Orca Orca Heat Seeker Vest
4.5
5
48
48
Sloppy detail renders this product unusable
I bought this item for open water swimming, to wear under a wetsuit when it is really cold and to wear on its own when it is just a bit cold for swimming without a wetsuit. I have only been able to use it once as the bulky stitching under the armpits has rubbed so badly it left me almost bleeding after just 30 minutes. I dread to think what it would have been like after a long swim. The stitching is the heavy stuff to reinforce the join of the front and rear panels but it stands proud of the neoprene material on the inside and it is in just about the worst possible place. It is where your skin moves most relative to the material when you swim. I now have an expensive item I cannot use and I will probably have difficulty returning it as I binned the labels after I tried it on and it fitted. I expected much better than this from Orca. Not impressed!
08 September 2016
Fantastic
I wear this as an under vest beneath my wet suit in cold water and it has proved to be a great buy. If you need extra insulation get one of these. Well worth it.
07 August 2016
Tough love
This review refers to the Orca Heatseeker vest I purchased 5 years ago, which appears to be the same as this newer model except that the new model has no hem or stitching around the arm holes. I suspect the neoprene around the arm holes will wear quickly, in which case this item should not have 5 stars.
BUT ... as for the older model, it's as good a product as you can get for what it does. It fits skin tight and add a layer of light warmth and protection. I wear it both under a wetsuit for an added layer or by itself when swimming in the summer or on trips to the Caribbean. After 5 years it shows wear around the neck and overall, but still functions well. I have worn the vest hundreds of times. Really durable.
04 July 2016
keeps you warmer but makes you a bit slower
i bought this because i quickly get cold all the time in outdoor pools. this vest keeps me definitely warmer but slows me down a bit. i don't know the exact reason for this, at least it does not seem to change my buoyancy significantly.
the sizing is correct. it feels very snug when dry but looses a bit when in water and still slips a bit up (i have to pull it a bit down from time to time when in the pool).
all in all: a good purchase but i did not think it'd change my performance.
29 May 2016
ok, but chafe at neck and rises up
If you use this under a wetsuit, the neckline really chafes. If you use this as an outer layer, it rises up from the hem and becomes a crop top.
However, I use this to teach swimming standing in the pool, then it's good.
12 May 2016
Great product
I bought this for a night swim. I bought medium, I'm a size 10 and it fitted comfortably under my wetsuit. It definitely kept me warm, I did the swim last year without it and I could feel the difference. Would recommend for extra warmth or to wear on its own on a warm day.
08 December 2015
Great product. Well styled and fits well under the wetsuit. Very sung fitting.
13 October 2015
A warmth buffer for thin triathlon wetsuits
I bought this item as my skinny body clad in my thin-skinned Orca wetsuit was loosing too much heat during long triathlon swims here in NE Scotland. Wearing this this tight fitting extra layer really helps with insulation, and I credit it with keeping me going in the Celtman triathlon swim where temperatures in the middle of the sea loch were as low as 11oC. Numb face and hands, but a toasty torso.
Its a stretchy tight fitting garment that will also help a little if your wetsuit is ill fitting, helping to prevent that water sloshing that can accelerate the onset of cold. Can be a bit of a bugger to get on as the material is sort of a sticky neoprene, but it's just about doable on you own. Getting it off in a hurry is easier as it's wet, but will cost you 5-10 seconds seconds in T1 if that matters to you!
I rarely swim without this vest these days, but then lochs up here are rarely more than 15oC. Recommended.
30 September 2015
heatseeker vest the best
an excellent piece of my OW swimming kit for keeping core body temp warmer in colder conditions. Comfortable to swim in although a bit of a knack to get off. Sizing correct.
27 August 2015
Brilliant. Buy one now.
Felt compelled to write my first ever review as this vest is awesome. My wetsuit is as good a fit as I could find but it's not snug enough round the back - water does trickle down the back of my neck, a small amount but enough to get me cold if water temp < ~14C. This vest makes a huge difference. Got in the River Tummel today (13C) and noticed it on arms, legs etc but it was like my torso hadn't even hit the water!
Getting it on is fine. Roll it up first then I do arm, head, arm then unroll it down my body.
I'm a 38 inch chest and the medium is perfect for me.
Should extend my OW season by at least a month!!
29 July 2015
super warm
If you enjoy open water swimming, but not the cold - this is a piece of essential kit. There is another bonus in that it adds buoyancy to your swim.
29 July 2015
good buy
good quality, and efficient...
i purchased this for my 10yr old daughter for swimming, as the waters are cold in winter. i took the smallest size ...all fits well except at the chest where it is too loose... therefore for this product it will only fit ladies.... as the breast part needs to be filled up.
it is also quite long and covers up the hips.
