How good are regular neoprene suits?

[nldiver1984]

I recently received a good deal on an older neoprene drysuit. I tested it in the water and noticed that the seals letting water in. I must have kneeled on a couple of sea urchins because my suit began to flood. After removing the suit on the surface I noticed two small holes, one in the boot, and the other close to the right kneepad. It has a manual Poseidon exhaust valve which I hope to have a an arm valve installed at some point. Are these suits prone to tears and how long should I expect it to last? I paid $100 for it and it was in great condition.

 

[ams511]

The problem with old neoprene is that it compresses and gets stiffer with age. Aquaseal should fix the holes. As far as the seals go you may need to have someone take a look at it.

Is the suit an actual diving dry suit or one made for kayaking?

 

[nldiver1984]

It's a commercial drysuit

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[pasley]

So it appears we are talking about a neoprene dry suit. You get what you pay for. If someone is selling a drysuit, it is often (usually) for a reason, such as it is wore out. Neoprene suits are normally pretty hardy. Seals (neck and wrist) must be sized to the individual diver. So you need to replace these seals and then size them (neoprene seals are stretched to fit, latex seals are cut to fit). You can patch a neoprene suit fairly easily. But like all things, they age and eventually wear out. Test the suit by going into a dark room and shining a light inside the suit and look for pinholes of light. Another method is to plug the openings of the suit and inflate it with air. Then put into a tank of water or spray with a soapy solution and look for the bubbles. Mark the areas that need patching and patch. Easiest way is to send it off to a professional to patch and while they are at it change the valve installed that you want put in. New neck and wrist seals while you are at it too.

 

[nldiver1984]

Is it worth getting repaired?

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[pasley]

Is it worth getting repaired?

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I don't know. Only you can answer that question. We have no photos or other details to go on, not even a brand name. The inside of the suit has the serial number and year it was made. If it was used as a commercial drysuit, it has probably been road hard and is on its last legs. New drysuits made of neoprene start at about $850 and go up from there. So it depends on the brand and the age and condition of the suit. A little neoprene cement or aquaseal will cure most leaks if they are pinholes. The neck and wrist seals probably need to be replaced and sized to fit you. If the zipper is leaking to replace that is $300 (maybe more, maybe less).

So it all comes down to how old in the suit and in what condition? Given the price of $100 I would guess it is old and near the end of its life. So how much do you want to invest in an old suit and at what point do you put the money towards a brand new suit with warranty?

FYI, for drysuit divers Mr. Urchin is not your friend. Buoyancy control and staying off the bottom is always recommended to avoid holes in your drysuit and your body. Urchin spines usually will fester up pretty good and may in some cases require surgical intervention to be removed.

 

[nldiver1984]

Hi,

I finally got around to taking a picture of the suit. I was away this weekend and didn't get a chance to:

It is a Brooks Sealsuit made in British Columbia, Canada. There are no visable signs of wear, though I did check this morning and seals will definitely need to be replaced.

I did check prices for a new suit, but they are way out of my budget range. Especially the custom size suits. For an Abyss sport with custom options I'm looking at $2000 minimum. That's the price of a decent dive vacation.