Been diving these skin suits from fourth element and shark skin my main use is in 24degree+ water and like a full suit for uv protection and abrasion protection if penetrating.
I have sharkskin gloves and sox and wear them under my neoprene gloves and boots and its actually pretty good at adding warmth to them. Its not really great on their own, since I dive cold water, but not too shabby as an extra layer under your normal exposure wear. I tried the gloves in 50 degree water by itself and it wasn't terrible but definitely not a replacement for my Waterproof gloves.
Years ago, "Pinnacle" has their "Shadow" line of wetsuit made with what they called "Compressed Neoprene". The line thickness was just 1-1.5mm, with some kind of coating on the inside, but have a protection equivalent to 2-2.5mm neoprene wetsuit. Love it. So easy to put on and take off, dry off quite well. Sadly, after I'd gone through 2 of them, they don't make it anymore.
I wear a lavacore hoodie under my 5.5 wetsuit, when diving in water under 22 degrees C. It feels nice with the thin hood, prevents water flushing and makes d&d easier. Got a enthdegree rashguard recently, which has neoprene cuffs in addition to the shark skin material, but not tested it yet. The main benefit for me is that one does not need extra lead, the downside: it takes longer to dry.
#Askmark Happy new year to you Mark and to all viewers. This question has been living in my mind rent free since i completed my open water training a few years ago and came back when i did my advanced last month (PADI). Why isnt proper first aid and CPR included in the open and advance courses?
Because that's medical and opens up to liability. Want one take it through red cross (about the only thing they are semi useful for) Sadly the screwed up legal systems havescrewed everything up
Many people will say 'to sell an extra course'. Realistically, it's probably more of a time constraint and in some courses, it's a prerequisite so you have to gain it beforehand somewhere. Many courses already take some time to complete and adding an extra First Aid course will add an extra day
#askmark Hey Mark. Thank you for your precious videos. I'm a huge fan of you. I'm a DM AND interested to start using a Fullface mask, but I see that is not very common between divers to use it. I understand might be principally used for documentaries, or any other activity where you need to speak, and some cold water dives. Is there any specific reason for not being used on a larger scale? Also thinking that maybe spending money to attempt the course and invest on a FFM is not worthed at this point. What your opinion?
The cost is a big factor with FFM but, it probably comes down to bailout drills. If you thought teaching mask removal was tricky then try students losing both their sight and the ability to breathe. You also limit your choices when it comes to 1st stages and regulator flexibility in general. You can't switch gases easily in the water unless you have a switching block. As a teaching DM I probably wouldn't worry about FFM, you won't be able to demonstrate certain skills properly but, they are cool to use and it's good to experience them at least once.
@ScubaDiverMagazine not intended to use it during teaching but on my regular dives. I'm highly interested in trying it, and in case I like it, use it more often but, as mentioned before, they are quite uncommon among divers. Actually I never met anyone using it. They usually stand on the diving shelves as room decorations. About bailouts, being without the mask and the regulator for a few seconds it's not an issue for me, it's just the time to grab the reg on my neck, place it in my mouth and then reach the spare mask on my leg pocket. You know, divers might be mean, like kids, and I don't want to be pointed out as "Irwin's" silky brother that wants to show off. Btw. Thank you so much
If the water doesn't flush fleece can hold water still and insulate a fair bit. I wear a thick fleece undersuit (equivalent to polartec 300) under a caving oversuit (cordura boiler suit with pu waterproof coating on inside) and it traps the water in place, when wading chest deep or crawling flat out in semi flooded passages face to ceiling to breathe, even ducking underwater briefly... it keeps me warm like a thin wetsuit. Not convinced fleece with membranes will replace neoprene for diving though and fleece (I sometimes use my caving undersuit as a diving dry suit undersuit) isn't as warm as a proper dry suit undersuit
30+ years ago Sport Suits of Australia (SSA) had a suit that was a membrane sandwitched between two layers of spandex. If you wore their hood made of the same material, they claimed it was as warm as a 3mm neoprene suit without a hood. I still have one and I would say they were correct. So, the industry has been looking for a neoprene replacement for a long time.
