From Arctic extremes to Red Sea winters – you need to pick the right undersuit to make your drysuit diving comfortable. Charles Hood checks out the latest options for those chillier dives                      |
All drysuits require the diver to wear some form of insulation underneath, but what material is best? If you put this question to ten experienced divers, you’d probably get ten different answers. This is because we all feel the cold differently – what might be perfectly comfortable for one diver could be far too warm or cold for another, even if they are wearing the same drysuit and diving in the same conditions. So, put simply, there is no right answer.
The choice of undersuit also depends on the water temperature and the time of year of the dive. For example, an undersuit that may be suitable for diving the English Channel in August would not keep out the chill in the north of Scotland in early spring. So, if you dive all year round, the best option is to have at least two undersuits: one for winter and one for summer. Alternatively, wear a base layer underneath the undersuit to provide extra insulation.
Manufacturers warn that you should avoid wearing mainstream clothing under insulating suits; certainly nothing made of cotton, such as a T-shirt. This is because undersuits are designed to wick moisture away from the skin and to retain as much air as possible around the body.
The undersuits covered here include models designed for both neoprene and trilaminate drysuits. We have also looked at base layers to be used in conjunction with other undersuits or by themselves. Many are offered in different weights (material thicknesses) – the photographs are all of medium weight garments.
Fourth Element SubX jacket • £120
SubX salopettes • £100
Comprising a jacket and salopettes, the suit is both windproof and waterproof, and Fourth Element claims it will continue to provide thermal protection if it becomes wet. The suit features a nylon/polyester outer and a wicking microfibre inner, bonded to a breathable membrane. The pockets double as gill vents during the dive, while the cuffs at the wrists and ankles are adjustable. The vent on the arm has a windproof backing to prevent windchill when not wearing your drysuit.
Suitable for: membrane
Oceanic Uggi • £89
The Uggi is a traditional one-piece undersuit with a breathable and windproof outer shell and a soft inner double fleece consisting of 300gsm polyester – as well as being warm, it also wicks moisture away from the body. It features a chest pocket, neoprene wrist and ankle cuffs, an elasticated waist, two massive hip pockets and gill vents on the shoulder and left wrist.
Suitable for: membrane
Scubapro Climatec • £51
Good value and lightweight, the Climatec is also water-repellent and breathable and has a two-layer design. It features a double-ended front zip, ankle stirrups, thumb loops, a Velcro neck closure and zip-up pockets.
Suitable for: membrane
Bare Hi-Loft Polarwear Extreme Men • £159.95
Women • £159.95
The Hi-Loft Polarwear Extreme has a ripstop nylon exterior with Thinsulate material in the torso, arms and legs. The lower back features a stretchy panel to make movement easier. There is also a chest zip pocket, hand-warmer pockets and ribbed-knit cuffs and collar, as well as grommets in various places to vent moisture.
Suitable for: membrane
Weights: 100gsm, 200gsm, Extreme, Super Extreme
Northern Diver Arctic Base • £85
The soft, thick Arctic Base is a three-piece fleece undersuit consisting of smock top, leggings and socks.
Suitable for: neoprene and base layer
C Bear AP4 • £215
The super-thick AP4 has a 6.0 tog rating, thanks to the Tactel-covered Thinsulate layer laminated to a fleece, making this a warm and comfortable suit. It comes in a choice of colours and sizes.
Suitable for: membrane
Weights: 100gsm, 200gsm, 250gsm
Weezle Extreme Skin top • £63
Trousers • £53 Hood • £17.50
Weezle’s Extreme Skin base layer is made from Polartec Power Stretch fabric and is designed to be worn on its own with a neoprene drysuit, for example, or in combination with other undersuits for cold-water diving.
Suitable for: base layer and neoprene.
Fourth Element Xerotherm Plus • £145 (includes vest)
Made from Polartec Power Stretch, the Xerotherm has a body-hugging material that keeps the wearer dry and comfortable
Suitable for: base layer
Fourth Element Arctic • £178.90 (includes socks)
The Arctic features a combination of wicking, insulating fabrics. The inner is a high-density fleece, while the outer layer has a water-repellent finish
Suitable for: neoprene and base layer
Northern Diver Metalux 200 • £110
Metalux is a medium-weight insulating material comprising a foil core that is designed to reduce air movement and reflect heat back towards the body. Northern Diver claims that its qualities are retained even when wet or compressed, and the quilt keeps its thermal integrity throughout the garment’s life. The material is fleece-lined for comfort, will withstand multiple washing and is bacteria- and fungus-resistant.
Suitable for: neoprene and membrane
Weights: 100gsm, 200gsm, 300gsm
DUI Polartech Power Stretch • £358
I’d say that this has to be the thickest fleece undersuit on the market: it’s made with 560gsm double- layer Power Stretch fabric. It features three pockets and a two-way zip, and is available in off-the-shelf or made-to-measure sizing.
Suitable for: membrane
RoHo Thermocline • £195
The Thermocline is made from Outlast, a remarkable material that can absorb and release heat to keep the diver at a relatively constant temperature. So, it should keep you cool when on the surface on a sunny day, but should warm you up as soon as you enter the water. It also features two zip pockets on the thighs, two chest pockets and ankle zips.
