Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[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.

 

[Boarderguy]

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?

I don't use wrist seals anymore. The kubi system allows you to add or remove them at any time. As for the glove leak issue you can apply a little bit of physics. Either you pinch the hole with that hand and head back or keep that hand low so water doesn't flow in and down. I chose hand down last week since I had 2 holes on the outside of my thumb.

Running seals you either have a straw/tube or string to create an air channel. With a catastrophic failure you remove the glove and pull the device out of your wrist seal. With a minor leak it often isn't worth the hassle.

My glove over was drenched (could make a fist and water was wrung out) but the wrist is my undergarment was mostly dry. If it had been much longer than 5 minutes I may have had a wet wrist too.

 

[Badger7]

With a catastrophic failure you remove the glove and pull the device out of your wrist seal.

 

[stuartv]

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?

I don't use any kind of equalization tube or string.

I've been to anywhere from 200' to just past 300' with dry gloves and without equalizing tubes numerous times and never had any issue of any kind.

I think equalization is more likely to be needed if you are using dry gloves that are too big - as it seems like many people have. I could see having a bunch of air in the gloves resulting in "squeeze" (i.e. hand pain) if they couldn't equalize. But, I use gloves that fit snugly - you know, like gloves - and I have never had that.

 

[admikar]

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?

Knotted bungee, with big-ish knot just past seal. This way I can just bend my fingers and pull it up my palm and remove string

 

[Boarderguy]

Kubi ring covers and glove removal. 10 seconds off, another 30 seconds to reassemble.

 

[Sebs]

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

It really depends on what type of gloves you use. The supplied G17Ks are really easy to change, as @Boarderguy shows above. If you use gloves with any type of lining, such as Showa 720s, you would really need to use the following tool or you're going to have a **** time. Becky9

It's a 3D printed collapsible ring that lets you mount the thicker gloves so you don't have water leaking in. A bit of practice and you can mount a new glove in about 1 minute or so.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

It really depends on what type of gloves you use. The supplied G17Ks are really easy to change, as @Boarderguy shows above. If you use gloves with any type of lining, such as Showa 720s, you would really need to use the following tool or you're going to have a **** time. Becky9

It's a 3D printed collapsible ring that lets you mount the thicker gloves so you don't have water leaking in. A bit of practice and you can mount a new glove in about 1 minute or so.

Interesting. I dive showa 720's, without any practice on a rocking boat it took about 3 min to switch out. No tools required.

Rolock 90's.

The only thing that I've found I need a tool for is to get the rings out of the suit to change seals. My Ultimas came with a tool that I keep in my SAD kit

 

[rob.mwpropane]

10 seconds off, another 30 seconds to....

There's a joke in here somewhere I know it

 

[Sebs]

Interesting. I dive showa 720's, without any practice on a rocking boat it took about 3 min to switch out. No tools required.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure people can do it without the tool. It just makes it so much easier. I keep it in my little red Kubi bag together with the gloves.