Wetsuit Layering Techniques: Farmer John/Jacket vs 1-piece & Vest

[neojava]

I'm looking into buying a new wetsuit for diving Cape-Ann, MA. I've been reading through the different threads on the subject and have found that people seem to like Bare, Mares (Isotherm), and Pinnacle.

I was wondering what do people think about layering? It seems like there is one approach with a farmer john and jacket. The other approach is to wear a 1-piece jump-suit with a vest underneath. Which do people prefer and why?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[PugetDiver]

I'm looking into buying a new wetsuit for diving Cape-Ann, MA. I've been reading through the different threads on the subject and have found that people seem to like Bare, Mares (Isotherm), and Pinnacle.

I was wondering what do people think about layering? It seems like there is one approach with a farmer john and jacket. The other approach is to wear a 1-piece jump-suit with a vest underneath. Which do people prefer and why?

Thanks,
Adam

I use a 1 piece7/5MM Tilos semi-dry and 5/3MM vest to decrease the amount of lead I have to carry. I also feel that I have a better range of motion with the 1 piece and vest. The farmer john may be a little warmer all around but that will depend on your ability to tolerate cold and your local water temperatures.

Puget

 

[spectrum]

I'm looking into buying a new wetsuit for diving Cape-Ann, MA. I've been reading through the different threads on the subject and have found that people seem to like Bare, Mares (Isotherm), and Pinnacle.

I was wondering what do people think about layering? It seems like there is one approach with a farmer john and jacket. The other approach is to wear a 1-piece jump-suit with a vest underneath. Which do people prefer and why?

Thanks,
Adam

The tide seems to be shifting towards full suits and vests. I have 2 Bare fullsuits, a 5/4 velocity and a 7mm Arctic. I also have the Bare 5/3 Hodded vest (designed to wear under a fullsuit) and a 7mm Arctic hooded sleevless step-in shorty that goes over the fullsuit. By the way I'm up the coast in southern Maine.

The fullsuits can be worn individually with a hood or beanie or the vests and I have been using either vest with either fullsuit in all combinations. It ends up being a very flexible system especially if you have both fresh and salt water locally as I do since the tempoerature can bary by over 10 degrees F. Come to think of it I've even used the hooded vest with my 3/2 Bodyglove full suit.

The farmer john/jane components seem to have less use as individual items.

To me the logic of the full suit is that you have one membrane covering you and that means less flushing. Cold water infiltration is very slow and gentle and flushing is minimal. By adding the vest you have a secondary barrier to the deepage of the back zip as well as the neck opening. The forearm and calf seals control those openings very well. For the money it has proven to be a very flexible system to date. I plan to go dry when I exceed the comfort range of this gear. My use to date has been for skin diving down to 40F, scuba comes sooooon!

The Mare Isotherm takes the sealing to another level and for someone dedicated to staying wet (actually semi dry) may be an excellent choice.

Pinnacle has a wool lining that got a detailed explanation in a tread this past winter, do a search for details.

Pete

 

[PerroneFord]

I bought a Henderson Farmer bottom and top last week. I got a 5mm top (short legs, long sleeves) and a 7mm bottom. The benefit for me is that in warmer waters, I can just wear the 5mm and be fine. I was out in 72F water this weekend with just the top, and was ok. If things get really cold, I can put the bottoms on. I like that flexibility.

I tried to go with the back-zip one piece Bare suit, but it was just FAR too difficult to get my XXL self into that thing. I do like the looks of that Pinnacle Extreme semi-dry, and if I do much more cold diving I am going to get one. What I like now, is that if I get any full suit, short of a 7mm, I can put my farmer top over it for layering. Having a variety of options is always nice.

 

[cmalinowski]

I actually just dove my new triple L one-piece with intigrated hood. It's 7mm and kept me warm down to 50 degrees. When we hit 42 degrees, I was cold, but I think I would have been in any suit. It's a front-zip, and water infiltration was slow which was nice. I am very happy with it. I need help getting it down off of my shoulders after the dive, but that's my fault for being a wee bit overweight and out of shape.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Prefer a 1 piece semi-dry with a vest. The one pice reduces water flow in an out of the suit which in my experience offsets the redcued core insulation in the suit. A vest with attached hood does an excellent job of controling waterflow through the neck shoulder area, particularly if it is designed to mate with a rubber neck seal on the suit. The attached vest/hood (or a one piece suit with attached hood)keeps your neck warmer than a separate hood and in my opinion a lot of heat can be lost through the neck given the close proximity to the surface of large veins and arteries.

 

[neojava]

Thanks for the input. I think I'm either going to go with the jumpsuit or maybe a mares isotherm. The Isotherm looks a bit pricy, 350 at leisure pro. So I'm probably going to end up with the Bare 7mm fullsuit, and the 7mm hooded vest.

Thanks Again,
-Adam

 

[raposarose]

Similar to the 1-piece and vest is wearing a 1-piece with a shorty on top. You don't get a lot of water flowing through it and you get a little more coverage than with the vest. You can then always wear the 1-piece alone if you want.

This is what I use and it is very warm. I got this suit made by jmj wetsuits.

 

[spectrum]

Similar to the 1-piece and vest is wearing a 1-piece with a shorty on top. You don't get a lot of water flowing through it and you get a little more coverage than with the vest. You can then always wear the 1-piece alone if you want.

This is what I use and it is very warm. I got this suit made by jmj wetsuits.

The 7mm vest I mentioned and I think Neojava is now refering to is sleeveless shortie. The legs go to mid thigh and the arm openings have skin in gaskets that pretty well srop the circulation, The only time I notice any flushing is when I duck dive when skin diving, that's a pretty aggressive scuba move so it's probably worst case. It also has an integrated hood. It is worn over the fullsuit.

As you said the fullsuit can also be worn alone. The vest could just as well but it would be an odd item, a 7mm sleeveless hodded shortie! I do want to pick up a comfortable 7mm hood for times when that and the full suit will do.

Pete

 

[stoiclown]

I use the Oneill J-type It's all one peice w/ an integrated vest & hood. It also has the semidry type of seals, & Oneills version of tech. called Firewall Tech.. It keeps me very warm in the Waters in & around Northern California, I am also a drysuit diver & I notice the suit keeps me warmer than in my drysuit. It also has some sort of extra stretch material integrated into the shoulder & back. But ultimately I dive drive because more freedom of movement, & your dry when you get out.