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

[O2BBubbleFree]

I have a 7mm john w/ 7 mm step-through jacket that I thought would be more useful than it is. It’s great in cold water, but I thought that in mid-range water I would be able to use the jacket without the john. However, in order for the short legs of the jacket to fit over the 7mm john, they have to be loose-fitting. Too lose for the jacket to be used separately. Also, long sleeves with short legs is just not right.

When my budget allows new wetsuits, I think I will layer a hooded full suit over a sleeveless shorty. Here is my reasoning:

We all know that neoprene thickness and water exchange are the factors to consider in a wetsuit. With regard to water exchange, well-fitting arm, leg, and neck openings are critical. Exchange of the water layer between your skin and your suit is the primary concern, but if you have water exchange between the layers of a layered suit you will loose insulating value as well.

I’ve seen a lot of shorties worn over the top of full suits. With this configuration you not only have the ‘normal’ sites of possible water exchange (wrists, ankles, neck) but you also have the opportunity for water exchange between the two suits. Not to mention that the arm and leg openings of the shorty have to be larger to fit over the full suit, so they will not seal as well when the shorty is used by itself. Same applies for hooded vests worn over the top of full suits.

It seems to me that if you wear a sleeveless shorty under a hooded full suit, you would not have to worry about the shorty’s arm, leg and neck seals because they are covered by the full suit. I say a sleeveless shorty because it would be easier to put on the full suit if you didn’t have sleeves-over-sleeves, and shoulder mobility would be better.

In mid-range water temps, the hooded full suit could be used by itself. Since the full suit is sized to go over the shorty, it might have to be a little large in the torso area, but this is acceptable. It would not have to be baggy, just not quite as snug. I think any water cold enough to warrant a full suit is cold enough to warrant a hood, so I think I would go with an attached hood, rather than a bibbed hood or hooded vest. Plus the attached hood does away with one source of water exchange (the neck seal).

And, of course, in tropical water I could just use the shorty.

What do you think? I mentioned this approach on another thread a long time ago, but didn’t get any feedback.

 

[raposarose]

That sounds like I very good approach too. I chose to have the sleeveless short on the outside because I thought I was more likely to use the full suit alone than to use the shorty alone. But if you think you are more likely to use the shorty alone then it makse more sense to wear that on the inside. Since my suit fits very well I do not notice any additional issues with water exchange in my configuration. I have not tried the other configuration to see if it is warmer though. In general my suit is quite warm. When it gets down to about 54 or 53 and below I can start to feel the cold a bit, but it is very tolerable. I never feel rushes of cold water that indicate water exchange between the two pieces.

 

[JustinW]

My personal opinion is to have a one piece with a built in hood. The type that have a front zipper across the chest. Examples are the excel polar series and the now defuct parkway versions. The built in hood minimizes water flow through that area and down your spine, and versions without cuff zippers further reduce waterflow. I frequently do long dives in 51-53 degree water, without getting cold. I am typically a few minutes into my dive before I am completely wet, it seals that tightly. When I DM and shadow the class on the surface on clear days, I can frequently do two dives and still come out partially dry.

 

[raposarose]

I forgot to mention that the sleeveless shorty I wear on top of the full suit has a built in hood with the zipper across the chest like Justin699 described on his one piece. Probably that minimizes water flow down my spine. Even if water gets in it is still outside of the full suit.

I can feel the cold in the very low 50s, but I don't get cold in this suit (I can feel the cold water but my body doesn't get cold).

 

[spectrum]

I forgot to mention that the sleeveless shorty I wear on top of the full suit has a built in hood with the zipper across the chest like Justin699 described on his one piece. Probably that minimizes water flow down my spine. Even if water gets in it is still outside of the full suit.

I can feel the cold in the very low 50s, but I don't get cold in this suit (I can feel the cold water but my body doesn't get cold).

Hood, Vest whatever you use I agree that having opposing zippers helps a lot. Also a fullsuit gives you a continuous membrane to begin with and should lead to better warm water retention and cold water exclusion.

You brought out some interesting thoughts about how you'd layer depending on alternate uses of the pieces. I find that where one dives makes a big difference in what they need to configure for (no kidding huh?) since what's handy got you may be useless for me.

Pete