Review: Fourth Element RF1 Freediving Wetsuit

After getting the prospect to envision the Fourth Part Ground wetsuit, the versatile wetsuit designed for freediving, snorkeling, and surface water sports activities, I began to relief an look for out for Fourth Part merchandise. It was then that I heard that the RF1 3/2mm wetsuit, created namely for recreational freediving, was soon to be released.

Since I am a freediving teacher and spend most of my days for the duration of the summer season within the water, I was extremely ecstatic on the artificial to envision Fourth Part’s RF1 wetsuit and glimpse the blueprint in which it performs at Taiwan’s 21m (69toes) deep pool, Divecube Resort!

First Impressions

I am rather the easy dresser when it involves freediving wetsuits (even though I by no blueprint dispute no to a pair of intellectual bi-fins), so I in actuality admired the RF1 wetsuit from the moment I laid eyes on it. The wetsuit is all dark and the scheme is glossy and minimal with alternating smoothskin and lined neoprene. 3/2mm blueprint that the wetsuit has thicker thickness where more comfort and warmth is essential, and 2mm where more flexibility and much less warmth are essential.

Smoothskin panels line the shoulders, section of the palms, and section of the legs, which provide the swimsuit more of a stretchy and soft match, and is marketed to toughen hydrodynamics. Even the knees are subtly reinforced, which is a welcome boost, especially for instructing freediving. Furthermore, smoothskin seals on the wrist and ankles are terminate-fitting and sturdy, but the topic cloth is soft and chuffed. All of the wetsuit feels very effective on my body; both the smoothskin and the nylon are large soft and feels very relaxing to assign on.

I furthermore tried Women folk’s RF Vest 3mm. The vest has an linked hood and is designed to be gentle on top of the RF1 wetsuit for cold waters, longer sessions, or whenever that you simply would be capable to very effectively be looking a hood. All of the hood is smoothskin and has premade holes positioned on the ears to utilize away the necessity to continually agree with your hood with water earlier than a dive. I win this addition very priceless because it will also be worrying to hope to agree with two separate wetsuits for seasonal changes.

Whereas the wetsuit feels very soft and chuffed against my legs and midsection, the palms and the underarm web page are relatively loose on me. Regardless, I savor that the seals are good and would possibly per chance per chance merely support water from flowing in and out of the wetsuit.

Freediving Efficiency

I was completely impressed with the RF1 wetsuit within the water. Inserting on the wetsuit was rather straightforward and simple, with a zipper down the lend a hand. The seals were amazingly tremendous at conserving water out of the wetsuit; I was mostly dry after I took it off! I furthermore fancy having varying thicknesses of neoprene to relief the essential capabilities of my body heat.

The neck seal is rather tight nonetheless it didn’t obstruct efficiency, and the wetsuit felt steady as exact on my body within the water because it did out of the water. I had paunchy vary-of-toddle for both constant weight and free immersion dives and would possibly per chance per chance straighten my palms up and on the lend a hand of my head and not using a enviornment, as the smoothskin panels on the shoulders allow for quite plenty of flexibility.

The vest and hood are a unbelievable add-on; when it is warmer, or if I am steady fun diving, I’m capable of dive with out the hood. The vest and hood are designed to be gentle over the swimsuit, and I in actuality savor the premade holes within the ears because now I manufacture no longer want to relief opening my hood earlier than a dive to agree with it with water. The face hole is rather tiny, so it covers a large fragment of the face, which I retract since I desire to protect as much of my face as that that you simply would possibly per chance maybe think of in chilly water temperatures.

Last Tips

I in actuality fancy the RF1 wetsuit and I savor that this is also my dash-to wetsuit for teacher work this upcoming freediving season. It’s straightforward to positioned on and utilize off, has spectacular seals on the neck, wrists, and ankles, and is terribly chuffed both in and out of the water. I fancy the likelihood of in conjunction with an identical hood and vest for colder water and looks to be in actuality large both in and out of the water.

My solely snarl was that the palms are relatively loose, nonetheless this didn’t receive an impress on my dives within the halt for the reason that wetsuit seals kept water from flowing in and out. For a one-share recreational freediving and fun diving wetsuit, I extremely advocate Fourth Part’s RF1 Freediving wetsuit and RF Vest!

Key Capabilities

• Created for recreational freediving
• Streamline slice for optimum fly and match
• 3/2mm regarded as thickness for comfort and warmth
• Designed for uncomplicated donning and doffing
• Smoothskin seals on cuffs and ankles
• Glued and blindstitched for the duration of
• Fashioned low profile lend a hand neck closure
• Smoothskin shoulders and side panels

Stamp

• RF1 Freediving Wetsuit – $489 USD / €419 EUR / £349.95 GBP
• RF Vest 3mm – $139 USD / €119 EUR / £99.95 GBP

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