Has anyone tried both Bare Celliant and LavaCore? I'm skeptical about the Celliant pitch but many people report it feels warmer. They also report reduced water flow through the suit like a semi-dry. I wonder how it might compare to a LavaCore skin under a 3mm neoprene suit?
Bare Celliant Reactive Versus Lavacore
- Thread starter mmuratet
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I'd not heard of celliant. I do have a couple of lavacore. Subscribed to see what people say. I assume you mean the Bare "Reactive" suit line? That's what I get when I google Bare Celliant. I will say that at 250% of the price of a lavacore full suit ($219 lavacore $499 bare reactive aka celliant) I would hope it's a lot warmer.
I think Bare's use of terms like "Infrared" in their marketing is quite disingenuous since infrared is light energy. Unless you're diving over at the Fukushima power plant, your body is unlikely to be giving off infrared energy that can be stored... Maybe it only stores your emitted infrared light if you're using Triton artificial gills
The lavacore is great as a wetsuit. Personally, I used it either instead of a 3mm wetsuit or over the top of a 3mm shorty for extra warmth. I don't think I ever tried it under a wetsuit, only over. Later, I switched to a bare drysuit (HDC Tech Expedition) and I'm using the lavacore as an undergarment now. It's the perfect combo for all day long dives in 72f spring water.
There's another product called "sharkskin" which I have used. It's virtually identical to lavacore except in marketing materials and logos. Works about the same. You might want to consider sharkskin as well. They're only about $50 more than a lavacore.
I think Bare's use of terms like "Infrared" in their marketing is quite disingenuous since infrared is light energy. Unless you're diving over at the Fukushima power plant, your body is unlikely to be giving off infrared energy that can be stored... Maybe it only stores your emitted infrared light if you're using Triton artificial gills
The lavacore is great as a wetsuit. Personally, I used it either instead of a 3mm wetsuit or over the top of a 3mm shorty for extra warmth. I don't think I ever tried it under a wetsuit, only over. Later, I switched to a bare drysuit (HDC Tech Expedition) and I'm using the lavacore as an undergarment now. It's the perfect combo for all day long dives in 72f spring water.
There's another product called "sharkskin" which I have used. It's virtually identical to lavacore except in marketing materials and logos. Works about the same. You might want to consider sharkskin as well. They're only about $50 more than a lavacore.
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OP
Thanks for the input. Yes, I think 'Celliant' goes into the Bare Reactive. I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of heat transfer and Bare's claims just don't make any sense to me in terms of conduction and radiation. I think I will try the LavaCore option and look into Sharkskin, too. Cheers.
Kelemvor, which dries fastest? Lavacore or sharkskin? TIA
Too close to call. Like I said; it appears to me that the products are almost identical except for logos and other markings. I wouldn't be surprised to see that sharkskin was a licensed and rebranded product. When on a dive trip, they stay wet the whole time. When at home, they dry in my drying area in about 1 day. It's basically a hanger in my garage with a nearby electric dehumidifier.
Neoprene wetsuits definitely dry far quicker than sharkskin/lavacore does if that's a big concern for you.
Despite the difficulty in drying them, both products are vastly more comfortable than neoprene. They're also super easy to don/doff without help, thanks to being both stretchy and front zip. I would recommend considering a size smaller than you think you might need because they stretch. I ended up buying the lavacore twice because the first one I bought was really bigger than what I should have purchased.
The sharkskin was purchased as part of a debacle in key largo. Boats were reporting huge jelly spawns at the time, and I had planned on diving in just shorts. None of the shops had a regular dive skin in my size for sale. I bit the bullet and spent the money on a sharkskin. Nothing wrong with the suit, but when all you need is a $50 skin the $250 price hurts. The worst part is that when I got into the water, I didn't see any jellies!
Neoprene wetsuits definitely dry far quicker than sharkskin/lavacore does if that's a big concern for you.
