Ogres: Have Layers. Parfaits- layers. Wetsuits- layers? Key Largo in March...

[Firebird2XC]

Hey all.

Looking to do some winter diving off Key Largo next month. Upon suggestion of others, I went out to get myself a 5mm full wetsuit. This would be beyond my 3/2mm shorty. After beating the bushes and some other nonsense, I've gone a slightly different route...

I got a nice new 3/2mm full body, along with a 5mm hood. Along with gloves and dive boots, I'm now looking like Kenny from South Park, but in neoprene.

It was suggested to me that I would be fine in 68+ degree water with that configuration, but that I could layer over my full body with my shorty. This produces some sort of weird 6mm torso layer effect.. it's a little cumbersome.

Are there some sort of under armor layer things one could do? Like maybe with rashguard-like materials? What does everybody else do?

 

[fjpatrum]

I always wear a 5/3 hooded vest no matter what wetsuit I'm wearing over it. It could be anything from a 3mm to ~14 mm (on my core) in 1-3 layers. Layers work great but you lose quite a bit of mobility that way. I haven't been able to discern if there's a significant difference in suit compression with multiple layers versus single layer. It is a factor to consider, though.

There are the 4th element suits/undergarment skins, I believe, that folks rave about.

I think my standard rash guards make a small difference but that might be placebo talking.

 

[Tessunderwater]

You could also try a lava core skin. It has the equivalent to a 2 ml wetsuit without the bulk or buoyancy effects.


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[scubafied]

I've been looking into this quite a bit recently and have narrowed my choices down to Sharkskin or Thermocline from Fourth Element. I was considering the Lavacore until I found out it's just a cheap Chinese knock off of the Sharkskin stuff and has plenty of bad reviews to go along with it. Right now I'm leaning towards the Thermocline though as I already have a 3mm Proteus from them and it is far and away the most comfortable wetsuit I've ever put on. Both the Sharkskin and Thermocline are fleece lined and neutrally bouyant as well but get far better reviews.

 

[mikeycanuk]

The Thermoprene is an expensive rash guard. Took it down to Turks and Caicos last month and froze. Knew it was a mistake not to take down my 3mm Pinnacle within 20mins of the first dive To be honest we are new so this my first winter Caribbean dive trip so I wasn't sure what to take. The Pinnacle is a 3mm but heavy and thick. Anyway I'm taking the Thermporene (explorer and top)with my 7mm Henderson next year. I'm not usually one to get cold but after the first dive, I knew I had to get more layers. I used a rental 3mm and was ok, but still cold. Btw the Thermoprene can get stinky! I did get a deal on the two pieces but it wasn't much less than my 7mm Aqualock. I also became a huge air sucker as I guess I was burning a lot of O2 trying to keep warm.

It's nice as an under layer, but at $330+ is not what I originally had in mind when I bought it..



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[Kharon]

I strongly prefer layering. I dive Lake George in summer. I layer 2 Polyoleofin (Henderson) full suits under a 3mm vest and 3mm full wetsuit. Of course hood & gloves. Way, way more flexibility and way less buoyancy than a 7mm. Water is about 50-55°F at depth and I'm fine. On Bonaire in January I used nothing but a rash guard. Almost everyone here is comfortable diving 7mm in Lake George, though there are some who use a drysuit. I can't begin to imagine putting on a 7mm in the tropics. I'd die of heat stroke before I could get to the water.

 

[g1138]

Mysterioso's are thicker than lavacore and will keep you toasty warm. They're made of a special fleecy material that soaks water like crazy, but still it keeps you warm. It's like an wetsuit version of a drysuit undergarment.
I used them in addition to an ill-fitting wetsuit in the Monterey waters when skin diving. (50-54F). Unlike lavacore, if there is a wind chill, the Mysterioso is thick enough that you don't feel it (This is during your SI when you're stripped down halfway).

I would go with a hooded vest or the Mysterioso route (the T-shirt length should be plenty). You look nothing like Kenny btw. You should see my friends in a 2-piece 10mm neoprene wetsuit.

Mysterioso


PS Ogres are more like onions. You leave them out in the sun, they get all brown and start sprouting little white hairs.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Hey all.

Looking to do some winter diving off Key Largo next month. Upon suggestion of others, I went out to get myself a 5mm full wetsuit. This would be beyond my 3/2mm shorty. After beating the bushes and some other nonsense, I've gone a slightly different route...

I got a nice new 3/2mm full body, along with a 5mm hood. Along with gloves and dive boots, I'm now looking like Kenny from South Park, but in neoprene.

It was suggested to me that I would be fine in 68+ degree water with that configuration, but that I could layer over my full body with my shorty. This produces some sort of weird 6mm torso layer effect.. it's a little cumbersome.

Are there some sort of under armor layer things one could do? Like maybe with rashguard-like materials? What does everybody else do?

The full suit and a 5 mm hood will be enough for the first dive or maybe two. If you get cold, wear the shorty over or under the full suit and keep the hood. Inside or outside, just depends on which suit is tighter and which configuration is more comfortable.

 

[stevensamler]

You could also try a lava core skin. It has the equivalent to a 2 ml wetsuit without the bulk or buoyancy effects.


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Lava Core for sure , you get the thermal protection with minimal bouyancy change.

 

[Firebird2XC]

Thanks for all the insight, everybody. I tried everything on the other day- I think I'm going to wear the shorty as an under, then the full as an over. The full is a neosport XSpan and is super stretchy.

Would a rash guard make a difference? Or would I be better off with a better under lining than a standard rash guard?