Kategorie: News
Dry suit test in Greenland
A dry suit with ‘extraordinary features’ adapted to personal preferences. Yes, that's possible and extremely cool – sorry for that expression!
Report by Gerald Nowak
A year ago, I tested the basic model of the Xenon Front X-TREME. At that time in Canada and the Antarctic. I was thrilled even then, although I only had a test model and there were various minor restrictions for me. The zip on the test suit was too short and I always needed help getting in and out of the suit. Also, the cuffs on the neck and arms were not made of silicone, as I love them. Nevertheless, I was very thrilled!
Now I have a suit that has been adapted to my measurements, with a longer zip and silicone cuffs. Not everyone likes the ring around the neck where the silicone cuff is clicked in, but for diving trips in extreme areas, this system has clear advantages. I can travel with replacement cuffs and swap them on the neck as well as on the arms in minutes if they should be torn. That's exactly what happened to me many years ago in the Antarctic on a trip. A fellow traveller with latex cuffs was forced to abruptly end his diving activity and did not get into the water again for the rest of the trip. Kallweit uses neoprene cuffs at the neck as standard, which is still a good alternative, because these don't just tear quickly and can also be repaired with neoprene glue if necessary.
To put the suit through its paces, I'm now taking it with me to Greenland. I received the Xenon Front X-TREME RS so early that I had the opportunity to try it out in the clear lakes and streams of Abruzzo in Italy before leaving for Greenland. The conditions there are cool, but not as extreme as in Greenland. What is extreme here and can be included as a good test are the sometimes long distances you have to walk before you get into the water. Luckily, the Kallweit dry suit only has socks sewn on and you can put on neoprene shoes over it. This means that you hardly feel the sharp stones on the gravelled paths and you don't have to worry about walking into a hole and tearing your suit. The longer zip makes putting it on and taking it off easy and I'm usually the first person to be fully dressed on the shore. The dives are then as they should be: dry and warm. This is what a dry suit should be like! Whenever the water is still at a moderate temperature, I just put on neoprene gloves, because it's easier to operate the camera with them. With the ring system and the silicone seals on the suit, that's not a problem. You should just make sure to leave out the tubes for the dry gloves, otherwise they'll get wet. The suit fits perfectly in Italy and I am thrilled with the Xenon X-STREM, which, by the way, offers a self-selected colour variant in the RS version. I decided on neon green!
The next test is coming up. We are standing at the Silfra fissure at a cold and wet 3 degrees outside and 2 degrees water temperature, which means another stage in the test of the dry suit. To keep from freezing, I also have a new product from Kallweit at the start. The Saros SFT is an undershirt that can be worn with or without the optional V-Warm SFT Arctic Fleece thermal underwear, depending on how cold it is. Here in Silfra, I only wear the Xenon Front X-TREME with the undersuit and normal thick underwear. I feel warm and dry for the forty-five minutes I'm in the water. Even my toes are still warm when I get out of the water thanks to the double neoprene wrap with socks and shoes plus thick winter socks. Although my fingers are a bit chilly, as is often the case after a photo dive, they don't feel like blocks of ice. As a photographer, your hands are often on the camera and the camera is under your body, which is why there is little air in the dry gloves and your fingers get cold so quickly. Maybe I'll try thick neoprene gloves again; with those, your fingers don't get cold even after an hour.
Taking them off is also easy and I finish drinking my hot chocolate already dressed, while others in my group are still jumping around in their dry suits and complaining about the rainy cold in Iceland.
Actually, we are on our way to Greenland and Iceland is just a stopover, which makes me wonder why we only have this one dive planned here. Iceland is definitely worth a visit!
A few days later and after a few hours on a boat, we are sitting in the Northern Explorers' ice camp and looking forward to the dives at the icebergs. Here, a water temperature of 0 or -1 degree Celsius awaits us, depending on whether we are in the freshwater area of an iceberg or a few metres from it in salt water.
To counteract these extreme temperatures, I now wear the V-Warm SFT Arctic Fleece thermal underwear from Kallweit in addition to the Saros SFT undersuit that I ordered. This is a good thing, because the two degrees less feel significantly colder. The dives here are noticeably shorter and we usually only stay in the water for 30-40 minutes. While I still feel quite warm, some of my group are already clearly hypothermic and come out of the water shivering or are already sitting in the zodiac!
Despite cold fingers, I can still easily reach the large pockets to stow things or to open or close the clips on the buckles. This is also necessary because we don't have a ladder on the zodiac and have to take everything off before going on board. I am now also very happy about the long neck of my hood, as it means I don't get a cold neck, which often happens with short hoods in less cold water.