Despite the difficulty in drying them, both products are vastly more comfortable than neoprene. They're also super easy to don/doff without help, thanks to being both stretchy and front zip. I would recommend considering a size smaller than you think you might need because they stretch. I ended up buying the lavacore twice because the first one I bought was really bigger than what I should have purchased.
The sharkskin was purchased as part of a debacle in key largo. Boats were reporting huge jelly spawns at the time, and I had planned on diving in just shorts. None of the shops had a regular dive skin in my size for sale. I bit the bullet and spent the money on a sharkskin. Nothing wrong with the suit, but when all you need is a $50 skin the $250 price hurts. The worst part is that when I got into the water, I didn't see any jellies!
Kharon
Contributor
Avoid the hype - this is every bit as good at insulation and far less expensive: Amazon.com: Hyperflex Wetsuits Men's Polyolefin Full Suit, Black, X-Small - Surfing, Windsurfing & Wakeboarding: Sports & Outdoors
That one doesn't seem to have the multiple layers like lavacore and sharkskin. That, and the similar Henderson product, have been around a very long time. One of my buddies uses one from Henderson that's over 20 yeas old! No neoprene to compress, so as long as it doesn't tear it can last nearly forever. I suspect it's not going to be quite as warm as the multi layer suits, but I haven't worn the single layer suit myself.
I suspect it's a pricing error, but for the moment the XXL Hyperflex full suit is only $30 with free (prime) shipping right now. All the other sizes are just over $100. I bought one. if nothing else, I've got an extra undergarment that I might layer or something.
Link for that cheap suit: Amazon.com: Hyperflex Wetsuits Men's Polyolefin Full Suit, Black, X-Small - Surfing, Windsurfing & Wakeboarding: Sports & Outdoors Notice the price difference for XXL
Edit: I was going to tell a friend about that price, but when I went back the price was already set back at $106.99. My order seems to be going through; sorry if I got your hopes up for a deal.
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I want the layers to be warm but neutrally buoyant.
I have at least 3 friends diving the Bare Reactive suits now. They all say they are very warm (for the thickness). One has been using a Reactive 5mm in our local quarry where he (and most people) used to use a 7mm and he says the Bare 5mm is warmer. And that's not because he was comparing it to an old crushed-down 7mm. He owns a dive shop. He's always diving new stuff.
I would love to have one of the Bare suits. But, for the money, I'll take a SP EverFlex for less than $200 plus some Lavacore underneath and keep the change. I have several Lavacore bits but my favorite is the Sleeveless Full Suit (aka a Farmer John). No zippers. And no sleeves means it doesn't bind my arms at the shoulders at all like, say, my Lavacore shirts do (just a little, but it is enough to matter when I wear it under my dry suit).
I would love to have one of the Bare suits. But, for the money, I'll take a SP EverFlex for less than $200 plus some Lavacore underneath and keep the change. I have several Lavacore bits but my favorite is the Sleeveless Full Suit (aka a Farmer John). No zippers. And no sleeves means it doesn't bind my arms at the shoulders at all like, say, my Lavacore shirts do (just a little, but it is enough to matter when I wear it under my dry suit).
I got the Hyperflex in the mail today. It's definitely not the same thing as a lavacore or sharkskin. It's more like a thick dive skin. I haven't cut it open but it's thin enough that I'm reasonably sure it's just a single layer of some thin material. Considerably thicker than a regular skin, but as I said - nothing like a lavacore. At $30 I'm okay with what I recieved, but I'd be upset (and returning it) if I had paid $100.
I'm not sure exactly what situations I'd use the hyperflex for. If I use it simply as a skin, there's no point in the extra thickness. That said, I'm not sure the thickness is enough to provide any warmth at all. Maybe it will be more comfortable than a regular skin under a very tight suit like my scubapro semidry 5/7. That could be a good niche for the hyperflex.
I'm not sure exactly what situations I'd use the hyperflex for. If I use it simply as a skin, there's no point in the extra thickness. That said, I'm not sure the thickness is enough to provide any warmth at all. Maybe it will be more comfortable than a regular skin under a very tight suit like my scubapro semidry 5/7. That could be a good niche for the hyperflex.
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