How effective are lavacore tops and shorts

[John McGuinness]

Hi there,
This is my first post and I apologise in advance if my question is in in the wrong forum.

My question is this:
I live and dive in Melbourne Australia so the water is pretty cool in the winter, sometimes getting as low as 5 degrees C. I am currently on the lookout for a new suit. I woul like to avoid having a 7mm suit if I can so that I can minimise the amount of lead I have to carry as I have back issues.

would a 5mm semi dry and a lava core top/shorts keep you as warm as a 7mm semi dry suit ?

Thanks in advance


John McGuinness

 

[Littlerayray]

I have a lavacore top. The amount of lead you would be saving would not be worth the cost get the 7 mms wetsuit and use a weight integrated bc

 

[JBFG]

Or get a dry suit. 5C definitely is dry suit exposure

 

[John McGuinness]

I dont know how I would go using a drysuit without doing a course

 

[Littlerayray]

I never took a formal course my instructor taught me very informally I don't shave a specific certification for a drysuit I believe that's a paid thing

 

[aquacat8]

I wear a lavacore vest under my 7mil sometimes but it’s not as warm as neoprene I think

 

[aquacat8]

It’s like wearing a light polar fleece

 

[aquacat8]

I also put polypropylene skiing long underwear bottoms on and that adds warmth too. One guy on here said his merino wool lined pinnacle 7mm was nearly neutral and we discussed using merino wool skiing long underwear under 7 mil—yet to try

 

[JBFG]

Well if you buy a dry suit, I’m sure the shop would throw in a course for free.

At those temperature if not you need probably 14mm. Lavacore will 100% not cut it

 

[John McGuinness]

Well if you buy a dry suit, I’m sure the shop would throw in a course for free.

At those temperature if not you need probably 14mm. Lavacore will 100% not cut it

maybe, I just dot wanna go through the embarrassment of wearing my new drysuit and wind up upside down, heading for the surface feet first