(should have been more clear in my recommendation re Fleece...my Bad! )
I was speaking of Fleece OUTER GARMENTS for apres' dive...The SI's get cold at Ginnie these days, and Fleece allows me to keep my wetsuit ON, and still stay toasty.
nhbGot Fleece? GET some!
I personally suspect that more Folks are bent while OUT of the Water than IN...Fleece will keep Core temps up when you are WET!
Thinsulate, at least per what I have been told, retains 80 percent of it's ability to keep you warm even when wet. Per the manufacturer, 3M Corporation, "Thinsulate insulation retains its insulating ability in damp conditions. Its fibers absorb less than 1% by weight of water, so it stays effective at keeping you warm – and it dries easily if it does become wet."
Fleece is very effect. However, once it gets wet, it loses a lot of it's ability to retain heat. Thinsulate does not lose nearly as much.
I wear Thinsulate thermals for my long decos just in case I should get a suit flood. That way, I won't freeze to death while avoiding DCI.
Yep. There are Warm Wind jackets and equivalent. They do work great because they not only have the material for warmth but also have an outside layer to act as a windbreaker.
Edited by ScubaDadMiami, 11 February 2006 - 11:40 AM.