TESTCENTRE provide the perfect exposure protection to complement their suits , but in this instance , I used my usual membrane suit ’ s two-piece base layer .
Belt and braces
While some membrane suits are fitted with latex seals as standard , the Red Edition ’ s more substantial neoprene seals were very easy to negotiate and the cosy , lined boots slipped easily over my thermal socks .
The boots themselves have soft uppers with a reinforced pad located forward of the ankle , designed to prevent wear from the foot-pocket of your fins . Underneath , the soles are firm and solid , with excellent grip .
While many drysuits have migrated over to plastic zips , the Cortex Red features a good old-fashioned , robust metal BDM zipper , protected by a flap , secured by Velcro .
The interior appearance of a drysuit is every bit as important as its exterior and the gluing and taping inside all look to be carried out to a very high standard to maintain the suit ’ s integrity .
I ’ d have liked to have seen the internal braces supplied in a different colour , in red perhaps to match the design , rather than black , which makes them slightly more difficult to get to grips with on dark , winter days .
The oversized dark-grey Kevlar kneepads offered excellent protection , while also enhancing the suit ’ s look . I noticed further wear reinforcement at the crotch area too .
Stowage and trim
I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with thigh pockets . Too large , and they can be annoying and cause drag ; while if they ’ re on the small side , they serve little more than an ornamental purpose .
Northern Diver seem to have got its zippered transporter pockets just about right . Slim , but still capable of stashing a small reel or spool , they are also deep enough to accommodate a rolled-up DSMB .
On the right side there ’ s also a secondary outer pocket with a pull-flap , perfect for stowing a torch for example . The left pocket has the same zippered main area , but with an integrated knife pocket .
Dead centre of the chest sits Northern Diver ’ s own V-Tech low-profile , swivel inflation valve . This allowed my direct feed to be routed from either side .
A dump valve is situated on the left shoulder . Similarly low-profile , I was able to slip over my harness or BCD shoulder straps without having to worry about it hindering the process .
I ’ ve not got the thickest of wrists , which combined with neoprene seals , can be a potential for water ingress . The Red ’ s soft and flexible examples however , proved up to the task .
The neck seal is shaped higher at the rear than under the chin . It ’ s a simple idea which does make the process of inverting it just that little bit easier . This also passed muster to keep my neck free from the dreaded slow trickle of cold , wet stuff .
Performance
Due to its tailored design , the suit performed in a very similar way to a neoprene suit . Air was equally distributed around the body , with no particular areas where it could congregate en-masse . If I wanted to elevate my feet for instance , I simple raised them and the air migrated slowly and evenly .
This meant achieving the right buoyancy to maintain my position in the water column was relatively effortless . Only minor adjustments to the auto-dump were required during the course of a dive , and manually operating the dump with a quick push proved simple and effective .
It ’ s not just a drysuit for winter of course , and matched with the correct thermal protection for the time of year would be great in summertime , or packing away for a trip abroad . The Red Edition comes complete with hood , direct feed , bag / changing mat and maintenance kit . Neil Hope
SCUBA SAYS
Northern Diver ’ s Cortex Red Edition meets a happy medium between a neoprene and membrane drysuit . Its robust manufacture and tailored fit offers longevity , excellent manoeuvrability and with thermal protection , this suit is more than capable of diving throughout the four seasons .
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