Charles Hood reviews this military-grade drysuit |
Aquarius drysuit • £425
Originally made for the Ministry of Defence in dark green, the Aquarius drysuit by Northern Diver is now available to the general public – albeit in black with just a hint of reflective piping on the arms. The suit has been designed to be lightweight and flexible while being tough enough to endure the rigours of military life. For instance, the seat area has been reinforced with Kevlar, as have the knees. The latex neck seal is protected with a covering of ‘super-stretch’ neoprene, but the wrist seals are not, and the boots look and feel a bit industrial and heavy.
However, the best attribute of this suit is arguably the entry system of a cross-torso zip, which makes putting it on and taking it off effortless. Once the zip is fastened, a large flap covers it and neatly folds down on itself, and a strap goes around your back and ties in a similar fashion to the lifejackets you’d find on any airliner.
First, we tested the suit in the pool. I put on the Arctic Base undersuit – a thick two-piece fleece affair that Northern Diver had sent to accompany the drysuit – and slipped into the Aquarius in less than two minutes, fastening the zip by myself. The pool temperature hovered around 5°C, according to my computer, but after about an hour, I emerged dry and warm.
Confident that all was fine, I ventured into the open water of the English Channel in late January, in the comparatively balmy water temperature of 9°C. As I was venturing deeper, I supplemented the Artic Base undersuit with a Fourth Element base layer for good measure. The suit’s flexibility underwater was superb; the Aquarius just got better and better the more I used it.
My only gripe is the pocket. It’s great that the suit has one, but it’s positioned too far back: you can’t really see it underwater and are left fumbling around while trying to stuff things back into it. Also, the Velcro bits – which, I assume, are intended to accommodate a knife – dangle down from the outer side of the pocket and I found them irritating.
The material used in the manufacture of the Aquarius is a closely guarded secret and conforms to military specifications – including, remarkably, breathability. Only time will tell how robust it is, but if it’s good enough for the armed forces, it will probably serve the average UK diver for a good few years. And at £425 – well below half that of some of the suit’s competitors – it’s a steal for the average club diver or travelling cold-water diver, or perhaps as a backup suit on a cold-water expedition. It comes complete with a hood and holdall/changing mat.
DIVE says…
Military-grade drysuit does its duty
Value 10 Performance 9
Contact
Northern Diver • 01257 254444 • www.ndiver.com