FOURTH ELEMENT ARCTIC TOP
FOURTH ELEMENT ARCTIC TOP
Without question one of the most popular drysuit undergarments on the market, the two-piece Arctic undersuit is suitable for use on its own underneath neoprene drysuits or in a layering system with base layers under a trilaminate suit. Low bulk, high insulation, the high density fabrics maximise thermal protection whilst wicking away moisture from perspiration and suit leaks.
The Arctic top is designed with a long body portion to ensure adequate overlap between the top and trousers. Thumb loops prevent the sleeves from riding up during donning (remember to remove them and tuck them back underneath the wrist seals after donning). Tuck the top into the waistband of the trousers before donning drysuit to prevent any separation during the dive.
The Arctic’s two layers of high insulation, low bulk fabric, ensure exceptional levels of thermal protection. Constructed with comfort and utility in mind, the minimalist design provides outstanding performance under closer-fitting neoprene drysuits.
In a layering system, the Arctic is also suited for use underneath membrane and trilaminate suits. Using a combination of fast wicking, high insulation fabrics, the Arctic creates a micro climate around the diver, keeping the body dry and warm. A high density inner fleece provides superior insulation, with maximum comfort and wicking, whilst the outer layer, which has a water-repellent finish, ensures a snug fit.
The Arctic requires less loft to perform due to more effective management of air which is held in the fibres of the suit. Instead of maximising the thickness of the layer of air near the skin, the Arctic minimises the movement of air within, reducing the rate of cooling, without any risk of trapping the air and preventing its release from the dump valve.
The Arctic retains a significant degree of its thermal performance when wet, such that wearers have found it possible to complete dives in relative comfort after even the most fundamental drysuit failures. In some cases, divers have not noticed a leak in a neck or wrist seal until after the dive, such is the performance of the fourth element Arctic.
Backed by years of field testing by the Norwegian Navy, the British Antarctic Survey Dive Team, the French Marines and the Danish Navy, the Arctic was designed using high technology fabrics and has been tested in real diving conditions from the Arctic to the Antarctic.