Is my neoprene neck seal too loose?

[*Floater*]

My neck is about 14-15" in diameter. My neoprene neck seal is probably about 14" in diameter (when pressed flat one side is 7"), though you have to fold it back in so that the smooth side is against your neck, wihch of course makes it tighter. Its pretty easy to pull it one and off.

Here's the thing, if I stick my head down and press my chin towards my chest, say like when you look behind you between your legs while diving, then some cold water sneaks into my neck and runs down my body. Otherwise there no leakage and it functions perfectly as long as I fold it real carefully. In fact I fold it first and only then put my head through it.

Would putting a bungee loop inside the fold to make it tighter also help make it more waterproof?

What's the normal rate for neck seal replacement and do many diveshops do them in-house instead of sending the suit to a manufacturer? Can I trust diveshops to do them in-house?

 

[CompuDude]

My DS instructor dives a neoprene seal, and one thing he used to trumpet about them is the ease of repair, and the ease of sizing it down: He would cut a slim pizza slice out of the seal and carefully aquaseal it back together. Made a little rough spot, but didn't leak (he claimed).

 

[spectrum]

*Floater*,

It could be you or the seal.

First what you are describing is the circumference, not the diameter.

From what you say you have between zero and one inch of stretch when you have it around your neck. You actually have a little more since turning the seal in will add an inward layer. They don't need a lot of pre-load but you need some.

A neoprene seal has the advantage of being nice and warm however being neoprene it will crush with depth and this results in a looser fit and propensity to leak. How deep have you been when you got leaks?

The other thing universal to any seal style is that pesky tendon (I think it's a tendon) that some have in the front of the neck. You you have that and it becomes prominent when you contort as you describe it will breach the seal.

I don't doubt that you could tweak the seal as CompuDude describes.

Pete