Harvey's
Titanium Toaster WetsuitI like the new, but cling to tradition. If a company has been around a long time, they usually offer the same consistent high-quality year after year and at the same time bring new, innovative gear to the marketplace on a regular basis. Harvey's Skin diving Suits began the year I was born, 1957. Its name is synonymous with quality in thermal protection for divers. Based in Washington state, its designs were honed for waters much more demanding and colder than our own. Staying on the cutting edge, Harvey's continues to introduce new designs in both dry suits and wetsuits. A few years ago they introduced the Titanium Toaster, a wetsuit ideal for the cool waters of California.
There are many important elements to an effective wetsuit. Key to the success of this suit is the material. This suit is made from "titanium foil neoprene" (hence the name). Titanium is a very special metallic element with superb thermal qualities. With normal neoprene, insulation is gained simply by holding in heat. With titanium, heat is also reflected back at the body. The result is material that is 20 percent more efficient than normal neoprene. There are a few additional benefits to this material. The inside lining is smooth nylon and the wetsuit goes on with relative ease. Titanium lined wetsuits also dry rapidly, often between dives.
The suit I tested has 6.5mm thick material that Harvey's claims to be 5 to 10 percent warmer than my similar 7mm thick suits. More warmth with less bulk? I was more than willing to try this.
The
suit performed great! I used the suit repeatedly in waters ranging
from 52 to 68°F (More often it was on the colder side than
warmer; this has been a cold year). To be fair, I dived the suit with
a thin hooded titanium vest (also by Harvey's). A confirmed winter
diver, I never got cold even on days of repeated deep, long dives in
water temperatures consistently in the 50s.
It sounds as if I am describing a custom suit; however, this suit was a stock suit, making its success even that much more profound. Harvey's builds a lot of "custom" features into its suits. The pants are farmer-john bib style for added thermal protection in the important torso area. A thick spine pad keeps water movement inside the suit to a minimum. Twin velcro shoulder closures make putting the suit on easy and gives a limited degree of adjustability. Thick knee pads coated with polyurethane protect the knees and shins. Dozens of dives later and these knee pads are showing zero sign of wear.
The suits are specially cut for divers and to prevent diver fatigue. Elbows and knees are in a slightly bent position, more natural to the diver's body posture underwater.
The jacket is the step-in style with a reach to mid-thigh for added thermal protection. A velcro closure pocket is provided on the inside for keys and the like. Edge tape trims the neck, wrists, zipper opening and ankles for added comfort, durability and water sealing. A heavy-duty corrosion-free YKK zipper runs the length of the jacket from the neck to the thigh.
And this suit looks good too. In only comes in one color combination&emdash;metallic black and charcoal, but the configuration looks good like a classic tuxedo. Reflective silver decals down the arms and legs and on the chest accent rather than detract from the design.
The Titanium Toaster is available with 6.5, 4.7 and 3mm thick material. The suit comes in six off-the-rack sizes for both men and women. In addition there are 8 special and oversized sizes for women and 12 for men (these are usually special order but are less expensive than custom and can be obtained quicker). Custom is also available. Finish out your titanium package with Harvey's titanium gloves and boots. Harvey's also makes titanium wetsuits in jumpsuit and shortie configuration in a variety of thicknesses. There is even a Harvey's titanium dry suit they call "T-Wrex."
In my 12+ months of using this suit, I have been very pleased. It has shown little wear and I expect to be using it for many dives to come. The suit seemed somewhat more buoyant than my other similar suits but that could be because of the hooded vest. I simply compensated with a few more pounds of lead.
For a Harvey's dealer near you, call Harvey's at (800) 347-0054 or visit their website at www.harveys-divesuits.com.