I go to the Caribbean often and am never cold in a rash guard with thin neoprene dive shorts. Looking for a one piece or shortee. My rash guard is 80 spf. Do the thin suites (non-neoprene) have spf qualities? Love your videos, thanks Mark.
@@johnjob9523 I live in Canada and used to a colder climate. Used to live in Samoa and dove with just a bathing suit in 84 degree water. Love the Caymans. Envious.
I’ve discovered your channel today and like its content so far. But I’m surprised you don’t even suspect some people look for neoprene alternatives because neoprene is a polluting material. Now rubber alternatives are available, mainly under the Yulex brand I believe, and it goes at least to 5 mm or more. Why not menton this natural material and alternative ?
Probably because Yulex et al. are still using the same principle as neoprene, even if they're using a different material. So it's not about alternative materials, but about completely different approaches - or: "not foam".
Mark, I love you man, but if you have not owned one or tried one how can you advise? My partner and I have both completely shifted to Thermocline (horrid build quality!) and will soon get some Frogskin from Aus and they are really a 3mm equiv, we dive Egypt and South Africa often and its perfect. Benefits - warm, easy to don and dof, easy to wash (machine washable) and easy to travel with. Cons are - Thermoclines take forever to dry!
Been diving these skin suits from fourth element and shark skin my main use is in 24degree+ water and like a full suit for uv protection and abrasion protection if penetrating.
Sharkskin Chillproof T2 with titanium. Warm. Also can be worn under a drysuit
I have sharkskin gloves and sox and wear them under my neoprene gloves and boots and its actually pretty good at adding warmth to them. Its not really great on their own, since I dive cold water, but not too shabby as an extra layer under your normal exposure wear. I tried the gloves in 50 degree water by itself and it wasn't terrible but definitely not a replacement for my Waterproof gloves.
Years ago, "Pinnacle" has their "Shadow" line of wetsuit made with what they called "Compressed Neoprene". The line thickness was just 1-1.5mm, with some kind of coating on the inside, but have a protection equivalent to 2-2.5mm neoprene wetsuit. Love it. So easy to put on and take off, dry off quite well.
Sadly, after I'd gone through 2 of them, they don't make it anymore.
I live in Florida and use sharkskin T2. That is all I need :)
I wear a lavacore hoodie under my 5.5 wetsuit, when diving in water under 22 degrees C. It feels nice with the thin hood, prevents water flushing and makes d&d easier. Got a enthdegree rashguard recently, which has neoprene cuffs in addition to the shark skin material, but not tested it yet. The main benefit for me is that one does not need extra lead, the downside: it takes longer to dry.
#Askmark
Happy new year to you Mark and to all viewers.
This question has been living in my mind rent free since i completed my open water training a few years ago and came back when i did my advanced last month (PADI). Why isnt proper first aid and CPR included in the open and advance courses?
Because that's medical and opens up to liability. Want one take it through red cross (about the only thing they are semi useful for)
Sadly the screwed up legal systems havescrewed everything up
Because that's medical advice and opens them up to liability thanks to the lawyers and screwed up judicial systems
Many people will say 'to sell an extra course'.
Realistically, it's probably more of a time constraint and in some courses, it's a prerequisite so you have to gain it beforehand somewhere. Many courses already take some time to complete and adding an extra First Aid course will add an extra day
@ScubaDiverMagazine exactly there's already enough criticism about courses etc.
@@ScubaDiverMagazine Do you think is should at least be part of the advanced course curriculum?
there's been updates on the diver from four years ago on her case mark i recommend check out five talk on that they had more information on it
What about bare Exowear ? This could be really good solution for diving in warm sea like Egipt has
#askmark Hey Mark. Thank you for your precious videos. I'm a huge fan of you. I'm a DM AND interested to start using a Fullface mask, but I see that is not very common between divers to use it. I understand might be principally used for documentaries, or any other activity where you need to speak, and some cold water dives. Is there any specific reason for not being used on a larger scale? Also thinking that maybe spending money to attempt the course and invest on a FFM is not worthed at this point. What your opinion?
