Thermal layering

[dennis_c]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with shirts or vests made to go under a wetsuit, like the O'neill 13 oz. garments. I have their Gooru GBS crew top and it's great but I would like to add a layer underneath for colder days.

[WMP]

I've got a Titanium Neoprene Neil Pryde vest from many years ago that heats up like an electric blanket, keeps me very warm in the most extreme cold. However, they don't make 'em anymore (of course). Seems that anything that works really GOOD they stop making.... why is this?

[bobgatpdx1]

I swear by my Promotion "exo" rubberized fleece shirt. Adds a lot of warmth under a wetsuit. Check them out at www.wetsuit.com. Also the "exo beanie" is a great way to keep your head warm. For really cold weather, their hooded vest which goes over your wetsuit works really well too - really slows down the inrush of water.
bobg

[windbabe]

I'm pretty handy with a sewing machine, so I made my own wetsuit underwear. I have a 4-way stretch polarfleece, skin-tight vest that I wear under my suit. It's super warm when wet, and stretchy enough that I don't notice it. It's way warmer than a rashguard or poly-pro, or probably anything made for wear under a wetsuit.

Temira

[dennis_c]

Thanks for the input. WMP, it's all because of the Blue Meanies. Bob, that Promotion shirt looks a lot like my O'neill Gooru. I want something to go under it. Winbabe, I think you might be on to something. Thanks to you I'm looking, on the web, at XGO Polarmax tee-shirts. They are described as having a "conformable tight fit." I was wondering if you could give me an idea of the thickness of the polarfleece you use, as compared, say, to 1 or 2mm neoprene. Thanks again.

[bobgatpdx1]

ProMotion also makes polypro rash guard that adds some warmth.
When it's cold I wear all these layers together (all ProMotion):
- polypro rash guard longsleeve
- exo shirt longsleeve
- 5/3 wetsuit
- wetsuit vest/hood

This keeps me really warm and minimizes water in-rush. Mobility is still really good. The weak link for me are the hands.

Stay warm!
bobg

[justall]

Thought I'd pull this back from the archives to expand the thread a bit more ... I used my 4:3 Epic recently but wanted a bit more warmth/water sealing. At similar conditions, next time I was planning to layer my 2:1 shorty and/or 1.5 wetshirt. Since I get so few days on the water I wanted to gather this group's wisdom to minimize trial and error ... Is warmth/flexibility improved by laying the thinner clothes under or over the 4:3 or just whatever one can get to fit over the other? Thx.

[isobars]

Fleece works best beneath a waterproof suit; neoprene works either over or under. Heck, a simple plastic windbreaker makes a huge difference over a wetsuit just by blocking the wind and slowing any inflow through the suit's openings. Besides, unless I know I'll want the extra layer all day, my extra layer goes on top so I can ditch or add it as required without taking my main suit off. I.E. I dress for the warmest part of the day, then add a vest, jacket, short or long sleeved dry top (see NRS in Moscow, ID), SEPARATE (because I hate the restriction of an attached hood to swiveling my head almost lock to lock all day) fleece or neoprene hood (the warmest $10-$20 you can spend), etc. over that primary suit. All that is one reason I buy my suits oversized; it avoids tightness and leaves room for layering.

Mike \m/

[VinceSF]

I got a cheap 6/4 and I am stunned at how warm it is. even my hands do not get cold because my body's heat is high enough to bring warm blood to to the extremities.
Sure, it's another piece of rubber to store in summer, but it's definitely an option you should consider (especially since I paid just a little more than the other options mentioned here)

[justall]

Thanks, Iso and Vince, for the advice. That'll keep me toasty for the next session. Back to just praying for wind.