Drysuit Roundtable Q&A

[Dive Right In Scuba.]

Drysuit Repairs | Regulator Repairs | BCD Repairs - Dive Right in Scuba It looks like $125 to install + boots. I always have a hard time finding that info as well. I end up just clicking around the dry suit pages until it appears at the top of the page.

Just to be clear up front, I am not the same DRIS person who started the thread. (My user name has a period at the end.)

The web site is HUGE, because we cover a lot of stuff, and it can indeed be hard to find exactly what you want. There is usually staff on hand to help, though. In fact, as soon as you log on, there will usually be someone jumping right in to try to help you. Just ask. You can also call.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

In looking at the zippers on the three suits here, the thin fabric doesn't appear to have much compressibility, but ZERO? If I may ask, how do you know the zipping doesn't compress the coated surface?

I guess the flip side is, since with care it doesn't seem like the unzipped zipper need take much stress, what's the harm in leaving it open?

I'm going by exactly what YKK told me about 5 years ago
If you leave a metal zipper open, you run the risk of the 2 zipper sides not mating properly and contorting or twisting. Throw your suit on a hanger, with it open. Look at the zipper and how it looks. Then close it...that's how it's supposed to be so it stays together. Your also not putting undo stress at the ends of the zipper.

---------- Post added January 5th, 2016 at 10:04 AM ----------

Hi, I just emailed these questions, but thought they might be of interest here too:

I have to patch my Viking Haztech drysuit and wonder if you could answer a question or three?


I've done this on rubber Viking suits before, but thought it best to consult first before working on the polyurethane Haztech.


The repair kit came with patches and two tubes: one is a Black Watch tire repair glue and the other a large un-marked white tube.


Is the Black Watch glue the right one to use for patching?


Do you know what the white tube contains?


The instructions are the same as for the rubber suit aside from saying to use two applications of glue for polyurethane suits. Any other tricks of the trade I should be aware of?

Answered thru email Sorry, i don't get to SB as much as I used to...Email or phone is always the same to catch me. I do have a couple guys here all the time though to help

---------- Post added January 5th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ----------

Can you add length to the legs at the ankle area of a Fusion Bullet?

In the width or the length? The skin or the interior bladder?

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

What do you charge to install those? On a Bare XCS2 Tech suit that came with attached boots (not socks), if that matters.

I looked on your website and could not find any link from the Home page or the menus to your page of service prices. I have seen that page before but can't find it now.

Sorry, we will look to make it easier to find. I just put some pics of how to find the pricing.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Drysuit Repairs | Regulator Repairs | BCD Repairs - Dive Right in Scuba It looks like $125 to install + boots. I always have a hard time finding that info as well. I end up just clicking around the dry suit pages until it appears at the top of the page.

---------- Post added January 4th, 2016 at 12:08 PM ----------

I am looking at the same boots for my HOG/USIA.

USIA puts it on their suits now. We sold them the design rights New Hog suits also come with the same boot, their manufacturer has the design rights.

 

[stuartv]

Sorry, we will look to make it easier to find. I just put some pics of how to find the pricing.

Well, that certainly makes me look like a doofus!

I looked through all the menus at the top and I looked through all the links down at the bottom. I have been on your site lots of times and never even looked at all those icons underneath the menu bar that is across the top. I always assumed everything (that I might spend money on) could be accessed through the menu bar at the top, and anything else would be in the links at the bottom or via a link at the bottom.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Spg01]

USIA puts it on their suits now. We sold them the design rights New Hog suits also come with the same boot, their manufacturer has the design rights.

View attachment 222067

I actually went to the front page this morning and noticed the link. Normally I never go through the home page and just follow a link from google or something

My suit is at least a few years old or so and I just ripped a boot last Saturday. So the new style boots are in my future. But I also need to call and talk to someone about putting a wear strip or something on the back of my suit. My back plate is rubbing on the back of my suit and starting to cause a little wear.

 

[3D diver]

Answered thru email Sorry, i don't get to SB as much as I used to...Email or phone is always the same to catch me. I do have a couple guys here all the time though to help

Yes, thank you.

For the folks reading here:

The Black Witch glue is the one to use to patch the Haztech suit.

The unmarked white tube contains talc.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Well, that certainly makes me look like a doofus!

I looked through all the menus at the top and I looked through all the links down at the bottom. I have been on your site lots of times and never even looked at all those icons underneath the menu bar that is across the top. I always assumed everything (that I might spend money on) could be accessed through the menu bar at the top, and anything else would be in the links at the bottom or via a link at the bottom.

Thanks for the help!

Sorry, not meant to make you look like a doofus We will add those links also at the bottom. Not sure how we forgot them.

---------- Post added January 6th, 2016 at 11:01 AM ----------

I actually went to the front page this morning and noticed the link. Normally I never go through the home page and just follow a link from google or something

My suit is at least a few years old or so and I just ripped a boot last Saturday. So the new style boots are in my future. But I also need to call and talk to someone about putting a wear strip or something on the back of my suit. My back plate is rubbing on the back of my suit and starting to cause a little wear.

That's not a problem. We have Kevlar we can add so that will take the abuse in the future

 

[dberry]

I bought a used Fusion Tech sight-unseen based on the Whites / AquaLung sizing charts (2/3XL), and having demo'ed the same size in a pool last summer. The suit seems fine otherwise (especially for the price), but it seems ridiculously tight at the wrists/forearms and calves. To be certain, I took off the skin (all the better to get to know my new equipment) and the issue is definitely with the dry core being too snug at the wrists and calves. It's NOT a problem getting my hands through the wrist seals - it's the area where the wrist seals attach to the dry core that is very tight. I've been told I have big calves, but my wrists and forearms aren't that huge. The core is so tight at these points that I can't imagine wearing more than a thin base layer on my arms or lower legs. (Ironically, I had been more concerned about getting my ample belly into the suit, but that isn't a problem with the 2/3XL.)

My questions:

(1) Where is the dry core labeled with the actual size? The skin is definitely 2/3XL (found the markings when I removed the inflator valve), but I haven't found a size marking on the dry core itself. Maybe the core is only a Large?

(2) Could the process of installing wrist seals have used up most of the "slack" in the wrist / forearm area of the dry core? The 4-5 inches of overlap where the seals attach seem very stiff (glue?)

(3) Could replacing the latex wrist seals with a ring-type system be combined with enlarging the forearm area? (FWIW, the arms and legs of the 2/3XL are quite a bit longer than I need, so there is "extra" material.)

(4) Could the lower legs (calves) be "expanded" by cutting and inserting a triangle of extra core material? All appropriately taped and sealed, of course. Or is this too dramatic (or too expensive) a step?

Any thoughts or advice? (other than "you shouldn't buy a dry suit you haven't tried on in person" - THAT ship has sailed

 

[buddhasummer]

I actually went to the front page this morning and noticed the link. Normally I never go through the home page and just follow a link from google or something

My suit is at least a few years old or so and I just ripped a boot last Saturday. So the new style boots are in my future. But I also need to call and talk to someone about putting a wear strip or something on the back of my suit. My back plate is rubbing on the back of my suit and starting to cause a little wear.

Ive noticed the exact same thing on my Santi. I cut the STA bolts down so that they cannot make contact with the suit and rounded off the corners of the derlin nuts used. Mine seems to causing wear on the lower back only. Was thinking of getting a strip put on that section of my suit too. Has anyone else encountered this issue? Cheers.