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 Scuba diving was born in the
20th century and so the evolution of undersea equipment has gone
hand in hand with the rapid progression of 20th century technology.
From rubber facemasks to digital dive computers, from neoprene to
titanium, every year some amazing new gadget, material, design, or
device will burst on the scene to improve our diving lives. Without
the synthetics and technology of the 20th century, scuba diving
would still be just science fiction. Surprising then that one of the
first major discoveries of the 21st century to revolutionise the
wetsuit industry, is a material that mankind has already been using
for over 2000 year, Merino™ fibre. Award-winning designer John
Gordon, has been designing wetsuits for over thirty years and admits
that he never considered lining his suits with sheep-wool in all
that time. But with increased global environmental awareness and
some astounding research into the properties of this miracle fibre,
John discovered that not only was the merino option a viable
alternative, in many areas it was superior to the petro-chemical
synthetics currently being widely used. Not to be confused with the
wool of a normal sheep, merino fibre has unique qualities that make
it a superior fibre for the lining of wetsuits. In fact it is one of
the most complex fibres - natural or synthetic- known to mankind.
With its natural composition and complexity, Merino™ easily adapts
to your body’s temperature and its unique moisture control
properties make it a remarkable discovery for the wetsuit industry.
Merino sheep have been bred for it’s wool for over 2000 years and
has many different strains around the world, but the world’s best
merino fibre comes from a small Merino population bred in isolation
in one of the remotest parts of the world. Deep in the South
Pacific, the majestic Southern Alps of New Zealand are home to this
elite band of sheep. The climatic extremes and isolation of this
harsh, rugged landscape have led to the development of a special
fibre, New Zealand Merino™, which is unrivalled in softness, purity
and strength.
 The
New Zealand Merino™ fibres used in Pinnacle wetsuits are much finer than
traditional wools, ensuring next-to-skin comfort, while maintaining the
durability and colourfastness of wool. Compared to synthetic fibres, Merino is
a complex structure with hydrophobic outer scales and hydrophilic inner cells.
This unique combination of characteristics ensures Merino’s™ outstanding
functional performance. New Zealand’s pristine alpine environment, majestic
merino and innovative growing systems combine to produce the world most
exclusive fibre - New Zealand Merino™. New Zealand Merino™ fibres are long,
strong, flexible and extremely fine. It is these distinctive characteristics
that make New Zealand Merino™ soft and comfortable against the skin.
 There’s
an old school physics experiment where an ice cube is wired to the bottom of a
test tube filled with water. When the students dutifully heat the top of the
test tube with a flame and boil away the surface water, the ice remains frozen.
“What does that demonstrate, Jenkins?” the physics teacher would ask. Jenkins
would shrug helplessly while the rest of the class attempt to make themselves
as inconspicuous as possible. “Water,” the physics teacher would explain
pointedly while stalking between desks and glaring at each student in turn, “is
an excellent thermal insulator”, “Ah yes, of course”, the class would scribble
this exciting fact down and promptly forget it once the final Physics exam has
been completed. Wetsuit manufacturers have been making the most of this basic
physics principle for decades. It’s not your wetsuit that keeps you warm, it’s
the thin layer of water trapped between your skin and the wetsuit that you can
thank for keeping you toasty and snug 90 feet deep off Vancouver Island. The
water that seeps into your suit during the first few minutes of your dive
absorbs the heat energy emanating from your skin as you fin. Your body heat
quickly warms the water layer, and Pinnacle’s innovative sealing features
ensure it won’t flush. Water also has a large “thermal sink”, which means a
large amount of thermal energy can be absorbed by a relatively small mass of
fluid. In wetsuit applications, the water in your suit becomes a thermal
reservoir, heating up during periods of hard exercise then transmitting this
stored thermal energy back to you when you’re less active. Not only does this
water layer keep you warm, it also helps keep you comfortable. If your suit
didn’t have this water layer, then the neoprene material could cause a
“squeeze” (the painful trapping of a diver’s skin in a material fold whilst
descending…Ouch!). As you descend into the darker depths, neoprene becomes less
effective as a thermal insulator as it is very porous and so susceptible to
pressure changes. The deeper you dive, the thinner your suit becomes (e.g.: an
8.5mm wetsuit can compress to only 3.6mm thick at 150 feet deep). The good news
is that the layer of deliciously warm water caressing your skin remains the
same. Result: you stay warm, even at depth.
The 5 Points of Merino
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The Merino™ lining in a wetsuit
absorbs and retains any water entering the suit. The retained water
swells in the Merino™ lining. In laboratory tests, Merino™ held 30%
more water than the best synthetic linings. This is because the
Merino™ fibres absorb moisture, whereas synthetics can't. This
creates a water-logged layer of up to 3mm between the neoprene and
your skin. Merino™ is 'exothermic', which means it releases a
significant amount of heat as it absorbs water. This helps you to
warm your "water-skin" quicker. The weave of the Merino™ lining also
helps to reduce the movement of water inside the suit. Because this
layer of saturated Merino™ is primarily water, it is not affected by
depth. So as the neoprene crushes and becomes less effective, your
3mm layer of drenched Merino™ retains its thermal insulating
properties. In recent tests by the British Textile Technology Group,
Merino™ proved to offer a 35% increase in thermal efficiency, in
both dry and saturated conditions, over the best synthetic
linings.
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Merino’s™ super soft
composition and fine micron count elimin-ates the prickle associated
with other wools, which can feel itchy against the skin. The
softness of Merino™ reduces rashes caused by continuous movement in
high action areas, such as under the arm. Because of Merino’s™
ability to draw moisture away from the fibre’s surface, it
eliminates the sharp cold feeling associated with donning a damp
suit.
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Merino’s™ natural crimp and
resilience make it far more resistant to abrasion and
‘Velcro-attack’ while also reducing the ability for soil particles
to stick to your suit lining.
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Merino’s™ excellent moisture
absorption and uneven surface structure help prevent the build-up of
odour causing bacteria, whereas these bacteria thrive on the exposed
flat surface of synthetics. This keeps your wetsuit fresh and
hygienic for longer.
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Merino™ is a sustainable
resource. Whereas synthetic linings are constructed from
petrochemicals, Merino™ is as natural and organic as your own skin.
Sure, Merino™ has proven to be a far more efficient wetsuit lining
than synthetics. Sure, it is exothermic on wetting, faster
self-draining and more hygienic. But the real beauty of slipping
into a Merino™-lined wetsuit is the beauty of nature herself. It
just feels right.
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