IR ThickSkin...Great Product!!!

I wanted to share this with you guys here given that I have been so impressed with this product.



Someone mentioned Polartec Powerdry in a post a few weeks ago pertaining to drysuit layering. This is what IR Thickskin is made from.



I had to give it a try and I am really glad that I did.



I have tried EVERYTHING as a base layer under my drysuit and have been pretty disappointed with most. After trying various rashguards, capilenes, polypo, etc. I finally settled on SmartWool and thought it was pretty good. It is pretty good actually, but it does not compare the the ThickSkin.



I have only used it a few times but I have been very impressed. It really does keep you dry. I sweat like a beast under a dry suit regardless of the temperature. I usually end up soaking my base layer, feeling soggy and getting chilled if I stop.



The ThickSkin has enough absorbancy to soak up all of my sweat without becoming saturated and to keep the moisture on the outside of the fabric. You never feel damp or chilled.



Also is not so warm that it causes you to overheat. It has been a bit warm at first when paddling in the high 30s but a bit of rolling and a bit of perspiration evens it out. Plus it is a pretty good insulative barrier between you and the cold water.



I paddled last night and got fairly sweaty. The temps were in the mid 30s when I quit. I took off the dry suit and just wore the Thickskin home and while I unloaded my boat and truck in the cold weather. I never felt chilled or damp, but the outside of the fabric was quite damp (left a big wet spot on my car seat). My skin was dry as can be.



It is also highly wind resistant. I acutally plan to use the bottoms for winter backpacking…as pants. Unlike other paddling layers they don’t have a fly so they really are not long underwear…their a pair of tight fitting pants.



Very impressive product.



No I don’t own stock in the company. Just trying to help out those looking for something better to use under their suit.





Matt

IR
I agree! Good product. Vaughn Fulton

I’ve been using it since 2004
and love it. I don’t sweat much, but it is a good weight for keeping warm without overheating. I also like that it stretches, so it hugs your body instead of just hanging on you like regular fleece. The other product I like (but is no longer made) is Mountainsurf’s Aquashell Polartec. It’s highly breathable and has a water resistant outter coating. It acts like a thin wetsuit, but is fleece so is way more comfortable. I wear this in spring and fall (without drysuit), sometimes with a splash top.

I really love the Polartec fabrics. I recently picked up a Polartec WindPro fleece jacket and can’t believe how warm it is. It also does a good job resisting wind.

~wetzool

union suit
Has anyone here tried the IR Thickskin union suit? You enter the suit through a stretchy neck gasket. Any reports on comfort or ease of getting in/out through the neck? Avoiding overlapping seams would add comfort on extended trips.



Greg Stamer

yup…love the union suit
have thin skin and thick skin long…

great product…

easy to get in and out of…has the standard Y-front pee flap…

i got it so that i did nto have the overlap of top and bottoms…and also so that i did not have the open sections between top and bottoms…

r