Fourth Element

Staying warm: where Fourth Element earn their reputation

Most of what Fourth Element make comes back to one problem — keeping a diver warm without turning them into a stiff, over-padded parcel. That runs from a thin baselayer worn next to the skin all the way to a made-to-measure drysuit. It is why this collection is dominated by suits and layers rather than hardware, and why the sizing questions matter more here than almost anywhere else in the shop.

Neoprene wetsuits

Xenos is the mainstay, in 3mm, 5mm and 7mm full suits plus shorties for men and women, with Xenos Arc as the warmer-lined sibling. Proteus II sits above it in 3mm and 5mm for divers who want a closer, more technical cut. Alongside those, the Surface Suit 4/3mm and the RF1 3/2mm one-piece are aimed at the surface and at freediving rather than at kit-heavy scuba, and the RF2 hooded jackets, RF2 leggings and RF vests let you build warmth up in pieces instead of buying a thicker suit.

Thermocline, without the neoprene

Thermocline is the neoprene-free alternative, made from technical fabric rather than foam rubber. Fourth Element rate it as the equivalent of 2mm neoprene. It is breathable, neutrally buoyant, machine washable and packs down small, which is why it travels well and why it suits divers who react to neoprene. We stock it as a full one-piece and as separates — jackets, long-sleeve tops, vests, leggings, a hood and a fin sock — so it works as a layer under a wetsuit just as happily as it works alone in warm water.

Drysuits and what goes underneath

A drysuit only keeps you warm because of what you wear inside it. Fourth Element build both halves of that, and getting the combination right is the difference between a comfortable second dive and a shivering surface interval.

The Argonaut 3.0 range

Argonaut Stealth 3.0, Argonaut Stealth Hybrid 3.0 and Argonaut Flex 3.0 are all trilaminate, and all made to your measurements using Fourth Element's BIOMAP 3D body-mapping. Seams are flat-stitched, double-taped and heat-sealed. The diagonal YKK Aquaseal zip runs cross-chest so you can reach it yourself, the legs use the AFT articulated cut for horizontal trim, and Duratex panels reinforce the shoulders, elbows, knees and seat. Technical thigh pockets come as standard, as do an Argo dry bag, changing mat, hose and hood. Seals, valves and boots are your choice, which is exactly why a made-to-measure suit is worth a conversation before you order.

Undersuits and baselayers

J2 goes next to the skin — long and short sleeve tops, leggings, shorts and a bra top. Xerotherm is the layer most UK divers end up living in: Polartec Powerstretch, fast-wicking, low bulk, and it carries on working when it is wet, which is the point on the day a wrist seal nips. Arctic steps the warmth up again in tops, leggings and a one-piece. At the top of the range, Halo A°R uses A°RGON aerogel insulation to give warmth without bulk, cut for horizontal trim and ready for a P-valve. The X-Core vests add core warmth without another full layer.

Masks, fins and the extremities

The hard kit here is deliberately short. Masks run from the low-volume Scout and Seeker through the Navigator to the Aquanaut for freediving, with the Splash, Dry and Float snorkels and a spare mask strap to go with them. Fins come in two: Tech Fins for the drysuit-and-boots crowd, REC Fins for everything else.

Hands and feet are where cold dives actually end, so this is the part worth spending time on. Boots run from the Rock Hopper for walking in, through the Amphibian, to the Pelagic. Gloves cover 3mm and 5mm neoprene, 5mm Kevlar Hydrolock for wreck work, the G1 liner, Xerotherm gloves and wrist warmers, and HALO A°R gloves. For feet inside a drysuit there are Xerotherm Socks, Arctic Socks, Hotfoot Pro and the Thermocline Fin Sock. Add a neoprene hood, Surface Hood, Thermocline Hood or the Xerotherm Hat and most people find they need less suit than they thought.

Rash guards, and the bit after the dive

For warm water and sun, the Hydro-T long sleeve, the Hydroskin and the Fin Hydrosuit do the job a wetsuit would be overkill for, and the Technical Shorts work over the top. Back on the boat or in a car park in February, the Storm Poncho and Tidal Robe get you changed with some dignity, the Windbreaker Smock and Xerotherm Hoodie keep the wind off, and the Changing Mat keeps your undersuit out of the gravel.

Kit gets carried too: the Expedition Duffel for the whole lot, the Argo Dry Bag for what must stay dry, and the Ocean Debris Bag — a packable drainable mesh bag with a clip and a Velcro closure — for the rubbish you find on the way round. It costs nothing to carry and it is the easiest good habit in diving.