Just got my new Seaskin Nova -- The Good and the Ehhhhh...

[stretchthepenn]

A few years ago, I bought a used Seaskin Nova drysuit. The original owner was a beanpole (he's probably on SB somewhere, under a username I don't know) who shed about 50 pounds and needed to shed the drysuit because it didn't fit him anymore. I bought the thing and simply adored it. However, I too have changed shape (albeit in the opposite direction) in the intervening time, so back in March, I ordered myself a new, custom Seaskin Nova. It arrived two weeks ago, and finally I got to try it out this past Monday.

The Good: Pretty much everything. My new suit matches the old one in quality, and it fits beautifully. It's comfy, dry, and so on. Big thumbs-up.

The Ehhhhh...: I've got a few gripes.

• Seaskin doesn't fold over and sew down the suspenders' ends, so they're prone to slithering out of the quick-release buckles.
  
  
• Seaskin doesn't offer the quick-release hose end for p-valves; I'mma have to order that separately from someone else.
  
  
• Seaskin's website has poor information design, which led me to making an error while ordering. I should've ordered the Si-Tech Oval Cuff Rings so I could use my Ultima dryglove system (and try out the Rolock 90 system that I bought but haven't yet tried), but there's NOTHING on the customization pages to indicate compatibility issues, and there's no link to the relevant information. Instead, you've gotta take a different navigation path entirely and drill down four levels (Home > Drysuit Apparel and Accessories > Dry Glove Systems > Rolock Dry Glove System > Rolock 90 kit alone NO seals PU rings or Gloves) to discover that Rolocks only fit the Si-Tech oval rings. Thus, I got bamboozled and ordered the old-style Si-Tech Docking System 60910, with the round cuffs, and I can't use either of my dryglove systems on those. I'mma have to get the suit altered and the oval cuffs retrofitted.
  
  
• Seaskin didn't send any documentation with the Light Monkey Tinkle p-valve. Thus, I thought that since it's a balanced valve, it was ready to go; I had no idea that I had to manually open the valve in order to pee. So I was underwater and this happened: "Ohhhh yeahhhh...sweet relief... Um, wait a minute. What the hell? Back pressure? Ow! That hurts. Oh, man...this valve sucks. And...oh, no. No. No. Noooooo. Oh, gawd. It happened." Yes, I pissed myself. Thanks, Seaskin.

 

[attack33]

The Ehhhhh...: I've got a few gripes.

• Seaskin doesn't fold over and sew down the suspenders' ends, so they're prone to slithering out of the quick-release buckles.

I have the exact same gripe! Instead of going through the process of sewing them, I just folded over the excess and wrapped it with 100MPH Tape. Works fine so far. I do wish I would have gotten the wider suspender straps, I just cross them to keep from them sliding off my shoulders.

 

[grantctobin]

[*]Seaskin didn't send any documentation with the Light Monkey Tinkle p-valve. Thus, I thought that since it's a balanced valve, it was ready to go; I had no idea that I had to manually open the valve in order to pee. So I was underwater and this happened: "Ohhhh yeahhhh...sweet relief... Um, wait a minute. What the hell? Back pressure? Ow! That hurts. Oh, man...this valve sucks. And...oh, no. No. No. Noooooo. Oh, gawd. It happened." Yes, I pissed myself. Thanks, Seaskin.
[/LIST]

If it makes you feel better, LM Pee Valves do not include any paperwork. Simply the device and norprene and a cath. That said, when it starts misbehaving down the line, they were kind enough to make the balancing plug the size of an LP port and you can unbalance it easily.

 

[lexvil]

The oval ring thing has been covered a lot, should have caught it but they could easily include clearer info but they seem to concentrate on making drysuits rather than a nice web site.

Zef has posted a video link on adapting the round suit rings to one of the RoLock set ups.

I just tie an overhand knot in the suspenders end.

I prefer the trigon pee valve, hard to get it to not work right other than over pressure flushing.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Seaskin doesn't fold over and sew down the suspenders' ends, so they're prone to slithering out of the quick-release buckles.

There are pros and cons. The disadvantage is as you pointed out. The advantage is that if a buckle breaks it is easier to replace.

Seaskin doesn't offer the quick-release hose end for p-valves; I'mma have to order that separately from someone else.

You mean the quick-disconnect fittings like I buy from McMaster-Carr? I must have a half dozen spares stashed in various toolboxes and pockets. If this is what you're talking about, buy a few spares and you'll be good for a few more drysuits.

Thus, I thought that since it's a balanced valve, it was ready to go; I had no idea that I had to manually open the valve in order to pee. So I was underwater and this happened:

My advice is to "never trust a p-valve." Always give the plumbing a "test" before getting in the water. Once, I had one of those quick-disconnects --the kind with a check valve--seize up and refuse to open. Luckily, I had a spare. (See above.)

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Most of your gripes are just growing pains with owning a new suit with new features (the glove part sucks, that is hard to figure out but it's been gone over on here a lot).

I pissed myself my 1st dive, I've had a hard time (in the beginning) with suspenders and getting it on and then back off. I've had Rolock 90's be really stiff and leak on the 1st few dives.

Now that I have 35+ dives in it I don't have any of those issues. It's an awesome suit. It was all me and having to learn all over again (I had a ds before, this was still all different). Get the gloves fixed (or do it yourself, it's not hard) and get some time on the suit. All that stuff will be a thing of the past. One day it'll feel like an old familiar glove and you'll laugh you pissed yourself... I know I do!

 

[jstreetley]

I have the same issue with the suspenders (braces in British English. Suspenders are more associated with lingerie).

One poster here (maybe @rob.mwpropane) suggested making sure the buckle is threaded properly as one way locks a lot better than others. The other suggestion was to thread a plastic triglide on to act like a lock. I just ordered 2 from eBay for like £1.70 inc postage and will try them out soon.

 

[berndo]

So really just one gripe with seaskin. The suspenders. Considering it's a +1000 bucks cheaper than a comparable suit, it sounds pretty good.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

So really just one gripe with seaskin. The suspenders. Considering it's +1000 $2000 bucks cheaper than a comparable suit, it sounds pretty good.

There, fixed for ya!

There are a lot of suits in the $2000 price range, but I can't think of any that give you the ability to change as many options. Even if I add in the boots (bought from somewhere else), the dry gloves, extra seals, and an undersuit I was still @ $1500. That's pretty epic (to me). The only suits that I know that include any / some of that stuff are the $3k suits,

Their website could have a little more info for all the different options to help prevent any frustrations like the op had. Some descriptions for things are like 4 words.

 

[stretchthepenn]

The oval ring thing has been covered a lot, should have caught it but they could easily include clearer info but they seem to concentrate on making drysuits rather than a nice web site.

It's not about making a "nice" website; it's about using basic (and I mean f-ing basic) principles of information design. I'm particularly worked up about this issue because I'm a technical communication professor; I teach people how to do this kind of stuff, and what Seaskin has done is almost stupidly wrong.

Zef has posted a video link on adapting the round suit rings to one of the RoLock set ups.

Found it, I think... Dunno as I want to perform surgery on the cuffs, though. And the video specifies the Rolock 3, whereas I've got an Ultima system and a Rolock 90 system. Dunno enough about the similarities/differences to feel comfortable chopping away.

I just tie an overhand knot in the suspenders end.

There's "knot" enough slack. I got the wide suspenders, so the knot would be quite large, and I'm also 6'4", so the suspenders are already pretty tight even though they're extended all the way.