Drysuit Seal pre dive maintenance

[JohnN]

Seal Saver (I just found out it has been discontinued :depressed: )

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There's no way in Hades or Hel that I'm buying a bottle of that to bring on a club trip.

It's fun to go into the pharmacy and ask for the industrial size. Or buy a couple large bottles and when they say thanks and have a nice day, wink and with a big smile say " Oh I will!"

 

[Subcooled]

There's no way in Hades or Hel that I'm buying a bottle of that to bring on a club trip.

Club size...

 

[Storker]

Club size...

I had enough flak from my mates before I discovered that surgical tape is a better alternative than condoms for covering the shotgun muzzle to avoid packing snow into it if you stumble while grouse hunting in the winter. I'm definitely not going to bring a bottle of condom lubricant on a diving trip when talc powder is a perfectly adequate alternative.

"Anything you say or do will be used against you after the beer cans have been opened".

 

[rhwestfall]

There's no way in Hades or Hel that I'm buying a bottle of that to bring on a club trip.

That (a big tube), and a couple cases of beer usually will get a serious blush from the cashier.....

The stuff has some other beneficial uses. When I used to do bridge inspections, it was used to create a proper surface for the metal thickness probe to seal to the steel. Preferred it to petroleum jelly because it didn't get your hands/clothes/gear all greasy...

to the OP - talc for storage, lubricant for doff/don......

stuff like seal saver is somewhat unpopular with some folks if it has a silicone base. If you get it on the fabric of the DS, there may be issues down the road getting adhesive to stick with a seal replacement.

 

[Lake Hickory Scuba]

racanichou, There are many products that work very well to lubricate the seals, both for storage and for ease of donning. I have to say, after 20 years in the Industry, I have never thought of using lube (THE GOOD KIND), for Dry Suit Donning, will definitely be trying that, this will be a great ice breaker to ask my wife to go buy some. But I will give you an Uncle Bryan Tech Tip. I use The McNett UV Spray without using the McNett UV Spray. Let me explain. I have found that AeroSpace 303 works as good, if not better than McNett UV Spray. I sell both at the shop and 9 out of 10 times, most of our divers will buy the AeroSpace 303 when they run out of McNett. From a financial perspective it is a no brainer (bigger bottle, more product, cheaper price). Now most dive shops will not carry the AeroSpace 303, unless they sale Stand Up Paddle Boards, Kayaks, etc., but we are a marina also and we have tons of it in stock. Most of the time, I refill my McNett bottle with the AeroSpace 303, just for convenience of having a smaller bottle in my Dry Suit Bag. Here is a video showing the AeroSpace 303. Hope this helps.


[video=youtube;bz6DnNM0SVY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz6DnNM0SVY[/video]

 

[industrious95]

Pure talc is the best. I don't know about "tire talc," but if that's industrial talc, it may have impurities in it that you don't want. Talc is recommended by many dry suit manufacturers.

The major advantage of talc is that it will prevent your seals from getting sticky when they fold over on each other in storage.

I've used cornstarch, but I think it's a lot messier than real talc.

I've also used the McNett seal saver, which is some kind of silicone. I used to rub it in with my fingertips and it keeps the latex nice and supple. Make sure you wash up real good, you don't want to get it in your mouth or eyes. Other divers have told me it can harm the glue on the seals, so I'd keep it off the glue as well.

 

[3D diver]

Talc sandable body filler and fairing compound. In stock | Fibre Glast

http://cdn.fibreglast.com/downloads/PDCT-MSDS-00222.pdf

 

[TSandM]

I love Seal Saver for donning seals, but they don't make it any more. Maybe I should try that 303 stuff and see if it works as well.