Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[rob.mwpropane]

The entire time I was wondering when you'd chime in

Sorry.. was too busy diving dry without some weird silicone, spit, oil blend and haven't really been paying attention

 

[Boarderguy]

Sorry.. was too busy diving dry without some weird silicone, spit, oil blend and haven't really been paying attention

That's because your spit, oil, silicone blend is on a different "O-ring" of yours

 

[Dont_Hold_Your_Breath]

Tried my suit on for the first time today and have a few questions:

1) My Nova suit has the warm neck but my hood is a bit too long and bunches up under the warm neck. I assume folks are trimming the base of their hood so it sits flush under the neck?

2) I wasn't sure what size gloves to buy with my Kubi dry gloves so I got the XL and XXL AlphaTech gloves with my suit. I don't have massive hands but with a thin under glove even the XXL feel pretty snug. Can someone suggest what/where to buy replacements gloves in the USA? Have read a few places on here but many of the links I found were old. Worried I might need a thicker under glove or thicker rubber glove for 6-8 hours in 45F (7C) water. Maybe I'll get a pot of ice water and leave my hands in for an hour to test it out.

3) I managed the the Kubi O-rings off with a metal pick but it was sketchy. Tried a zip tie and a 3D printed pick I made but neither worked. Any suggestions on a pick to leave in my kit?

4) Whats the correct lubricant for the YKK Plastic Dry Zip? My understanding it to only out a little at the end of the zipper and it will self lubricate from that.

 

[WillieJustice]

It took all of 2 days to get from UK to my house 45 min south of Seattle.

That is good news.

 

[nuage]

Just got mine. Also went with black and yellow.
Cost me 1352€ + 297€ taxes + 20€ UPS customs fee) to send to Spain.
Really happy with how the custom logo turned out... if they didnt stitch it upside down.
Went with

• SiTech cuffs
• Comfort patch (missing? Has the velcro but no patch)
• Trigon peevalve
• Thinsulate 150 undersuit

Ordered on july 3rd, got dispatch date 30th of august, was dispatched on the 30th of august. Got stuck in customs for two days and had to change it to a pickup point where i picked it up today.

Ive send them an email about the logo and missing comfort patch but yeah, not going to send it back for that.

Will post more pics and probably some questions once i tried it.

 

[WillieJustice]

I just got notice that my drysuit is on its way. Scheduled delivery on the 11th. That is more than two weeks before it was even scheduled to ship. It is getting here almost as fast as the Apollo that would have come from Utah. I won't hold my breath, but i will allow a bit of excitement to creep in. They are much faster than they said they would be.

The bad thing is that they are not shipping spare seals or a hood. Those are backorder. I have a hood, so no problem there. Spare seals are probably available locally once I figure out what they really are.

The only thing left is rock boots. Those are going to be a local purchase once the suit arrives and I can try them on to be sure they fit.

The big bolt of diving gear expense is now over. It should be a smaller drip, drip, drip of little expenses that never end. Just like any other habit.

 

[davecampbell]

^^^^^^ ahahahhahahhahahha....I thought I was done too....until the idea of missing part of our dive season, and backup drysuits came up.

 

[WillieJustice]

^^^^^^ ahahahhahahhahahha....I thought I was done too....until the idea of missing part of our dive season, and backup drysuits came up.

Backup drysuits? There is a story here...

I suppose a neoprene drysuit might make a backup one day. I hope at least a year from now.

 

[Badger7]

The only thing left is rock boots. Those are going to be a local purchase once the suit arrives and I can try them on to be sure they fit.

Assuming you can find something with a decent exchange policy, if you want to try traditional rock boots, chuck taylors, altama maritimes or something similar, I bet you'd be pretty close if you started with something one size up from your normal shoe size and in a wide width, assuming you don't already wear wide shoes. My neoprene booties were exactly one size up from my normal shoe size on one of those shoe size templates, and a bit wider. I had to ditch the insoles from my "rock boots" to fit well top to bottom as well. I'm currently using Altama Maritime mids. Some people prefer more traditional wetsuit booties as well, or kayaking shoes.

 

[WillieJustice]

Assuming you can find something with a decent exchange policy, if you want to try traditional rock boots, chuck taylors, altama maritimes or something similar, I bet you'd be pretty close if you started with something one size up from your normal shoe size and in a wide width, assuming you don't already wear wide shoes. My neoprene booties were exactly one size up from my normal shoe size on one of those shoe size templates, and a bit wider. I had to ditch the insoles from my "rock boots" to fit well top to bottom as well. I'm currently using Altama Maritime mids. Some people prefer more traditional wetsuit booties as well, or kayaking shoes.

The tradeoff is time if they don't fit. I am amazed at how expensive Chucks are these days, too. I think traditional rockboots are a bit more durable than Chucks, too. I used to wear Chucks, and they didn't last very long. That was before they got expensive. I'll look into kayaking shoes. I don't know anything about those. Same with Altama Maritime boots. Those look like a good option. I suspect that rockboots may be a sacrificial item.