Despite numb fingers, I am one of the first here, as in Iceland, to change and get excited about the pictures I just took with a hot coffee. The suit fulfils all my expectations and exceeds many of my wishes for a dry suit. It is also the first in my long diving life to have a pee valve. It takes a little getting used to, but it's a great feature once you have got used to it. The fact that the metal zip is a little stricter than a plastic zip is simply a matter of maintenance. As soon as I use the supplied lubricant to lubricate the zip, it glides like clockwork. In the meantime, the suit has been used for a good 25 dives, some of them under extreme conditions. Winter is just around the corner and it will soon be very cold in the Alps. Since I love cold water, I will be diving with the dry suit a lot in the near future. I will report on how it feels even after a long time …
Actually, I wanted to take more test equipment for Taucher.Net with me to Greenland, but unfortunately it didn't arrive in time for the trip. As soon as I have more test equipment, you will read about it!
Xenon Front XFT-XTREME RS
I can confirm the advertising slogan of Kallweit: ‘A strong companion for technical diving. Developed only for your needs, so that you can concentrate on the essentials: diving,’ I can confirm.
The name says it all:
- XTREME requirements were the minimum starting point for development and product testing
- XTREMELY complex manufacturing process, taking into account the highest quality standards
- XTREMELY durable materials and yet
- XTREME freedom of movement
Overview of features:
Condensation Control Technology:
- The 2018 Condensation Control Technology diverts moisture through the dry suit to the outside.
Kallweit Seam Technology:
- Elaborate manufacturing of the seams to the highest quality standards.
ContiTech Octolaminat®:
- The fabric for extreme demands!
Kevlar Applications: - Technical reinforcement of the arm, seat, crotch and knee areas
Dual Tech Zip System: - The robust metal zip is made even safer and more durable by the Zip Protector.
High-quality valves: - Apeks valves
Tech leg pockets: - Side tech leg pockets with Kevlar Applications reinforcement and an extreme volume, developed for technical diving.
These products are included at no extra cost!
- Apeks exhaust valve with automatic function
- Apeks inlet valve rotatable
- Elaborate knee reinforcement
- Inflator hose with standard coupling
- Adjustable braces
- Transport bag
- Warm collar with two zips
- Neoprene arm cuff protection
The Xen on Front XFT-XTREME:
Price: 2,139–3,420 euros, Xclusive Edition RS plus 129.95 euros.
SAROS SFT
The Saros SFT is the little brother of the Argo SFT. It was developed as a modular undergarment system in conjunction with the V-Warm thermal underwear and impresses with
- maximum climate comfort
- low buoyancy and thus less lead
- Flow Control System on both arms for easy buoyancy control
- water-repellent and quick-drying surface
- bi-elastic KT Proof softshell for maximum mobility
- very high thermal insulation at a low weight
- large chest pocket with zip, trouser pockets and inner pocket
The Superglide inner material has been meticulously matched to the V-Warm thermal underwear, so that in addition to unparalleled warmth and comfort, putting it on and taking it off is also second to none.
The Saros SFT and V-Warm SFT thermal underwear have been through numerous test dives in water at 4°C with dive times of 60 minutes without even coming close to leaving the comfort zone. The comfort zone is the area in which you like to be without freezing afterwards. For this reason, this combination is referred to as the Kallweit comfort class. Cold and warmth are known to be subjective and individual sensations, so that the comfort zone can be significantly shortened or extended from person to person. Of course, the Saros SFT is also available as a custom-made product. Price 259 – 458 Euro, depending on the design!
Info: https://www.kallweit.de/produkte/unterzieher/saros-sft-unterzieher
Further accessories:
Thermo Sox 19.95 Euro, Warmflex Socks 39.95 Euro, V-Warm SFT Arctic Fleece 189.95 Euro.
So if you want to order a perfect suit with or without undergarments, it's best to go to Interdive or boot, where Kallweit is always on site. You can try on the suits there and be measured exactly once you have decided on a model. The team will also advise you based on your personal preferences and the type of diving you have planned.
If you are unsure, you can have Kallweit deliver one or two models for testing and try them out. The costs for this will be deducted from the purchase price.
Standard sizes without additional equipment are available from stock immediately.
Contact:
KALLWEIT GmbH
Südweg 7
75245 Neulingen
Web : https://www.kallweit.de
E-Mail: info@kallweit.de
Tel. +49 (0)7231 4244770
Pictures: Peter Schreilechner, Gerald Nowak