LavaCore or LavaSkin?

[elora_c]

My apologies if this is the wrong forum. I'm a warm-water diver, but I get cold easily so always dive with a 3.5mm full suit. When doing multiple days, I do get chilled by the end, especially if it is cloudy. For my upcoming trip to Cozumel where I'll be doing 14 dives in 4 days (including a twilight/night dive combo), I would like to get a thermal underlayer. I had planned to try the LavaCore s/s shirt, and went to a dive shop yesterday to figure out sizing. The dealer gave me a LavaSkin l/s shirt to try on - it was the only option in a size close to what I wanted. I knew that the s/s he showed me was a LavaSkin because it had the zipper. I thought he said the l/s was the LavaCore, and he even claimed at first that the LavaCore didn't come in s/s. But, since the l/s shirt was pink, and had thumb holes instead of a thumb loop, it was the LavaSkin.

Anyway, the LavaSkin seemed fairly warm. From the description, I had thought it would be lighter. At $40 less, would the LavaSkin be sufficient? Does it work well under a wetsuit for keeping warm? Can either be worn during surface intervals or should they be removed to dry? I'm not particularly enamored with the zipper on the s/s, but I could live with it if the shirt is sufficient. That being said, I'm willing to pay the more money for the LavaCore so that I can enjoy all of my dives.

Thanks.

 

[randpchi]

I have no experience with the lava skin but have a lavacore l/s shirt. It works very well under a wetsuit. I am comfortable wearing it by itself, in temps in the high 70's. It does work as advertised on the surface keeping out windmill.

It is available in s/s and vest. If a local ds does not carry them leisure pro does. I ordered a med that was too small for me and LP exchanged it for a size up- no problem.

I sure the skin would help, don't think you will lose either way.

 

[randpchi]

Wind chill

 

[KevinG58]

I have no experience with the skin, but I love my Lavacore full length suit. Up until the past year I wore it as my sole exposure protection in high 70s F and up water.
As I grow older my cold tolerance has decreased and last year I started using my 3/2mm full wet suit in those same waters. When night diving I wore the Lavacore beneath the wet suit and was warm for a couple of hour long dives with an hour surface interval between.

 

[kelemvor]

I believe lavaskin is just a lavacore branded "skin" which doesn't provide warmth. I might be mistaken. Like KevinG58, I have a full suit lavacore and love it. Sometimes I do layer it with a wetsuit.

Lavacore makes stuff in small, extra small, 2xs and 3xs. I don't see one called "s/s" though. I suspect that shop you checked simply does not have your size in stock. If they won't order it you should check another shop or order one online.

Here's their size chart.
Sizing

Also, last year when I dove in Cozumel the water was very warm. Have you ever been there? I would think a lavacore with a 3mm suit would be uncomfortably warm in that water.

 

[randpchi]

I think she meant short sleeve. I agree about the water temp. If I was going to coz in a few weeks the l/s LC would be I would bring.

To the op. LC sizes run small in my experience but good retailers have no issue with returns.

 

[elora_c]

Thanks for the info. Reading Lavacore's description, the skin is missing the middle layer which helps with wind chill and adds warmth. Seems like the LavaCore is the way to go.

Sorry, yes, s/s is short-sleeve. I tried on a long-sleeve. The sleeve was extremely long and bunched up. I'm leaning towards the short-sleeve because I think that would be uncomfortable when worn under a wetsuit. I'm going to try to find another local dealer who has the LavaCores in stock to try on, otherwise I'll have to try out LeisurePro's guaranteed fit policy.

Thanks.

 

[oldflounder]

I have almost the whole line of Lavacore and love it for mixing and matching with other suits or by itself for different watersport purposes and winter sports topside. Compared to a full backzip wetsuit, The pants/shirt combo is great when you have to get to the bathroom quickly ( a problem the elders among us can probably identify with.) The only problems I see with it in your situation are that it takes forever to dry in humid conditions and it is hard to put back on bare skin if it is wet. You will need a diveskin under it so that it slides on/off easily. I was in 60* water with it last Saturday and wore them under a 3mm wetsuit and was comfortable for the 45 minutes I was in. Sorry but no experience with the Lavaskin.

 

[Lorenzoid]

For the kind of diving you're talking about--14 dives in 4 days in Cozumel--I initially tried using a Lavacore vest underneath my 3mm full suit. It kept me a little warmer. At some point I figured it was just extra hassle to bring a suit and a vest, don and doff them, did not add THAT much warmth, etc., so I ditched the Lavacore, and started using a 5/4 mm suit on such trips. At a tradeoff of just a little more neoprene to stretch over my body, I am never cold anymore on tropical trips. I liked the idea of the Lavacore to add warmth, but a thicker suit turned out to be the best option for me.

 

[kelemvor]

Sorry, yes, s/s is short-sleeve. I tried on a long-sleeve. The sleeve was extremely long and bunched up. I'm leaning towards the short-sleeve because I think that would be uncomfortable when worn under a wetsuit. I'm going to try to find another local dealer who has the LavaCores in stock to try on, otherwise I'll have to try out LeisurePro's guaranteed fit policy.

Yeah, I know what you mean about the long sleeves and legs on lavacore products. They are designed for very skinny folks, apparently. Mine are several inches too long. Fortunately, due to the material it's no big deal to have it wrinkle a little on the arms and ankles for me. My most common lavacore "combination" is a head 3mm shorty wetsuit over the top of my lavacore full suit.


There's a competing product branded Sharkskin. My wife has some sharkskin pants. Check those out, I've never looked at a full suit, but it's entirely possible that they have more reasonable sizing. As far as I can tell, sharkskin is a straight up knockoff of lavacore.