The cost is a big factor with FFM but, it probably comes down to bailout drills. If you thought teaching mask removal was tricky then try students losing both their sight and the ability to breathe. You also limit your choices when it comes to 1st stages and regulator flexibility in general. You can't switch gases easily in the water unless you have a switching block.
As a teaching DM I probably wouldn't worry about FFM, you won't be able to demonstrate certain skills properly but, they are cool to use and it's good to experience them at least once.
@ScubaDiverMagazine not intended to use it during teaching but on my regular dives. I'm highly interested in trying it, and in case I like it, use it more often but, as mentioned before, they are quite uncommon among divers. Actually I never met anyone using it.
They usually stand on the diving shelves as room decorations. About bailouts, being without the mask and the regulator for a few seconds it's not an issue for me, it's just the time to grab the reg on my neck, place it in my mouth and then reach the spare mask on my leg pocket.
You know, divers might be mean, like kids, and I don't want to be pointed out as "Irwin's" silky brother that wants to show off.
Btw. Thank you so much
If the water doesn't flush fleece can hold water still and insulate a fair bit. I wear a thick fleece undersuit (equivalent to polartec 300) under a caving oversuit (cordura boiler suit with pu waterproof coating on inside) and it traps the water in place, when wading chest deep or crawling flat out in semi flooded passages face to ceiling to breathe, even ducking underwater briefly... it keeps me warm like a thin wetsuit. Not convinced fleece with membranes will replace neoprene for diving though and fleece (I sometimes use my caving undersuit as a diving dry suit undersuit) isn't as warm as a proper dry suit undersuit
30+ years ago Sport Suits of Australia (SSA) had a suit that was a membrane sandwitched between two layers of spandex. If you wore their hood made of the same material, they claimed it was as warm as a 3mm neoprene suit without a hood. I still have one and I would say they were correct.
So, the industry has been looking for a neoprene replacement for a long time.
mark as you may know the guys over at dive talk came out with the dive talk go made by the one who founded kiss mike young
I go to the Caribbean often and am never cold in a rash guard with thin neoprene dive shorts. Looking for a one piece or shortee. My rash guard is 80 spf. Do the thin suites (non-neoprene) have spf qualities? Love your videos, thanks Mark.
@@kennethjmcarthur2428 that's crazy! I live in the Caribbean and diving in 80°F water has me turning blue. I always dive with a 3mm wetsuit
@@johnjob9523 I live in Canada and used to a colder climate. Used to live in Samoa and dove with just a bathing suit in 84 degree water. Love the Caymans. Envious.
I’ve discovered your channel today and like its content so far. But I’m surprised you don’t even suspect some people look for neoprene alternatives because neoprene is a polluting material. Now rubber alternatives are available, mainly under the Yulex brand I believe, and it goes at least to 5 mm or more. Why not menton this natural material and alternative ?
Probably because Yulex et al. are still using the same principle as neoprene, even if they're using a different material. So it's not about alternative materials, but about completely different approaches - or: "not foam".
@ What do you mean by « the same principles »? Which principles?
Mark, I love you man, but if you have not owned one or tried one how can you advise?
My partner and I have both completely shifted to Thermocline (horrid build quality!) and will soon get some Frogskin from Aus and they are really a 3mm equiv, we dive Egypt and South Africa often and its perfect. Benefits - warm, easy to don and dof, easy to wash (machine washable) and easy to travel with. Cons are - Thermoclines take forever to dry!
He can talk and advise on it because he's deep in the industry day in and day out. I'll take his advice over most
@ you can’t say something is good or bad with a basic understanding of the tech and never having tried it.
@JustisSaayman-y8y lol not even close but keep trying lol.
@ ok you do you buddy