Mid-Trip Drysuit Failure

[FishDiver]

I just returned from a liveaboard trip where several divers experienced catastrophic drysuit failures. Day one, dive one someone ripped a wrist seal. My zipper failed completely during my second dive. One of the crew lent me a 7mm wetsuit and another diver had spare boots, otherwise I would have spent the trip topside.

What do other divers carry as exposure gear back up? I hate to risk ruining a future trip, yet don't want to buy gear I might never use. I am torn between buying a Nexgen or 7mm semi-dry or just taking the risk that a well-maintained drysuit won't fail again.

 

[tkdgodess]

second drysuit on trips where I can't get another one right away. have suit serviced right before because I'm paranoid about missing dive. I know my zipper is at it's end of life. Not a big deal diving locally. I wouldn't trust it on a trip.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I look over my suit before any big trip, and repair or replace anything that looks dubious. I learned that from a trip where we literally ended up duct-taping my neck seal together.

When I replace my neck seal next time, I'm going to the ring system that SiTech is selling. Then spares is really just a spare neck seal to carry. (I have not yet torn a wrist seal, and I use dry gloves in very cold water, so the wrist seals are just insurance anyway.)

 

[knowone]

Life is like a box of chocolates.

 

[tstormdiver]

When I was in the Galapagos, I tore my primary suit's right wrist seal, too badly to repair it, on the second day. Thank goodness I had my back- up suit also. That one preformed fine. I now have Zip seals on my primary suit. If I'm going to dive like that, I'm taking a full extra set of seals. If one rips, just take the old one off & zip in the new pair & Voila! I 'm ready to go in about 5- 10 min.

 

[Akimbo]

Depends on the temperature. I have worn custom wetsuits with no zippers since I had a failure on a working dive in my early years. There is not much on a wetsuit that can't be repaired at sea except a maybe zipper. Si-Tech style replaceable neck and wrist seals is prudent, but there is not much you can do at sea to fix drysuit zipper other than carry a replacement suit.

I would carry a wetsuit for backup unless the depth, duration, and/or water temperature would ruin the trip in a wetsuit. The nice thing about a good wetsuit is you can use it when diving in less demanding conditions where a drysuit may not be worth the trouble.

 

[tech3324]

All of my extended dive trips and liveaboards are to places warm enough that I only need a 5mm wetsuit. Wouldn't feel like a vacation if it was cold enough to bring a drysuit.

 

[tstormdiver]

All of my extended dive trips and liveaboards are to places warm enough that I only need a 5mm wetsuit. Wouldn't feel like a vacation if it was cold enough to bring a drysuit.

Its an individual thing, for sure, but a 5mm in the Galapagos would not have been enough for me. A 2pc 7mm or a semi dry,.... maybe, but not a 5mm.

 

[Thalassamania]

I have easily replaceable (no glue) wrist seals, neck seal, and hood. I travel with a spare set of valves, hoses, wrist seals, neck seals, hoods, yoke and zipper; as well as a can of glue.

 

[scubamarketing]

Either know how to replace/repair or carry a backup. I used to carry a spare, now I just carry spare parts. Or only go to the tropics