Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Sebs]

@Sebs do you have small hands? 80mm rings are tiny. I have med/average and needed the 90mm. If you can get to a shop that has a template go try the rings there (remember, you'll have glove liners on). I printed out the template and traced that onto cardboard. Cut the hole in the cardboard and give it a try.

I followed the seaskin video and printed out the template, glued it to cardboard and cut out the holes. I'm the same height as Stuart, and have average sized hands for my height (ie. Large). I put on some thick knitted wool gloves and they fit through the 80mm hole with very minimal rubbing. With thinner liners (that I dove with in 10degree water and was comfortable in for an hour) I can almost get my hands through without touching the edges. I suppose I have long fingers but relatively narrow palms.

Edit: I just tried again with the thickest pair of outdoor winter gloves I own and the 80mm ring was really tight but could get it through with rotating my hand through. Not sure how these gloves compare to a drysuit glove liner though.

Do you think I should change the size to a 90mm?

 

[stuartv]

@Boarderguy Are you SURE you're not thinking of 70mm rings? I think 70 is the smallest size Kubi has. Everything you're saying sounds right for 70mm rings, but not 80mm.

@Sebs If you can fit your hand through with your thickest outdoor winter gloves, then I can't imagine why you would want to buy bigger rings.

 

[Boarderguy]

@Boarderguy Are you SURE you're not thinking of 70mm rings? I think 70 is the smallest size Kubi has. Everything you're saying sounds right for 70mm rings, but not 80mm.

Yeah I tried all 4 sizes with cardboard and the template my LDS has. 70 is child sized. 80 I could get through but my knuckles were rubbing hard. 90 fit with minimal effort and room for liners. 100 was like a night with an old hooker. I could do ASL and still not touch.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

100 was like a night with an old hooker.

 

[Boarderguy]

@Sebs I don't plan on every running my dry glove into cramped holes so going to a 90 for easier on/off wasn't a hard decision for me. 80s might have worked if I figured out how to better contort my hand, but I would rather have only slight rubbing. Do you have an LDS close by that sells kubi systems and has a template you could try?

 

[Ross19966]

Will the Thinsulate 250 that Seaskin sells be adequate for 40F temps. I didn't add the extra room option and I know they account for the 250 undergarment they sell. May or may not have room to bulk up under the undergarment. I kind of regret not adding extra room.

I've been looking at undergarments and the Seaskin price is hard to beat.

 

[Boarderguy]

Will the Thinsulate 250 that Seaskin sells be adequate for 40F temps. I didn't add the extra room option and I know they account for the 250 undergarment they sell. May or may not have room to bulk up under the undergarment. I kind of regret not adding extra room.

I've been looking at undergarments and the Seaskin price is hard to beat.

Cold tolerance is a very personal thing. I dive wet into the low 50s. If my 250 doesn't keep me warm in the 40s then I'll look into adding a heated garment.

 

[Ross19966]

I'm OK in a 7 mil farmer john in the 40's. I think I'll order the 250 and the vest.

 

[stuartv]

Will the Thinsulate 250 that Seaskin sells be adequate for 40F temps. I didn't add the extra room option and I know they account for the 250 undergarment they sell. May or may not have room to bulk up under the undergarment. I kind of regret not adding extra room.

I've been looking at undergarments and the Seaskin price is hard to beat.

As noted, cold tolerance is highly personal. It also depends on how long you're staying at that temp, and whether there is a thermocline to give you more warmth during your ascent.

The last time I dived Lake Erie, we did 3 dives the first day and temps were 43-44F on the bottom. There was a thermocline at about 70' where it started to warm up and it was 66F or so at 20'.

On those 3 dives, I wore my Seaskin 250 and I was very warm. So warm that the next day I wore the 150. Bottoms temps were the same and I was warm enough in the 150. The dives in the 150 were 50 minutes total run, each. 27 - 32 minutes of actual bottom time.

YMMV.

 

[Mr.Ray]

Just in!
Sales Order Confirmation
Proposed Despatched Date: 07/04/2023 (DD/MM/YYYY)

Looks like I'll be diving wet in France