Suitable for: neoprene and membrane
DUI XM450 • £357
DUI has developed what I think is one of the warmest and closest-fitting undergarments on the market. It combines Thinsulate and Polartec Power Stretch fabrics, and features a fleece lining with Aegis Microbe Shield – a type of antimicrobial liner – a wind- and spray-resistant ripstop outer shell and three zip pockets. DUI also includes a sturdy carrying bag.
Suitable for: membrane
DUI Actionwear 300 • £111
Made with double-lyer fleece with a pill-resistant, watershed outer jerey and lined wiht velour, DUI's Actionwear 300 is an affordable alternative to the Polartech. It features zipped hand-warmer pockets and is avialable in unisex sizes.
Suitable for: neoprene and membrane
Typhoon Duotherm • £99.95
The Duotherm is a simple but effective double-layer fleece undersuit with a two-way front zip and two pockets. It's intended for use under neoprene drysuits or as a thick base layer with a membrane suit.
Suitable for: neoprene and base layer.
Weights: Monotherm, Duotherm
Otter Arctic Commercial 200 • £115
The Arctic Commercial 200 undersuit is feature-rich for the price. It comprises a nylon outer with a waterproof urethane layer, then two layers of Synthulate and a fleece inner. It includes wrist and ankle cuffs, arm panels to let air escape, elastic ankle loops, two side pockets, a Velcro breast pocket, a two-way zip and an elasticated waist.
Suitable for: membrane
Weights: Dryliner, 200gsm, Extreme
Fourth Element Ozone jacket • £89
Trousers • £79
The Fourth Element Ozone garments are designed to go over the company’s Arctic undersuit to provide a wind- and waterproof outer layer, for instance, during the surface interval or underneath a membrane suit when diving in cold water. Gill vents in the arms and cuffs ensure that the auto or cuff dump can operate freely, and the pockets can double as additional vents during the dive. The jacket features waterproof zips and a removable elasticated crotch strap, which prevents it from riding up when diving. The fabric itself is breathable and machine-washable, and is lined on the inside with a high-density insulating fleece layer.
Suitable for: membrane and top suit
Typhoon Thinsulate • £129.95
This is a Thinsulate undersuit with a Ree-Tech outer and fleece inner. The suit wicks moisture away from the body, allowing it to escape via the outer layer.
Suitable for: neoprene and membrane
Weights: 100gsm, 200gsm
Weezle Oxygen jacket • £102
Salopettes • £122
The Oxygen two-piece undersuit offers versatility, as the jacket and salopettes can be ordered in different sizes. The outer layer comprises tough ripstop Paratex, with protection on the seat and knees. The jacket has an adjustable collar, thumb loops and a front-zip hand-warmer pocket. The salopettes feature adjustable shoulder straps, a zip fly, two front pockets, elastic stirrups and ankle zips.
Suitable for: membrane
Scubapro Vancouver • £119 (socks • £23)
Designed to go under membrane drysuits, the Vancouver has a breathable outer fabric and a micro polar fleece inner. It features elasticated ankles, wrists and waist, a front two-way zip, and multiple pockets.
Suitable for: membrane
Contacts:
C Bear • 01566 777636 • www.c-bear.co.uk
Fourth Element • 01326 241404 • www.fourthelement.com
Hydrotech (DUI) • 01455 274841 • www.hydrotech.co.uk
Northern Diver • 01257 254444 • www.ndiver.com
Oceanic • 01404 891819 • www.oceanicuk.com
Otter • 01274 307555 • www.drysuits.co.uk
RoHo • 01924 444888 • www.roho.co.uk
Scubapro • www.scubapro-uwater.com
Sea & Sea (Bare) • 01803 663012 • www.sea-sea.com
Typhoon • 01642 486104 • www.typhoon-int.co.uk
Weezle Diving Services • 01535 655380 • www.weezle.co.uk
Jargon-Buster
Aegis Microbe Shield: an anti-microbial agent that can be incorporated into materials, thus preventing bacterial odours, mould and mildew
Gill vents: special openings in the suit that allow trapped air to escape
Grams per square metre: the density of a fabric. The higher the number, the warmer the garment – 100gsm would be considered a bare minimum; 500gsm would be incredibly warm
Hand-warmer pockets: pockets lined with fleece
Micro polar fleece: a durable material with great insulating properties, containing 95 per cent polyester and five per cent Spendex
Outlast: a material designed to maintain a constant temperature – it absorbs and stores heat when conditions are warm and releases it when it cools
Pill-resistant: a material made from a high proportion of polyester that doesn’t form small balls of fluff after multiple washes and is resistant large ranges of pH and temperatures
Power Stretch: trademark breathable, stretchy fleece manufactured by US company Polartec
Ree-Tech: waterproof ripstop fabric
Ripstop: reinforcement threads in a crosshatch pattern that prevents tearing and ripping
Synthulate: a multi-layered, soft, hollow, micro-fibre material
Tactel: a fleece material that draws moisture away from the body
Thinsulate: trademark of the 3M Corporation for a type of synthetic-fibre thermal insulation used in clothing
Watershed: thin waterproof outer lining