Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Badger7]

Do you know what size?

For a hose that comes with a sitech trigon valve, this is the barb and QD that most of us use:

Drysuit pvalve

I have a pvalve and it’s gonna be first time using it this weekend, I have the catheter but how to connect to the hose I insert the catheter over the tube or inside the pvavle tube?

scubaboard.com

Buy a couple extra of the male barbs, as they are relatively easy to lose or accidently toss. The QD stays inserted into the tube, and you'd have to be pretty rough on it to break it and need a spare.

 

[stuartv]

I just got my Nova in yesterday! I had the pee valve installed but there was no barb connector. Is this normal or do I need to purchase a barb.

if you got a Trigon, there should be a white plastic fitting with an on/off lever that is to connect the pee valve hose to your condom catheter. It should be in the ziploc bag that also has the Trigon documentation and the tool for the Trigon to help you take it apart for cleaning.

A QD setup with a dry break is much better, but the Trigon DOES come with everything you actually NEED (except actual condom catheters).

 

[Josh_Boon]

if you got a Trigon, there should be a white plastic fitting with an on/off lever that is to connect the pee valve hose to your condom catheter. It should be in the ziploc bag that also has the Trigon documentation and the tool for the Trigon to help you take it apart for cleaning.

A QD setup with a dry break is much better, but the Trigon DOES come with everything you actually NEED (except actual condom catheters).

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

 

[stuartv]

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

There should either be a separate bag for the pee valve, OR you should find the pee valve documentation, tool, and connector in the bag where the other Si Tech stuff was.

If you can't even find the Trigon documentation, then they probably failed to include the Trigon bag with your suit and you should call or email Seaskin to get it. You especially want the little tool for taking the Trigon apart for cleaning.

 

[dwrdnet]

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

Mine came taped to a manual in the bag, so be sure to double check the manuals.

 

[Deezer-D]

My Otter Atlantic has arrived and I’ve had a chance to compare it to my Seaskin. The Atlantic is comparable in price to an off the peg Santi E-Lite.
My thoughts -
Fit is better (Otter is also MTM).
Braces are much better (and red which is cool).
Y shaped crotch strap is nicer and doesn’t slip like the Seaskin one (I fixed it and the braces with plastic tri-glides).
Neoprene on warm neck is better quality.
Knee protection is an additional layer of HD material stitched on not PU iron on material. There is no other reinforcement on the suit.
Boots are the same (I like these on my Seaskin).
Has a metal zip as Otter didn’t offer plastic. My Seaskin is plastic. I think the zip is also a bit longer on the Otter.
I didn’t get a pee valve this time as I don’t need it and I think my Light Monkey Tinkle leaks.
Material seems similar - feels about the same weight. I’ll weigh both suits some time.
Overall finishing is better - cuff rings are taped, seams are better quality and pockets are miles better. I have the bellows pockets that are flimsy and too small. Otter has zippered flaps with internal wet notes pocket and bungees.
Back panel is elasticated.
Bag is bigger and has a much better zip.
I went with Kubi and a cuff dump. I also went for SiTech neck ring again and have transferred my Waterproof neoprene neck seal over.
Overall the quality is better. Will see how it dives in a couple of weeks.

My Nova has about 50 dives on it. It’s showing signs of wear in the crotch area and the cuffs. I haven’t had a dry dive for a while now so it’s going back to Seaskin for a pressure test and have any repairs done that are needed. I was going to change the Ultima DGS for Kubi and get bigger pockets fitted but I’m not sure it’s worth the expense for what will be a backup suit. The Kubi DGS is night and day difference in quality over the Waterproof system.
So there’s quite a price difference between the 2 suits (I’ll work the actual amount out by speccing up a Nova similar to the Otter) but it’s probably around £1000. Will it be worth the extra? Hard to know. I do think the Otter will far outlast the Nova. But at the price of an Otter I could get SeaSkins.
What I will say is the Seaskin is absolutely worth the price, when it doesn’t leak. The variety of options is fantastic and all options are well priced. I bought it as a first suit and didn’t want to spend a fortune in case I didn’t keep diving. Would I have bought another one when the time came to replace it? No, probably not.

Hopefully this gives a bit of help for anyone wanting a Nova.

Couple of comparison pics -

Otter -

Nova

Otter

Nova

Otter

 

[Litefoot]

None of the comparative advantages of the Otter really matter to me, especially for the extra coin. I will agree that the unfinished sleeve cuff on the Seaskin is a bit sloppy.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

The SS doesn't have the finesse of other suits, but I'm not sure I could tell the difference underwater. I've had mine for 18 months and put it through the ringer. Wrecks, slate, oyster shells. About 100 dives. It still looks pretty good.

And it's still dry, that's what I bought it for.

 

[twistypencil]

I have a question about the neck seal and hoods, I got the Siflex seal with the quick neck system... I need a hood to go with this, and I'm wondering do I need a hood with the warm neck collar, or just a straight hood?

Warm neck color looks like this:

Straight hood looks like this:

 

[Td9984]

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

I had to contact ss to get mine