Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Boarderguy]

I don't think I would get the neo covers for the Kubi rings. I don't see where they add any real value and I think they would just make the process of donning dry gloves that much more tedious.

Covers give a nice soft layer between the AL ring and any other surface. They are 1 more thing to do with don/doff, but isn't an issue in my experience. I roll them back before I put my gloves on and then roll forward once the ring is seated. They roll off just as easily when doffing.

 

[Pumpkin King]

I don't own Kubi's so no dog in the fight. @Boarderguy swears by them and the covers and this member is having issues with the rings wearing through their SS suit (without covers, not sure if that would help or not).

Wear at the join between Kubi ring and drysuit

I love my Kubi dry glove rings, but have had the suit material wear through twice (2 different suits) where the hard edge of the suit side ring goes under the suit material. The first one I fixed with a fabric tape aquasealed circumferentially around the wear area. The second suit I...

scubaboard.com

I saw that. Not sure what to think since I don’t have enough experience with drysuits to know what I’m really looking at in her photo.

From the info that exists on the internet, there isn’t a serious trend of KUBIs causing this wear pattern, which suggests it’s due to something done by the suit manufacturer (one-off or repeated) or the end user. No way to really manage that risk other than keeping an eye on it, I guess.

 

[stuartv]

I don't own Kubi's so no dog in the fight. @Boarderguy swears by them and the covers and this member is having issues with the rings wearing through their SS suit (without covers, not sure if that would help or not).

Wear at the join between Kubi ring and drysuit

I love my Kubi dry glove rings, but have had the suit material wear through twice (2 different suits) where the hard edge of the suit side ring goes under the suit material. The first one I fixed with a fabric tape aquasealed circumferentially around the wear area. The second suit I...

scubaboard.com

Interesting thread. I don't have wear like that on my suit. But, she has a lot more dives on hers than I have on mine.

I still wouldn't bother to get the neo covers.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Interesting thread. I don't have wear like that on my suit. But, she has a lot more dives on hers than I have on mine.

I still wouldn't bother to get the neo covers.

How fast can you change Kubi's if needed? Honest question. I have zero experience with them, they look nice though.

My Ultimas were a real bitch to swap, I'd shutter at trying to do them on a boat. My Rolock 90's are easy as can be. I actually hadn't changed a glove in a while and really forgot how. Got a pin hole when the water was in the 40's so it had to be swapped. Took me longer to dig the spare gloves out then it did to do the swap. Even the other people on the boat were asking about what system it was. Less than 3 minutes once I had them both in front of me.

 

[Boarderguy]

How fast can you change Kubi's if needed? Honest question. I have zero experience with them, they look nice though.

My Ultimas were a real bitch to swap, I'd shutter at trying to do them on a boat. My Rolock 90's are easy as can be. I actually hadn't changed a glove in a while and really forgot how. Got a pin hole when the water was in the 40's so it had to be swapped. Took me longer to dig the spare gloves out then it did to do the swap. Even the other people on the boat were asking about what system it was. Less than 3 minutes once I had them both in front of me.

About 2 minutes if you've done it before. Pull the outer o-ring, pull the locking ring, pull glove o-ring, pull glove off, reverse. That's from memory but should be about right.

 

[stuartv]

How fast can you change Kubi's if needed? Honest question. I have zero experience with them, they look nice though.

My Ultimas were a real bitch to swap, I'd shutter at trying to do them on a boat. My Rolock 90's are easy as can be. I actually hadn't changed a glove in a while and really forgot how. Got a pin hole when the water was in the 40's so it had to be swapped. Took me longer to dig the spare gloves out than it did to do the swap. Even the other people on the boat were asking about what system it was. Less than 3 minutes once I had them both in front of me.

Change a glove? 2 or 3 minutes. They’re way easier than the Ultimas.

 

[Boarderguy]

Speaking of changing gloves I need to do that. Managed 2 holes in my left thumb at the end of a 45 min dive in 48° water last week... put the ring/glove on my work bench and walked away lol. Going out Thursday so it would be helpful to do that soon.

That water is freaking cold when you suddenly get wet fingers and wrist.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Speaking of changing gloves I need to do that. Managed 2 holes in my left thumb at the end of a 45 min dive in 48° water last week... put the ring/glove on my work bench and walked away lol. Going out Thursday so it would be helpful to do that soon.

That water is freaking cold when you suddenly get wet fingers and wrist.

Was diving last season in ~ 38-39F. I got a pin hole in my thumb and from that point until I got back on board my thumb went completely numb. Felt like pins and needles until it went numb. Just a reminder of how freaking cold the water really is! In my suit on a working dive like that I'll actually sweat and can forget, but not that day. Was brutal.

 

[Badger7]

So I'm assuming you guys are running some type of string or straw under your wrist seal so you equalize your dry gloves with the suit. When you get one of those "refreshing" glove holes, how are you avoiding also getting a trickle down your arm too? Does it just happen slow enough with a pinhole in the glove it doesn't matter? Do you knot the string or bead the tube in your glove so you can work it free from the wrist seal with the glove in place?

 

[Litefoot]

Someone here (*cough* @stuartv) suggested that extending my dive season with a drysuit was the best way to build in-water experience.

So I did the things; I read this entire thread, I reviewed the options on Seaskin’s site, I thought about what I wanted to be able to dive with the suit, etc. Here’s what I plan on ordering, understanding that opinions differ on some of my choices.

-Seaskin Nova, black with orange stitching
-Fully telescoping
-Allowance for thick undersuits
-Plastic zipper with zipper cover
-Trigon pee valve
-Quick neck with silicone seal
-KUBI rings with neoprene covers
-SITech valves
-DIR dump location
-Inflation valve comfort patch
-Neoprene socks
-Knee pads with request for extra large “Kevlar” stitching
-Shoulder reinforcement
-40mm braces
-Glow patches (child of the 80’s)
-Name badge
-No logos
-Upgraded bag/changing mat
-Braces pocket
-2x Expedition pockets on outside seams

No undersuit: using merino base layers I have and purchasing something separately, maybe Arctic or WP Meshtec.

I know I need to add spare seals and the KUBI glove side to my order. What else?

McMaster-Carr for QDs. WP neoprene neck. Boots: looking hard at Altama maritimes since I wore that brand in the Army. Any other third-party purchases?

Congrats on your decision. We are fortunate to have good people here who willingly share their experience with us neophytes. I’ve been fitting gloves (Showa 720) and ordering p-valve accessories while I wait on my suit. Seems like a good decision on your part to order your undergarments after the fact. My delivery date is getting close enough that I’ve got start planning my first dive with it. Probably a pool session with my buddy to work on my set up.