Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Moonhowler]

Pee valve is way easier and you don't have to rush anything. Pee when you're gearing up by your car. Pee when you're chatting with your buddies or lined up for a post dive picture. Pee when you're in the water. If you're susceptible to random needs to urinate then you NEED a valve and not a zipper. The zip doesn't do a damn bit of good at 30 meters.

As I said, I AM getting the pvalve. But I just can't see letting this stream of urine run down my leg during a picture shoot. Nor do I want it buy my car. Nor would the captain appreciate it on his deck, I believe.

 

[Boarderguy]

As I said, I AM getting the pvalve. But I just can't see letting this stream of urine run down my leg during a picture shoot. Nor do I want it buy my car. Nor would the captain appreciate it on his deck, I believe.

By the car is in the parking lot. I tend to wander away from my vehicle. In a shoot away from changing areas, who cares? On a boat or will get rinsed off if on deck, far worse things end up there and the boat gets cleaned daily.

 

[Boarderguy]

Almost time to use my Nova again today. This will make 3 dives since Sunday, oh happy week! I will pee wherever and whenever the need arises today.

 

[Boarderguy]

@Litefoot

 

[JoeTPhilly]

My suit came today.
The good:
-Love the build quality and the color.
-The fit of both the Nova and the 150g undergarment are good.
-I received a Trilobite I didn’t order. I'll let them know.

The bad:
-No QuickNeck tool.
-The SS base layer top is way too small. Not sure if it’s worth returning.
-The zippers are balky as h***. Need to lube them and work them in a lot.
-I had an absolute fight donning/doffing the suit. I’m older and I ain’t limber anymore. Need more practice and lube options.
-The neck opening of the SS short neck hood I bought is impossibly small. Needs to be stretched.

Other: Would probably not order pee hole in undergarment as there is a double sipper that allows one to run tubing through sipper opening. The SS base layers aren't too impressive, but they're cheap.

I didn't receive the Quick Neck tool either but I emailed them and I received it today.

Thanks for the heads up on the base layers.

As to the zippers I found this video from Santi which might be helpful:


As to donning and doffing the suit here is a video I found helpful in which Orie from Halcyon/Santi shows the proper way to don and doff:


Best wishes!

 

[Litefoot]

I didn't receive the Quick Neck tool either but I emailed them and I received it today.

Thanks for the heads up on the base layers.

As to the zippers I found this video from Santi which might be helpful:


As to donning and doffing the suit here is a video I found helpful in which Orie from Halcyon/Santi shows the proper way to don and doff:


Best wishes!

Thanks Joe! Those videos are really helpful.

 

[stuartv]

Regarding neck seals:

• Does anyone favor non-replaceable neoprene neck seals over the Quick Neck system?
• How costly is it to install the QN after the fact?
• Is it possible to remove the QN and install a fixed seal after the fact

@stuartv you mentioned adding a QB on your ultra through SS in the UK, would you mind sharing costs/annoyance? I sent them an email but no answer yet.

I’ve got every other option narrowed down, but I can’t shake the feeling that the QN for the diving I do may not be needed, and that a neoprene seal may be simpler and more comfortable. You can see wear on neoprene and I’m not a dive pro so will usually have time to get an old one replaced, which appears to be simple enough even for DIY… but then again, the rentals I’ve used so far were silicon and replaceable so I don’t know what a neo seal is like to use.

I have a Seaskin Ultra neoprene suit. I ordered it with a glued-in neoprene neck seal. It was awesome - until it eventually stretched out just enough that I could really crane my neck around to one side and have it leak just a little.

I just got the Ultra back last week from having the glued-in neoprene replaced with an Orust system with a Waterproof replaceable neoprene neck seal. I dived it on Sunday and, well, it just worked. Nothing to report, really. I didn't notice any change of comfort. And I didn't get wet.

I also have an Orust neck system in my Dive Rite 901 drysuit. I've only done 16 dives in that suit, so far. And so far, the Orust is perfectly fine, for me. That suit has the silicone neck seal that came on it.

Regarding the Orust system, I had the same concerns that have been expressed recently in this thread. To wit, those clips that you have to R&R and the prospect of losing some of them if changing a seal in a hurry on a boat.

And, well, I do think it's a consideration, I no longer think it's as big a deal as I used to. Two reasons: One, it comes with (I think) 6 clips holding it all together. But, I was informed by one of the folks at Dive Rite that it really only needs 4 of them to hold it together. So, if I did lose one or two while changing a seal, it would not stop me from diving. And, two, it comes with some extra clips. So, if I do lose one, I have spares.

When I dropped off my Ultra at Stay-Dri (in Lake City, FL) for the Orust install, I initially asked for a Quick Neck. But, Ted asked me if I was sure I didn't want an Orust. We talked it through and he convinced me to get the Orust instead. At this point, I'm happy with either. But, if I needed another new neck system, I would probably go with the Orust again. It seems to be more flexible and less likely for the spline to pop out and create a leak (as I've seen multiple times on people with the Quick Neck).

 

[Litefoot]

Just so everyone knows, I lubed the zipper with SuperLube that @rob.mwpropane mentioned, following the application that @stuartv suggested. I also applied the talc inside following SS guidelines in their video and all that with a touch of KY on the neck and wrist. The result? As my bride walked by and I was doffing the suit for the fourth time, she said "You don't look so stressed this time".So thank you all for giving me hope for my dry diving future, reducing my blood pressure, and contributing to the peace and harmony of my home.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Just so everyone knows, I lubed the zipper with SuperLube that @rob.mwpropane mentioned, following the application that @stuartv suggested. I also applied the talc inside following SS guidelines in their video and all that with a touch of KY on the neck and wrist. The result? As my bride walked by and I was doffing the suit for the fourth time, she said "You don't look so stressed this time".So thank you all for giving me hope for my dry diving future, reducing my blood pressure, and contributing to the peace and harmony of my home.

Did she give you the look of a sex starved vixen because of how amazingly turned on she was by you in your new suit?

Yeah... mine didn't either. She thought I was a whack job for spending that much $ on a "water suit". It's never like the movies is it

 

[admikar]

She thought I was a whack job for spending that much $ on a "water suit"

You told her actual amount of money?
Me neither.