Bare NexGen neck seal worn out?

[mikerault]

I have had my Bare NexGen less than 3 years and the neck seal is showing small cracks around the edge of the seal. The cuff seals don't show any sign of wear at all. Has anyone else seen this type of wear on a Bare with latex seals?

Mike

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Mike,

Three years?

I change the neck and wrist seals on my drysuit probably once a year. If you got three years from latex seals, that would be terrific in my experience.

Of course, there would be a lot of variance due to environmental conditions. Do you use a conditioner on your seals? Does your drysuit spend a lot of time in the sun? You know, things like that.

But if you're getting three years out of seals that sounds pretty good to me.

Jeff

 

[TSandM]

You got three years off a latex seal? Unless you are doing ten dives a year, just get down on your knees and give thanks . . . I replace mine about every 70 dives, which is why I have neoprene on all my suits now.

 

[dannobee]

Three years is pretty good for latex seals. I've had seals last longer than that, but I don't use anything on them. No lubes, talc, corn starch, nothing. Only fresh water, not even any soap.


.

 

[dave4868]

Sounds like pretty typical latex deterioration and not a defect.

Neck seals get more exposure to skin oil and UV light than wrist seals probably. Are you suiting up in hot weather conditions much? Hot conditions make the neck skin produce a lot of oil, IMHO. Washing your neck well before diving and washing the seal with soapy water after diving can help them last longer.

If you're worried about the little cracks tearing and costing you a dive, you can sometimes trim back as little as a sixteenth of an inch to get another year with good reliability.

Otherwise, like the others have implied, be grateful for how long the seal has lasted and just replace it.

Personally, I'd trim it back....but I've never torn a seal....

Dave C

 

[mikerault]

I'll try trimming it, but have it in the budget to replace it. Thanks! I have about 60 dives on it in both fresh and salt. I use talc (that was prodivded by Bare) and rinse after each dive. I store in a dark usually cool area and the suit is only exposed to sun when I dive.

Mike

 

[jeckyll]

I got about 2 1/2 years and 130 dives out of my nexgen neck seal