Drysuit Neck Seals

[Bob3]

Like it says in the drysuit manual:

WARNING!
Failure to trim the neck-seal may result in choking, leading to injury or death.

 

[chippy]

Thanks for all the info guys.

I should have decribed my seal a bit better - it's a neoprene job.

I called the manufacturer, and they confirmed that the tank method should be tried first, if that fails to cure it I can return the suit to them and they'll adjust it for me.

 

[chippy]

Thanks for the link to the manual BoB. The neck seal bit didn't really apply, but there were a few other good pointers in there.

I.e. I want to stretch the seal's circumference enough so that it's 20% smaller than my fat neck's.

cheers

Paul

 

[Bob3]

hmmm... it sounded like you had a latex seal at first.

Anyway, as has already been pointed out, a stretch job will work on the neoprene.
Neoprene WILL take a permanent stretch after a while so that's why you don't want to attack it with a scissors right away; a couple months down the road you'd be having to slice a tuck out of it because it'd have stretched out too much on you.

 

[chippy]

Ok....they (as others have) mentioned stretching it over a tank, but mine's a big 15 litre one, so it's got a rugby ball wedged in it at the moment. It's been stretching for an hour and already feels better.....another hour or two and it'll be fine.

 

[Bob3]

... another hour or two and it'll be fine.

Leave the ball in, the seal will return to normal over a few hours after you remove it.
It takes quite a few stretchings before the seal takes on a permanent set

 

[Chucky]

Suggested to me when I got a dry suit, seems like a good test:

Wear your suit around the house for 20 minutes or so. If you don't start turning red (and/or getting light-headed), the seal is fine.

C.