Seaskin Custom Dry Suit

[notinvented]

Hi all,

I recently ordered a custom drysuit from Dry Suits from Seaskin Custom Drysuits home page and am eagerly awaiting it's delivery. So far I am quite happy with the purchase - their customer support was pleasant (even though I am in Australia and they are in the UK somewhere - the time difference was a pain but they were pleasant on the phone and gave me all the information I needed). They were a bit slow on emails - which is why I ended up calling.

Overall the cost blew out by a significant amount - shipping was £130 (About $230 AUD!)

Then customs snagged it and charged me an additional $285 AUD for 'duties and taxes' OUCH!


Just as a record I got the standard Tri-lam suit - custom sized to me (I'm quite short and off the rack stuff never fits me right).
Options -

• Dry zip cover (basically a neoprene cover zip to protect the dry zip)
• Neoprene 'Warm Neck' option
• SiTech Valve system instead of standard
• Kevlar Knee pads
• Drysuit bag with integrated change mat
• Large Bellows Size thigh pocket
• SiTech Dryglove System
• Heavy Duty Boots
• Custom 250g Undergarment Sized to fit me

Dry zip cover (basically a neoprene cover zip to protect the dry zip)

Total cost of suit was to be AUD$1082 but + shipping + taxes ended up costing me AUD$1598!!

Thats a 50% increase in cost which obviously hurt the hip pocket - none of which is seaskins fault - but the last minute Customs cost just after Christmas I did not need.


I'll post some pics once the suit arrives and let you all know how the fit turned out and the suit goes in the water.

 

[chaOs85]

Customs are a pain. Here in Norway they add 25% plus some other charges so a 50% increase in the total price is normal. Still alot cheaper than shopping scubagear in Norway though

 

[notinvented]

Here are some pics as promised.

Sorry about the quality - phone doesn't take great shots.

Also I'm not wearing the undergarment or gloves because it's 42 degrees C (About 107F)! :redhot:

I'm quite happy with the fit - can certainly reach around to my back over the shoulder with no problems. I'll reserve final judgement until I've taken it on and off a few times and had it in the water with/without undergarments.


Hope everyone has a great new years eve!

 

[mockan]

Well,
Have to admit a Seaskin Custom appears better quality than the Body Glove, and definitely more stylish, AND the basic price is actually less. Even adding the undergarment it compares with the $790 for Body Glove. That duty and tax though..OUCH!
The USD$ at the moment has depreciated into the toilet so my overall cost would be a bit less than yours given currency exchange rates. I'm going to think on this. Thanks for the heads up about the Seaskin company.

Robert

 

[dinasareeric]

About Bodyglove they just make professional design on the products, if you want Custom made products, that need professional and well-known company in diving line.

About import tax etc, you can make the supplier fill the invoice in package less than USD100 or USD50 etc. For customs clearance, just for sample is ok.

Eric
www.bluedive.cn

 

[buff]

Even though you paid much more in the end, you got the right suit with the right fit.

A suit of that quality and fit will last you forever(plus or minus a few patches here and there).

Five....Ten years in the future and the extra AUDs will be but a distant memory but the memories of warm comfortable diving will last forever!

 

[notinvented]

Thanks Buff - I agree.

Dived a few times and it has been great so far - although I'm still not sure about the dry glove system - the rings are somewhat annoying.

 

[buff]

All these glove systems...

I have the Diving Concepts dry glove system-but I have yet to use it-I grew out of my dry suit, so no dry suit diving of late. Maybe too much eating of late.

But these set-ups seem so complicated. Many commercial and very experienced divers just gave up on them and dive regular gloves.

If you can get away with it ie. they keep your hands warm enough, I say go with just regular gloves with some type of seal on them at the wrist-latex or neoprene. This is much much simpler than all these seals and locks etc.

Mike

 

[Bryan]

I bought one recently, too, and the fit was perfect. I was quite impressed with the tailoring of the undergarment. I can say that once you get in it, it fits your shoulders quite well, and after diving, you may need someone to help you get one of your shoulders out in order for you to get out of the garment, as there is no stretch to the undergarment.