time, especially from washing and drying. I think that is a known characteristic of the Thinsulate used in the Seaskin. I think the MeshTec will hold up better for warmth over a long period of use with normal washing and drying.

I don't think the MeshTec will loft as much as the Seaskin 150. It's just not as fluffy. So, maybe the Seaskin could be warmer than the MeshTec. Especially if you pump enough air in your suit to let it loft more than the MeshTec. I can't say at this point.

I think the Seaskin 150 is priced much better. And it would be made to measure.... Though the MeshTec is pretty stretchy, and is a 2-piece, so just about anyone can probably find a set that fits them well, even though it's off-the-rack.

 

[vinsanity]

It is entirely possible that you saw an earlier post from me that the MeshTec was extra buoyant. After more use, I don't know if it crushed some or what - I doubt it. I think I just screwed up when I first got it and was doing weight checks. Regardless, now that I've been diving with it, I am using less weight than I was using before with the Seaskin 150.

The comment wasn't here. It was a comment YouTube review video.

Good to know that your experience is that the MeshTec is probably not more (or much more) than the 150.

Since you only wore the 250 once, did you do a weight test on it? Really my primary question is trying to figure out if I'll be able to ditch much by going from my current 250 to either 150 or MeshTec. I haven't seen many people post that they've owned both to compare.

 

[stuartv]

@vinsanity I checked log for weighting. I found that I actually dived the 250 on 9 dives (4 different days). I was not good about logging weight. But, I found that I was trying weight and got down to using 6# with the 250.

So, more than the 150, but I guess anywhere from 2 - 6 more, since I don't think I did the best job of weight checking with either undersuit, really.

 

[ferdv]

I prefer the MeshTec to the 150 because:

- it's less bulky when you get dressed. But, once you're in the water and squeezed, I don't know that it makes any difference.

- It is 2 pieces. I have gone back and forth between preferring a 1 piece or a 2 piece. I have come to like the 2 piece MeshTec because I can get the bottom half of my undies and drysuit on and still have the top down and the under-top off, which is nice when it's hot air temps on the surface. And, so far, I have not noticed any loss of flexibility from the MeshTec.

- I don't KNOW, but my sense is that the 150 will gradually lose its loft, over time, especially from washing and drying. I think that is a known characteristic of the Thinsulate used in the Seaskin. I think the MeshTec will hold up better for warmth over a long period of use with normal washing and drying.

I don't think the MeshTec will loft as much as the Seaskin 150. It's just not as fluffy. So, maybe the Seaskin could be warmer than the MeshTec. Especially if you pump enough air in your suit to let it loft more than the MeshTec. I can't say at this point.

I think the Seaskin 150 is priced much better. And it would be made to measure.... Though the MeshTec is pretty stretchy, and is a 2-piece, so just about anyone can probably find a set that fits them well, even though it's off-the-rack.

I'm now going back and forth between paying more for a 2-piece Fourth Element Arctic or saving and getting the Seaskin 150. The Seaskin would be basically half of the price of the 4E, since I can get it delivered to the UK and bring it back to US with me after Christmas. I do prefer the 2 piece option, like you.

Speaking of washing: is laundering the Seaskin much of a hassle (compared to the MeshTec, for example)? I've read somewhere (here?) that Thinsulate is kinda a pain to wash regularly.

 

[stuartv]

I'm now going back and forth between paying more for a 2-piece Fourth Element Arctic or saving and getting the Seaskin 150. The Seaskin would be basically half of the price of the 4E, since I can get it delivered to the UK and bring it back to US with me after Christmas. I do prefer the 2 piece option, like you.

Speaking of washing: is laundering the Seaskin much of a hassle (compared to the MeshTec, for example)? I've read somewhere (here?) that Thinsulate is kinda a pain to wash regularly.

I had the Fourth Element Arctic shirt and leggings before I got the Seaskin undies. I sold the FE stuff and never missed it. It was good, but the texture of the material makes it not slip/slide against itself or anything else very well. It felt like it restricted my movement more than the Seaskin.

The MeshTec has a different texture to the material and seems to move against itself (e.g. where the shirt and leggings overlap) and the inside of the suit more easily than the FE stuff did. While also seeming to be roughly as warm. Hard to say about that, since it was a while between the last time I wore the FE and when I got the WP.