Undersuits

[K-Padge]

Hi all,

My very shiny and brand new Hammond drysuit is on the way (I might finally get a dry dive...) but I wondered what undersuit folk recommend to go under?

It has been a good few years since I have had to shop for one and I think the market has moved on a lot since then! My budget is around £200 and i definitely feel the cold. Would the Fourth Element Arctics be warm enough if layered with a base?

cheers!
Kelsey

(If anyone has an undersuit to sell, I would be interested too)

[Paulo]

The O'three PBBX are very good.

The Kwark Navy are excellent too

[thomsop]

and I just happen to have an O'Three PBX for sale :-)

What size do you need?

[MikeF]

It has been a good few years since I have had to shop for one and I think the market has moved on a lot since then! My budget is around £200 and i definitely feel the cold. Would the Fourth Element Arctics be warm enough if layered with a base?

cheers!
Kelsey

No they won't. Not even close. neither will the PBB. for your budget and diving in Shetland look at Weezle extreme with a merino base layer.

[K-Padge]

Thanks all,

I'm diving in Glasgow/ west coast, not Shetland (just haven't updated my location). The water temp is much the same though just less wind chill on the surface. I have always used a Weezle Extreme but found them way too bulky so was seeing if there was any new kids on the block. I guess there are but not within my budget.

thomsop - Thanks! Size would be ladies M, or I guess men S

[Keith Wood]

I dive a Otter Brittannic drysuit, under it I have fourth element arctic and vest plus chill cheater baselayer. max dive time 1hrs 20 mins in scapa in September.

What helps are good gloves and hood.

[MikeF]

If you want warm with less bulk try the FE halo 3D but it’ll bust your budget.

I’ve acquired a few undersuits over the years and warmth wise for me they are in the following order starting with the warmest. They may be in a different order if they were weren’t quite so knackered except the arctics which I used once, froze my nuts off and said sod that.

FE halo 3D
Santi BZ400/200
Whites fusion
Weezle compact
FE Arctics.

Under my membrane I dive the halo 3D all year round with a set of icebreaker 260 therms.

[Spirit of Guernsey]

I have a Whites Thermal Fusion and did two 90 minute dives per day for a week in 6°C water, with a merino wool baselayer under.

[Rich1280]

I used to dive a Whites Thermal Fusion, but eventually got fed up of climbing in and out of the neck. I can image a toilet break for a lady is less than convenient. I now use a No Gravity suit I got on offer for about £200, which is a thick fleece lining with a fleece power stretch outer, very similar to the whites but cut more normally with a front zip. This works most of the year, I add a thermal underset in winter and a thicker hood, and that works generally.

Rich

[BcDiver]

Northern diver metallux 300. Had that on below a trilaminate suit yesterday along with merino baselayers and was warm even tho the suit had a slight leak at the zip. I rarely use the trilam but if I was to use it all year round I would want a fairly substantial undersuit.