Heated vest options

[String]

OK so it's winter and im freezing wearing all the clothing i own.
Weezle extreme or Fourth Element sub-xero combined with merino base layers, mid layer hiking hops multiple times and so on.

So i think its time for a heated vest. Given im not going to be UK based for too long i dont want to fork out £600+ on a Santi so looking at cheaper options to supplement my entire-wardrobe-on-a-dive setup.

Does anyone have any direct experience of the ND Electracore (looks suspiciously cheap...) or the Mares XR heated vest systems? Do they actually work well enough.

Talking dive times of typically 1hr, maybe 2 dives a day only not big long deco hangs.

[Paulo]

There is a Polish (I think) company called Yellow something or other (sorry not much help but someone might know what I am referencing) that is like the Santi type vests but without all the padding for a fraction of the cost

[graham_hk]

Get a proper undersuit. The FE might look dapper at the burger van at wobster but is not gonna keep you warm ... proper thinsulate for diving

[notdeadyet]

Get a proper undersuit. The FE might look dapper at the burger van at wobster but is not gonna keep you warm ... proper thinsulate for diving

Totally agree, Fourth Element is over-rated (and over-priced). A good thinsulate is noticeably better than the Sub-Xero I got when everyone was raving about them.

[Paulo]

I got the Weezle Extreme Plus but can only wear it a few months a year as it is too warm if anything under an O'Three 2-100

[Dave1w]

There is a Polish (I think) company called Yellow something or other (sorry not much help but someone might know what I am referencing) that is like the Santi type vests but without all the padding for a fraction of the cost

I have recently bought a vest from Poland, Smart-Tex. I got it with an internal waterproof battery, and an external controller for it. The vest was about £120 plus VAT and has a connector so it could connect up to a Santi external battery. Works quite well and definitely a step up from my Mares Vest


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[String]

I got the Weezle Extreme Plus but can only wear it a few months a year as it is too warm if anything under an O'Three 2-100

I wear an Extreme+ in the summer.
Last week i worse the extreme+, a merino base layer top and bottom and thick hiking top underneath. Froze after 30 mins at 5m.

Also have a 400gsm undersuit with the same layering underneath - still cold.

Membrane drysuit.

[Vanny]

Neoprene drysuit ??

[Paulo]

I wear an Extreme+ in the summer.
Last week i worse the extreme+, a merino base layer top and bottom and thick hiking top underneath. Froze after 30 mins at 5m.

Also have a 400gsm undersuit with the same layering underneath - still cold.

Membrane drysuit.

I was surprised when I wore a membrane suit for a bit, I did not realise how much warmth there was in 2mm of neoprene. I will do about 75mins tomorrow in the sea with the O'three PPBX undersuit as the Weezle Extreme Plus is just too warm by now

[Paulo]

I have recently bought a vest from Poland, Smart-Tex. I got it with an internal waterproof battery, and an external controller for it. The vest was about £120 plus VAT and has a connector so it could connect up to a Santi external battery. Works quite well and definitely a step up from my Mares Vest


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Yes, my mistake. It is Smart-Tex I was thinking of. HVe seen a few use them and they were full of praise. The advantage is they do not affect buoyancy, the downside is they have no insulation benefit when not switched on.