leaky Santi drysuits?

[Lorenzoid]

They use plastic YKK zippers now. No problems for more than 100 dives.

Then I was mistaken in my comment above, where I said they were now using metal YKK zippers.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Never had a single problem with my E.Motion (the women's cut) in over a year's diving. I don't put a lot of dives on it - maybe fifty a year - so admittedly, there's not as much scope for problems to develop as there would be for someone who beats the crap out of their suit. But having previously had a drysuit that leaked like a sieve from Day-1 (a Whites Fusion), I couldn't be happier with the suit I have now.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

The don't use the YKK anymore, they are back to TiZip. TiZip hasn't had any issues now in a long time. Any issues were of delamination, have long been fixed. They are still using plastic zippers, but can put in a metal if it's preferred and ordered that way. Great suits. They had some issues along the crotch leaking. They felt people were using the suit harder than it was designed for. They beefed up those areas, and came out with the E.motion Plus. I have an E.motion that is about 4 years old and lots of dives from me as well as others, and it's still bone dry. I'm not easy on suits either...

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Santi emotion w/tizip......no leaks with my suit.

 

[AJ]

Good to hear the Tizip zippers are good now. Had the delamination issue and it was'nt nice in cold water.

 

[buddhasummer]

Mine got pin hole leaks after around 70 dives. I baby my suit. I fear what the future holds.

 

[AJ]

Mine has about 400 dives now and is starting to leak at various places. Thinking about replacement because I'am nowadays spending more time more patching the suit than diving with it. Not sure I will buy another Santi again considering the cost of the suit (E.Lite).

 

[Stoo]

I have made several posts about my eMotion. It was nothing but trouble... failed zippers, constantly wet, even though it had been back to their Canadian repair facility several times. In the end I concluded that the fabric was simply "seeping" water if the suit was pulled or stretched. I wasn't getting damp... I was getting soaked.

For several months, I have intended to post a detailed update on this, and I will soon, but in a nutshell, Halcyon (which was not involved in the original sale since it was through the Canadian Distributor at the time) stepped up and ultimately replaced the suit under warranty, with an eMotion Plus. (It took almost three years to reach this resolution, largely because Santi seemed to be dragging their feet.)

The new suit seems to be good. I have about 75 dives on it now.

I should add that I have their "standard" boot... it's 6mm I think, with a rubber coating. It's not overly flexible, but extremely warm.

I always loved the eMotion, but my opinion is that the fabric is simply too light. If you're buying one, spend a little more and get the Plus.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Mine has about 400 dives now and is starting to leak at various places. Thinking about replacement because I'am nowadays spending more time more patching the suit than diving with it. Not sure I will buy another Santi again considering the cost of the suit (E.Lite).

I was under the impression that the problems were confined to the E.Motion. I haven't read about problems with the E.Lite.

The light weight of the E.Motion is great for air travel, but that it could also be durable just seemed too good to be true.

Mine hasn't leaked after something like 50 dives, but my wife's--purchased at the same time as mine--has. Halcyon slathered it with sealant and replaced a neck seal, and it seems to have stopped the leaking ... for now. We have been told that it's only a matter of time before the zippers--the original TiZip version--begin to fray/delaminate.

 

[Stoo]

I think the T-zips tended to either go quickly (like 30 - 50 dives) or last a long time. They are no where near as reliable as the metal ones, but I think self-entry and metal is not a great combo. My previous suits were all back entry and the zippers generally outlasted the suit... 800 - 1000 dives perhaps.

The light weight was the reason I bought the eMotion. I had/have a Viking ProFlex... bombproof and 100% dry, but the thing weights about 30 pounds I think.

The weight difference between the eMotion and the PLUS is negligible.