Fourth Element Thermocline "Wetsuit" ???

Hi,

Just been to the new local dive shop to have a look, (BCD & Wetsuits
mainly), and the guy there suggested considering the 4th Element
Thermocline vest and shorts - He said he would be wearing them as a
shortie wetsuit equivalent in the Southern Red Sea in November. The
label says they are as good as a 2.5mm neoprene wetsuit.

Has anybody used them?

Can they do what they say on the tin? <g>


--
Richard Faulkner

I have the ladies equivalent and they're great. Worn them under a 5mm
semi dry in Cyprus in December on the Zenobia and been warm as toast.

Donna


--
Donna

'Always be the best you can be'
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In message <Donna.1cbq71@forums.deeperblue.net>, Donna
<Donna.1cbq71@forums.deeperblue.net> writes
>
>I have the ladies equivalent and they're great. Worn them under a 5mm
>semi dry in Cyprus in December on the Zenobia and been warm as toast.
>
>Donna

Thanks for that.

But have you worn them on their own for diving? - this is what the dive
shop was suggesting for The Red Sea in November.

--
Richard Faulkner

No I haven't worn them on their own in the sea, only in the pool. Not
sure they'd cut it on their own in the Red Sea in November though. Sure
he wasn't going to wear it as well as another suit?

Donna


--
Donna

'Always be the best you can be'
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He he, well I hope he takes something warmer with him as well then!!

Oh well, hope my comments have helped you come to some sort of decision.


--
Donna

'Always be the best you can be'
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In message <Donna.1cbz7z@forums.deeperblue.net>, Donna
<Donna.1cbz7z@forums.deeperblue.net> writes
>
>He he, well I hope he takes something warmer with him as well then!!
>
>Oh well, hope my comments have helped you come to some sort of decision.
>
>
>--
>Donna
>

Thanks again.

Yes - to bide my time for the time being, and see if anyone else has any
comments.

Might ask the question on rec.scuba.equipment and expect a totally
unrelated discussion to start immediately <g>

--
Richard Faulkner

On Thu, 9 Sep 2004 14:29:07 +0100, Richard Faulkner
<richard@estate.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Just been to the new local dive shop to have a look, (BCD & Wetsuits
>mainly), and the guy there suggested considering the 4th Element
>Thermocline vest and shorts - He said he would be wearing them as a
>shortie wetsuit equivalent in the Southern Red Sea in November. The
>label says they are as good as a 2.5mm neoprene wetsuit.
>
>Has anybody used them?
>
>Can they do what they say on the tin? <g>

Might be a bit cold. I wore a full length 5mm in October and I was
toasty. I might have got away with a 3mm shortie but, based on my
experience in mexico the previous year (in water that was equivalent
in temperature) I would have been just on the cold side of
comfortable.


Laz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A foolproof method for sculpting an Elephant:
First, get a huge block of marble. Then, chip away
everything that doesn't look like an Elephant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Change "nospam" to "ntlworld" to reply.

Richard Faulkner <richard@estate.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:<h6SzmqCjqFQBFwpZ@estate.demon.co.uk>...

> Just been to the new local dive shop to have a look, (BCD & Wetsuits
> mainly), and the guy there suggested considering the 4th Element
> Thermocline vest and shorts - He said he would be wearing them as a
> shortie wetsuit equivalent in the Southern Red Sea in November. The
> label says they are as good as a 2.5mm neoprene wetsuit.
>
> Has anybody used them?

Yep - I have the short sleeve top and shorts.

I've worn them only under wetsuits - under 0.5mm skin in 27-28 degree
water and under 6.5mm semidry in 17-18 degrees. My subjective feeling
is that worn this way they make a -little- difference, maybe one or
two degrees of extra comfort, enough to make a difference over a long
dive. They probably provide a bit of extra protection against
windchill etc when you are out of the water as well.

I wouldn't want to wear them without a wetsuit unless the water was
seriously warm. If your guy means Southern *Red Sea* as opposed to
Southern *Egyptian* Red Sea (big difference), in November, then maybe.

> Can they do what they say on the tin? <g>

I'm happy with mine, but I think they are an addition to, not a
replacement for, a -well fitting- wetsuit.

Cheers,
Huw
--
http://www.huwporter.com

"Richard Faulkner" <richard@estate.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:h6SzmqCjqFQBFwpZ@estate.demon.co.uk...
> Hi,
>
> Just been to the new local dive shop to have a look, (BCD & Wetsuits
> mainly), and the guy there suggested considering the 4th Element
> Thermocline vest and shorts - He said he would be wearing them as a
> shortie wetsuit equivalent in the Southern Red Sea in November. The
> label says they are as good as a 2.5mm neoprene wetsuit.
>
> Has anybody used them?
>
I used mine (short sleeve & shorts) last year in Oz about 25 degrees and was
fine. Also use them every week in the pool and usually a bit warmer than
people in shorties. However, I'd go with the 5mm suggested by others for Red
Sea in November


--
Regards

Kevin
www.fishinthecity.co.uk



> Can they do what they say on the tin? <g>
>
>
> --
> Richard Faulkner

"Richard Faulkner" <richard@estate.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:h6SzmqCjqFQBFwpZ@estate.demon.co.uk...
He said he would be wearing them as a
> shortie wetsuit equivalent in the Southern Red Sea in November. The
> label says they are as good as a 2.5mm neoprene wetsuit.

I wore a 5mm shortie in May this year and was getting a bit chilly by the
end of a dive, not to uncomfortable but still cold, so I wouldnt like to use
a 2.5mm in November.