Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[scubamike21]

What's everyone's experience with the allowance for extra thick undersuits options? I'll be ordering my suit in the next month but am stumped on whether or not to pick this option. I'd say most of my diving will be done in Swiss lakes (4degrees to 16 degrees Celsius) with probably the occasional trip (Malta, Adriatic, Baltic etc). So overall a mix of conditions but mostly cold.

I did my drysuit course with a trilam rental last week and was diving with a synthetic base layer, 200g merino wool layer and no gravity sea lion undersuit. I was warm enough on the 50 min dive but the water was only 10 degrees and I wouldn't want to be colder than I was. The instructors wore a halo ar and j2 underneath and mentioned this was fine for them but would add a heated vest for any colder. Someone else did their drysuit cert in an Avatar with a bz400x and the undergarment didn't look that lofty and her suit also didn't look baggy without the undergarment.

So my questions are: can you fit a santi bz400 into a standard cut seaskin?
What about a tecline/pinnacle 490? (250 thinsulate with 200 fleece)
How baggy is the suit with the extra allowance, if I'm wearing a 150g thinsulate or 250g thinsulate (or halo Ar)?
I know this is subjective but how warm is a 250 thinsulate compared to let's say a halo AR?

i just completed my first dives with my new nova. i did not get the extra allowance and wore the 250 undergarment that i bought with the nova. it fit perfect! i even gained 15 punds since the time of ordering so i would say in my experience i did not need the extra allowance. also i dive in the puget sound were the water temp was 48F yesterday. i was plenty warm even with wet gloves and im glad to say no leaks whatsoever!

 

[admikar]

I thought that was the difference between people who say it hurts and is getting in the way and people who say it's fine, the harness bands digging into the ring?

Will have to measure in the coming days for the distance between the bands when all geared up, normal shoulder width is something like 46-50cm depending on how I measure

Unless you have chest strap that pulls bands inwards, you should be fine. I am at 50 cm and have absolutely no problems

 

[Jcp2]

i just completed my first dives with my new nova. i did not get the extra allowance and wore the 250 undergarment that i bought with the nova. it fit perfect! i even gained 15 punds since the time of ordering so i would say in my experience i did not need the extra allowance. also i dive in the puget sound were the water temp was 48F yesterday. i was plenty warm even with wet gloves and im glad to say no leaks whatsoever!

I also feel the fit of the seaskin with the standard seaskin undergarment was “just right”; however, if you are coming from an off the rack suit, it might feel more constrained at first because of the extra material in the off the rack suit.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

What's everyone's experience with the allowance for extra thick undersuits options? I'll be ordering my suit in the next month but am stumped on whether or not to pick this option. I'd say most of my diving will be done in Swiss lakes (4degrees to 16 degrees Celsius) with probably the occasional trip (Malta, Adriatic, Baltic etc). So overall a mix of conditions but mostly cold.

I did my drysuit course with a trilam rental last week and was diving with a synthetic base layer, 200g merino wool layer and no gravity sea lion undersuit. I was warm enough on the 50 min dive but the water was only 10 degrees and I wouldn't want to be colder than I was. The instructors wore a halo ar and j2 underneath and mentioned this was fine for them but would add a heated vest for any colder. Someone else did their drysuit cert in an Avatar with a bz400x and the undergarment didn't look that lofty and her suit also didn't look baggy without the undergarment.

So my questions are: can you fit a santi bz400 into a standard cut seaskin?
What about a tecline/pinnacle 490? (250 thinsulate with 200 fleece)
How baggy is the suit with the extra allowance, if I'm wearing a 150g thinsulate or 250g thinsulate (or halo Ar)?
I know this is subjective but how warm is a 250 thinsulate compared to let's say a halo AR?

I got the extra room.. don't regret it at all. I dive mostly cold (30's and 40's F). Very glad I got it. It's not a ton of extra room.. just enough to get a little more into. I highly doubt it's enough to feel too big with thinner stuff on.

 

[lexvil]

I haven’t opted for extra room, 3 suits from them, never an issue with packing on the layers so also no regrets.

 

[Boarderguy]

I haven’t opted for extra room, 3 suits from them, never an issue with packing on the layers so also no regrets.

I ordered mine without the extra room and am now concerned for my like of good food. I held the tape light/loose so I'm hoping there will be room for positive growth and more layers if I drop a few lbs. The other option is more layers isn't realistic is to just add a heater vest. Hopefully by the 1st week of Feb I'll still be my normal fat and happy self but a lot drier.

 

[lexvil]

I ordered mine without the extra room and am now concerned for my like of good food. I held the tape light/loose so I'm going there will be room for positive growth and more layers if I drop a few lbs. The other option is more layers isn't realistic is to just add a heater vest. Hopefully by the 1st week of Feb I'll still be my normal fat and happy self but a lot drier.

Oddly enough I’ve gained 10 lb since the end of the lock downs etc. I still have plenty of room in my suits although I desire to increase the room good food is working hard against me.

 

[Boarderguy]

Oddly enough I’ve gained 10 lb since the end of the lock downs etc. I still have plenty of room in my suits although I desire to increase the room good food is working hard against me.

I float anywhere between 190 and 200 depending on how much I care during that season. I think I measured during a heavier period so should be ok.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Oddly enough I’ve gained 10 lb since the end of the lock downs etc. I still have plenty of room in my suits although I desire to increase the room good food is working hard against me.

If they sent me an email apologizing that my suit wasn't actually made with "extra room" I could believe it. If I'm being really honest I wish there was even a hair bit roomier in some spots.

I am very happy with it.. but theres some things I would tweak some.

 

[Boarderguy]

If they sent me an email apologizing that my suit wasn't actually made with "extra room" I could believe it. If I'm being really honest I wish there was even a hair bit roomier in some spots.

I am very happy with it.. but theres some things I would tweak some.

At $1200 fully kitted out I'm sure that a new suit next year to make the corrections wouldn't be terrible. Depending on how my body hates me I may have to order a fat one.