Henderson 5/3mm Greenprene Hooded Vest Womens

As a general rule, thicker neoprene insulates more, so colder water pushes you toward thicker accessories, but fit, dive length, and personal cold tolerance matter as much as the millimeter number. Divers commonly lose a great deal of heat through the head, so a hood is often the highest-value warmth upgrade for the money. Remember that every added piece of neoprene also adds buoyancy you will need to account for.

Boots should fit like a snug athletic shoe, with no heel lift and no crushed toes; a little water inside is normal, a sloshing pocket is not. Try them on with the socks you would actually dive, and remember your fin foot pocket has to accommodate the boot. Hard-sole boots protect on rocky shore entries, while soft-sole boots are lighter and pack smaller for boat and travel diving.

Gloves should be snug across the palm with fingertips reaching the ends without bunching, since trapped air and loose fingertips destroy dexterity. Thicker gloves are warmer but make buckles, clips, and inflator buttons harder to operate, so choose the thinnest glove that keeps you comfortable in your conditions. Try working a clip or buckle while wearing them before you commit.

A hood should seal around the face and neck without restricting your throat or jaw, and lie flat on your head without pulling the mask strap out of position. A loose hood flushes cold water continuously, while an overly tight one is distracting and uncomfortable. Many hoods have a vent to release air trapped during descent, so check yours and burp out any trapped air before you go down.

New neoprene compresses and relaxes with use, so a boot, glove, or hood that feels firm out of the packaging usually settles slightly after a few dives. It should still be snug afterward rather than loose, because neoprene that stretches into a loose fit was probably oversized to begin with. Buy for a snug fit when new, but never for a fit that restricts circulation or breathing.

Yes, because every piece of neoprene you add is buoyancy, and a hood, boots, and thick gloves together can shift your weighting noticeably. Do a proper buoyancy check any time you change your exposure protection rather than assuming your usual weight still works. The weight-check procedure is covered in your training, and a dive professional can help you re-do it.

Rinse them inside and out in fresh water after every dive day, since they hold sweat and salt more than any other gear, and dry them fully inside-out before packing. Dry them out of direct sunlight and never on a heater, because heat hardens neoprene and weakens glued seams. Store them dry and unfolded, as damp neoprene sealed in a bag is how gear picks up a permanent smell.

No. Greenprene is Henderson's 100% neoprene-free insulating foam, formulated from deproteinized natural rubber combined with sugar cane, plant oils and oyster shells. It is certified as a USDA Biobased product under the USDA BioPreferred program. Compared with traditional neoprene it is lighter in weight, ultra-soft and stretchy, with excellent UV resistance.

It describes two thicknesses in one garment: 5mm through the torso and 3mm in the hood. The thicker body panel concentrates insulation over your core, while the thinner hood keeps head coverage comfortable and less bulky around the face and mask strap. Thicker material insulates more, so the 5mm torso is what makes this vest an effective warmth layer.

This listing offers the Women's Greenprene 5/3mm Hooded Vest in Black in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14. Henderson publishes the women's Greenprene size range from 2 through 24, with S, Regular and T height options for most sizes. If you are between sizes or unsure about height, call 888-701-4017 and we will walk through the chart with you.

The exterior is AQUA-SILK, a recycled laminate of 88% recycled polyester and 12% spandex, and the interior is BIO-SPAN, 88% recycled polyester and 12% nylon. Both laminates are made from recycled water bottles, and both are Oeko-Tex certified and AZO-free. Henderson describes the Greenprene construction as ultra-soft and stretchy.