KWARK Navy Undersuit

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PRODUCT REVIEW

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When most people imagine themselves scuba diving, they generally do so in the beautifully tropical climates of the Mediterranean or Caribbean Seas, fittingly wearing nothing more than a wetsuit.

Unfortunately, in the absence of year-round glorious sunshine here in the United Kingdom, staying warm during a lengthy dive is only really possible for those of us who are happy to spend some serious cash on high-end heated undergarments. With a Kwark undersuit, this thankfully this is now a thing of the past.

The Undersuit

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Appearance / Design

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The Kwark Navy Undersuit has been specifically designed for use with trilaminate drysuits and is ideal for cooler waters such as those found in and around the UK. The material was specially developed for U.S. Army Special Forces Divers, in order to meet all the required parameters for long and enduring dives in cold waters.

Thermally the undersuit is equivalent to traditional garments based on Thinsulate weighing about 400g/m. However, the Kwark Navy has many advantages, some of which users of other less conventional warmers can only dream of.

The undersuit is a solid one piece design and is conveniently constructed with a double zipper and a rubber pee-valve insert part way down the left leg. The suit is manufactured from an amazingly soft and comfortable fleece-like material, which is beautifully joined together with durable red stitching that really looks the business. For a suit so warm, one would have expected significantly more bulk.

A conveniently pre-stiched pee-valve insert stops you having to cut a custom hole in your nice new and expensive undergarment..

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Functionality / Use

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The Kwark Navy is by far the warmest undersuit I have ever worn and take it from me, there is simply nothing worse for a diver than being either cold or wet.

Throughout my extensive experience as a recreational, technical and professional diver, I quickly get a feel for the things which work well and the things which do not. So upon putting on the Kwark Navy for the first time, I just knew from how it felt that it was right for me.

Techies (technical divers) generally know that the point in which they are most likely to start feeling the cold is at the end of the working phase of their dive and generally during compulsory and extensive decompression obligations, so it’s important to them that a divers undergarment retains warmth for as long as physically possible. Equally, every recreational instructor knows that during busy open water sessions when they are on the move all day, both in and out of the water, an undersuit needs to be comfortable as well as practical.

I have personally found the Kwark Navy to be not only the warmest and most comfortable undergarment I have ever worn, but definitely by far the least restrictive.

There are many nice little touches to be found on the Kwark Navy Undersuit

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One Piece Vs Two Piece Undergarments

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As a firm basis for comparison, I have been wearing the popular Fourth Element Arctic set of thermals for the last few seasons, which in the current market will set you back little over £230. Prior to this I wore numerous cheaper Thinsulate suits .

Where I cannot realistically fault any of the Fourth Element undergarments that I have owned, I had found more recently that I was starting to feel the cold quicker and more often, indicating that these items were progressively losing their thermal qualities.

One thing I have really come to dislike about wearing two piece systems, particularly as a technical diver, is that with drysuit pockets crammed full of vital gear, the weight can often pull down on the leggings creating separation between the two undergarments. Although primarily this is hugely annoying, it can and does expose parts of the torso to the exposure suit creating an unpleasant cold spot either before or throughout a dive.

Steve clearly loving his new Kwark Navy Undersuit

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Verdict

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Where better to put the Kwark Navy Undersuit through it’s paces than on a busy open water weekend in November up at Capernwray Diving Centre.

In all the years I have been diving, I cannot honestly remember a time where I have put my undergarments on and just left them on until I got home.

I have only in recent months become aware of Kwark as a brand, subject to regular customer orders that came into a reputable PADI 5 Star IDC Centre which SEPE Diving works exceptionally close with. Now that I own one myself and recognise the distinctive look, I can recall seeing many divers wearing Kwark suits over the years.

Truth be known, there are many great product manufacturers on the undergarment market and SEPE Diving has tried and tested several products from brands such as Fourth Element and Otter, both of which are of an equal and exceptionally high quality. In respect of this review and for some unbeknown reason, looking and feeling like a huge black teddy-bear in the Kwark Navy just seems to hit all the right notes on what turned out to be an exceptionally chilly November weekend.

Having pushed the suit to it’s limits recreationally, I am looking forward to seeing how it handles on some longer more arduous technical dives throughout the freezing winter months.

Standby for a further update next year.

The Kwark Navy is equipped with substantial foot and hand loops for easy wearing and positional retention

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Should You Buy The KWARK Navy Under Suit?

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Absolutely, Yes!

Kwark are most definitely worth taking a closer look at. Offering an extensive range of suits, the Navy is pretty much only their starting point. With a full made-to-measure and suit customisation service, Kwark are more than happy to make your suit exactly how you want it.

Design: 9/10

Having tried and tested numerous undergarments over the years, the Kwark Navy most certainly looks and feels the part. It is meticulously constructed from an exceptionally breathable yet durable material, all stitched together with flat irritation free seams, which have resulted in a garment confusingly soft and comforting all at the same time. Wearing this suit makes me want to curl up in the van and take a nap instead of going diving.

Functionality: 9/10

The Kwark Navy does exactly what it says on the tin. It is created from a breathable fabric which promptly wicks sweat away from the skin and dries quickly if the undersuit becomes soaked through flooding. Furthermore, all Kwark suits are anti-bacterially treated to prevent any unpleasant smells which may result from a hard days diving.

Sizing: 7/10

Bizarrely, I was a little confused with the sizing and I think this is definitely something that needs to be given some extra attention when buying. At 182cm tall and 16 stone in weight, I find myself only just fitting into a 2XL, where with numerous other garment manufactures I am more often sized as an optimistic large.

Price: 8/10

The price on the Kwark Navy is a tough one. What price does one put on comfort? With a recent price increase of 15% (as of November 2022), the RRP on one of these undersuits is now approximately £335

When considering competitors who manufacture similar thermal gear such as Otter, Fourth Element and Weezle, Kwark are well and truly up there on price coming in right at the most expensive, but I personally cant see the justification for such a significant leap.

I am incredibly pleased with my new Navy undersuit and although it hasn’t yet stood the full test of time, I can see myself enjoying wearing this garment time and time again, possibly even buying a second one!

SEPE Diving Product Rating: 9/10

Interested?

Why not check out the Kwark Navy and other undersuits over at Shawtek Limited?