17 June 2015
Swam with this 4 times now in Derwent and Bassenthwaite. does what it says keeps core body temp ok in rather cold water. Tricky to get on and off at 1st but gets easier.
05 June 2015
Brilliant extra layer for keeping warm
This has been such a useful addition to my diving gear, so easy to put on underneath my wetsuit for when the water is that bit colder. Super comfortable, you don't even know you have it on. Can't recommend it enough.
05 June 2015
Keeps me nice and warm
I've worn this a couple of times now, and would recommend it if you feel the cold. It fits nicely under my wetsuit and doesn't feel restrictive
01 June 2015
Life saver...
I purchased this for an OCR in an attempt to overcome my fear of cold water!
Worked a treat, kept out the sting of the cold water and warmed me up straight after water plunge.
slightly narrow fit but other than that brilliant !!!
26 May 2015
Keeps the upperbody nice and warm
Wanted an extra layer for the early swims Open Water of the season...and the late ones....size wise you can truly trust the guide next tot hte product itself
12 April 2015
too tiny
good quality and useful in the spring time but not easy to take it out..
22 February 2015
Very good product
One of my most favorate purchase on Wiggle. As a beginner of front crawl and preparing for OW swimming, I've practiced many times with this suit on during the autumn-winter era. I worn without the full wetsuit and still found it can keep body warmth well. The Orca logo is so remarkable that people in the pool keep staring at me lol.
09 December 2014
Excellent product
I bought this vest to enable me to extend my open water swimming season - it worked a treat. Worn under my wetsuit it kept me so warm, I could't believe the difference it made. Much cheaper than a new,thicker wetsuit!
The only downside is the shape is really a male one but the small fitted well enough.
22 November 2014
Warm
Great under a wetsuit great fit does the job in colder water
16 October 2014
Great vest for when you are cold
I bought this because the pool where I swim can be quite cold and I hate being cold. I originally decided to try one of these because I had read some reviews on the Internet and it was on sale so I thought I would take a chance and I don't regret it at all. Its great for the pool or under a wetsuit. In fact two people at the pool asked me about it and bought it here on Wiggle and they are really happy!!!There is only one flaw, the bottom can ride up sometimes but I think thats due to me being a tweener size wise and also having a short torso for someone who is 195.
04 October 2014
Good buy
I wear this for training or racing when the water is 12/13 degrees C. Works well. Only problem is that it's hard to get off if you're racing.
27 September 2014
V useful
Good for a little bit extra warmth and buoyancy when summer swimming without a wetsuit (although not good for racing as it's hard to get off quickly) and also for wearing under a wetsuit in winter.
27 September 2014
brilliant for open water swimming
I got this because `i wanted to do some open water swimming and a full wetsuit isolates you from the environment you want to connect with. It is advertised as a layer to go underneath other agreements but I wear it on its own or with a rashie t-shirt on top. Felt toastie warm in very cold sea
20 September 2014
Works great yet not bulky
Fits like a glove and helps keep core warm in milder temperatures.
Main con is that it's tricky to put on (no zips)
12 August 2014
This product is fantastic! I wear it under my wetsuit for open water swimming as I struggle with the cold. I am able to stay in for much longer and in significantly lower temperatures (anything from 7degrees and up!). It's a snug fit so is comfortable under a wetsuit without feeling restrictive. It can be a challenge getting out of it when wet so maybe not for race day if you want a speedy transition but, this is the only down side I have found. I can't recommend this highly enough!! At a UK size 8 the small is a good fit so would fit size 8-10.
20 July 2014
great for OW swimming
I was worried that it might be too small - but once I worked out how to get in and out of it, it's snug fit was perfect without being too tight. Not restrictive at all, super flexible and easy to breathe and move in.
Really helped support longer distance OW swimming in cold water.
Love it!
16 June 2014
what a difference!
I suffer badly from reynauds syndrome and cold water (very ...loch ness and other places, north sea etc..) are such a problem but this vest has made a significant difference the times I have tried it, why didn't I get one sooner!
04 June 2014
Fits also to cold/ wet weather cycling and running
I bought this vest to ensure I would not freeze when swimming in cold waters with a high-end (thin) wetsuit. For that it works really good, keeps the upper-body nice and warm.
What I just found out yesterday during a wet cycle-ride followed by a trail-run in the rain that it works really well as a core-warmth layer for these also! I got the idea from a Triathlete-mag video from some pros talking about cold-weather racing. They mentioned they had used some old swim-skins that they had snipped the "pants-part" away as the base-layer. I thought "why not try the vest now as its really cold" (+6 - +8 degrees celsius). Tried it and loved it. First time in long time that my shoulders didn't tighten up because of the cold during the bike or the run...
30 May 2014
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