Fourth Element Xerotherm Arctic

[Temple of Doom]

Hi all, I've been quite interested in the Fourth Element Xerotherm Arctic garment for a while now. I've read all the threads on here about it, but I wonder if people can chime in with their new experiences/reviews of the stuff.

What do you love/hate about it, how warm does it keep you (please be sure to mention your drysuit type), how's it holding up, etc.

Also, if anybody wants to lend me an XL set so I can try before dropping a few hundred bucks, I can make a pretty mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich in return...

Craig

 

[TSandM]

Craig, I've dived my husband's set. I found it about as warm as what I usually wear, which is a polypro shirt, polarfleece pants and vest, and a 200g Thinsulate jumpsuit. It was comfortable, and I liked the two piece nature for mobility. I was annoyed at the lack of pockets (what to do with the car keys?). I didn't have to add weight, but then, I'm already wearing a lot of layers.

 

[Hollywoodivers]

Not sure if you made up your mind yet T.O.D. But we just got in a load of this stuff. Arctic is our best seller. We have plenty now and the Subzero on the way. Hope you either got it or want to try it. Free shipping to scubaboard members in lower 48 on Arctic. Later .

Hi all, I've been quite interested in the Fourth Element Xerotherm Arctic garment for a while now. I've read all the threads on here about it, but I wonder if people can chime in with their new experiences/reviews of the stuff.

What do you love/hate about it, how warm does it keep you (please be sure to mention your drysuit type), how's it holding up, etc.

Also, if anybody wants to lend me an XL set so I can try before dropping a few hundred bucks, I can make a pretty mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich in return...

Craig

 

[Phreak]

Just like Lynn and Peter, I have a pair of this stuff, tops, bottoms, and the socks. It is, aside from the Dry Gloves I just now started using...The Best Piece Of Dive Gear I own...toasty stuff.

Didn't add or lose any lbs, and I'm diving a DUI CF200X - read: compressed neoprene drysuit.

As I get, ahem, older, my body keeps slowing my metabolism down more and more...so anything I can do to offset getting cold- well, I'm all over that.

The Xerotherm helps me do exactly that.

Yes I wish it had a small pocket. Car keys...shore diving, that's me.

It WILL start to form itty bitty 'pils' after 30-40 dives. And I mean - TINY.
Nowhere enough to be enough to get clogged in a drysuit exhaust valve.
You cant hardly see them, but you notice right upclose when you look hard.

Wash in COLD water with mild soap, hang to air dry. Don't even think of putting it into your dryer...dryer, BAD!

I dont know how the UK company designs it, or what the material is, and frankly- me no care- I just like staying toasty.

 

[Temple of Doom]

Not sure if you made up your mind yet T.O.D. But we just got in a load of this stuff. Arctic is our best seller. We have plenty now and the Subzero on the way. Hope you either got it or want to try it. Free shipping to scubaboard members in lower 48 on Arctic. Later .

Unfortunately, I'm in the Upper 13. I'm not exactly sure of the size I'd need. I'm a Large in most things, but the UK generally has smaller sizes than North America (funny that 20 years, and 20lbs after high-school, some people still wear Large. )

If anybody knows of a place in the BC lower mainland who has this stuff, or anybody who is willing to exchange if the sizing is off without costing me $50+ in shipping it three times, I'd be very appreciative if you'd post the info.

Thanks,
Craig

 

[String]

Depending on warmth Fourth Element are releasing the SubXero this March. Supposed to be equivalent warmth of a 400g thinsulate but with less bulk. Maybe worth considering instead of arctics if you get cold.

 

[Temple of Doom]

Thanks for the heads up String. I've got a semi-compressed Bare CD4 (and I'm generally warm), so I don't think I'll need the extra insulation, but that's good info for anybody else that may be looking for some Fourth Element undergarments. The SubXero looks like it would be good SI and pre/post dive wear too.

Space

 

[MarkUK]

The SubXero is a nice piece of kit and it does make damn fine pre/apres-dive wear, but it wouldn't work for you anyway, as you've got a neoprene suit. The SubXero is specifically designed for use with a membrane/trilam and would be much too bulky under a neoprene suit.

If you did get cold with a set of Arctics – and it would have to be bloody cold for that – you can always get a normal set of Xerotherms and wear them layered. Tried it a couple of times when we first got them in for test and nearly died of heat exhaustion, the two combined are that warm!

I also use my Xerotherms for MTBing in, and they've had some hammer over the years I have had them, and they still wash up virtually as good as new.

Mark

 

[ffbrad]

if your using a CD4 suit you won't need the artics they will be too warm the xerotherms are perfect for this suit. I use them over a set of under armor cold gear legings and top and they are great even for ice diving.

 

[sunkarm]

just wondering, if u use subxero, how many more additional weight u need 2 put on as compared to wearing artic?

thx in advance