Thanks for the review! I love my Ultimas. Are you just looking for an alternative because you find the rings too fat? Or is there another problem you have with yours? Or just like to try stuff out?
Could you use a sharpie to mark where the glove and suit line up since the oval-ish shape isn't obvious enough?
I really like my Ultimas too.
I purchased the Ellipse system because I thought it was an interesting product and want to know more about it but there weren't any reviews available at the time. I purchased the system a little over a year ago but did not have a chance to dive them enough until recently for me to feel comfortable publishing a review of them.
The issue is not where/how to line up the ovals, it is getting them lined up and keeping them lined as one goes to press the two halves together. It just seemed like an unnecessary kludge/struggle to get and keep the rings lined up to press them together.
Then there is the issue of the o-ring trying to extrude out as one presses the two halves together. 4E has stated they fixed this issue by widening the o-ring groove and by changing the compound/hardness of the o-ring so that it "rolls" in the groove instead of being pushed out of it, but my experience is they have not adequately fixed this issue with the Ellipse system.
I am unclear about the issue that
@formernuke has brought up with shore diving because if one dons their suit and the glove side of the system, then the system is sealed and contaminates like dirt/sand can't enter and interfere with the seal...and if one is not diving with the gloves then the next time one dons their suit and uses the gloves they just need to make sure the o-ring and groove are cleaned and lightly lubricated with the included silicone grease. I have yet to remove the sealing o-ring between dives and almost all of my diving has been shore based for the past few years...If one has sand on the Ultima rings or a mucked up o-ring on the ultima glove side then one will not get a good seal with that system either. I was initially concerned about the exposed o-ring but in reality my experience found that to not be an issue.
Once the system is together I have found it works just fine as far as providing a comfortable dry experience. The issue is that the oval shape demands the user maintain EXACT orientation a they press the two halves together....this is frustrating when one has the first hand gloved up...the round system of the Ultima DGS is more forgiving as it can be slightly off in terms of indexing of the glove and not be a problem....of course if the glove side is way out of index with the cuff side (meaning the glove is twisted) that could cause some discomfort but the system will go together just fine and be functional and dry...but the round system is just fine comfort-wise and function-wise if the glove ring is attached slightly rotated out of perfect index.
-Z
