Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[stuartv]

For hot weather, cold water you prefer the trilam not the neop.? I thought that it would be the around way around. Hot topside, cold u/w:

1. Neoprene: no need for heavy thermal so a very thin base layer will do well top side and the neoprene suit will still keep you warm U/W.

2. Trilam: You need heavy thermals even the hot weather to stay warm in cold water.


BTW, for neoprene dry suits, I believe that O'three is the way to go. They have more advanced technology and incredible customer service. They can customize it any way you want including front zip with telescoping body yet still neoprene (compressed in 2 or 1 mm).

Which one I would use depends very much on specifics. How cold is the water? How warm is the air? Am I on a boat where taking the suit top down between dives is not a good idea? How long are my SIs going to be? Am I going to do my SI in a nice shady spot? Etc..

O'three MAY make a neoprene suit that is better quality. But, the Seaskin is such good quality that I personally could not even consider paying twice as much for an O'three. I would rather spend the same money to have 2 Seaskins so that I would always have one to use even if the other was off being repaired.

I would like a front zipper. I had a front zipper compressed neoprene suit before (a Bare XCS2 Tech). It is nice. But, it's not worth the extra cost, to me. If it were, I would have done that instead of buying the Seaskin Ultra.

No way would I want a telescopic torso on a neo suit. The Bare I had did not have a telescopic torso and did not need it. The neoprene has enough stretch and the suit should have enough room in it that even with a front zipper, you can get it over your head to don the top. It's not necessarily easy, particularly if you have on your thickest undies. But, it is very doable. The downside of all that overlapping material in the middle, for a telescoping suit, when the material is the thickness of neo suit material, is just not worth the little bit more convenience of donning the top.

To me, the best gear is gear where you never need any customer service. The Seaskin website is very clear and makes it very easy to understand how to take your measurements, how to order your suit, what your options are and how to choose them. Twice now I have been able to order a suit without any need to speak to anyone. And both times, the suit showed up on time, fit me perfectly, and is very high quality. Why pay twice as much for anything else?

With my newest suit, I was surprised and pleased at one thing that happened. I ordered an upgraded bag/changing mat with my suit, with a custom embroidered flag/name patch. On the day my suit was scheduled to ship, someone from Seaskin called me. This was during the week of Christmas. They said that the person who makes the patches for the bags was out on vacation and they wouldn't be able to make my bag for my suit until January 2nd. So, he was calling to tell me he was going to ship my suit with the deluxe bag without my patch. Then, the next week, they would make up the bag with my patch and send me that at no extra charge. I was shocked that they would go to all that trouble rather than just delaying shipment by 4 days or so (especially given it was between Christmas and New Year's at this point). I told him to please just hold the suit until the next week and ship it all when the bag was ready. He sounded pleased and surprised on his end that I would offer that. And that's what we did. They may not supply the same level of customer service as O'three, but again, I personally would not pay twice as much for whatever increment in quality of suit or service I would be getting.

 

[stuartv]

Not sure what suit model you are talking about since O'3 has 4 types of neoprene suits to choose from but they are higher grade suit mfg. than the other mentioned especially the "Ri" models. You can ask them to make a front zip, telescoping option, etc. You just have to ask. They have one of the best customer service in the diving/thermal protection industry I have seen and experienced.

Question: Have you actually bought a suit from them?

Having great Sales support does not always translate into great support after the sale.

I have bought a number of trucks in the past where the salesman was awesome. Very knowledgeable. Very responsive. I buy the truck. Then when it needs service I find out that the service department actually sucks.

I'm not saying O'three is like that! I'm just saying that if your only experience is the sales job they did on you, you may not really have much legit insight into the service they provide after you buy the suit - say, for example, if you receive it and it starts leaking 6 months and 30 dives later.

If you HAVE owned one of their suits and experienced that side of their customer service, please do share what your experience there has been.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Question: Have you actually bought a suit from them?

Having great Sales support does not always translate into great support after the sale.

I have bought a number of trucks in the past where the salesman was awesome. Very knowledgeable. Very responsive. I buy the truck. Then when it needs service I find out that the service department actually sucks.

I'm not saying O'three is like that! I'm just saying that if your only experience is the sales job they did on you, you may not really have much legit insight into the service they provide after you buy the suit - say, for example, if you receive it and it starts leaking 6 months and 30 dives later.

If you HAVE owned one of their suits and experienced that side of their customer service, please do share what your experience there has been.

I've had two 0three Drysuits and can attest to their excellent after sales support.

One example was my first 0three suit which I bought as 'off the peg and made to measure'. Luckily I only live two hours drive away, so I went down and tried on a L, which fitted well but needed bigger boots. I also wanted a slightly bigger neck seal, although the salesman felt sure the existing neck was a good fit.

Fast forward two weeks and my new suit arrives. Boots perfect, wrist seals perfect, neck seal hmmm, feels a bit loose! Took it for a dive and, oh dear, a slight trickle down my neck. Completely my cock up as I'd insisted on a larger seal.

So I phoned them up and explained what had happened and they said put in in the post and they'd replace the neck seal, as per the original, and have it back to me within the week. Great I said, how much do I owe for the new seal fitting and carriage. Nothing, they said. But it was my fault I said. We don't care, they said. We want you to be happy with your new suit and we will NOT take any money, period!

I did about 600 dives on that suit without a single issue and only replaced it when I decided to upgrade to a crushed neoprene. 500 dives on this one and I've only recently had replaced the boots and neck due to wear. The rest is still like a new suit.

Oh, and I sold my original suit to a local school and that has another few hundred more dives on it and is still performing well.

So yes, their suits and after sales are first class. You see a very high percentage of Othree's around our coastal and inland waters and I've yet to find anyone with a bad word to say.

 

[stuartv]

I've had two 0three Drysuits and can attest to their excellent after sales support.

Cool! Thanks for posting that.

 

[SJW92]

Hi Guys,
I'm lucky enough to live pretty close to Seaskin/Aqualand so I decided to pay them a visit. The boss man (Richard) was in and was nice enough to show me around and talked me through the suits and options etc. They were really quite busy! Anyone looking at ordering a suit (Nova in particular) is looking at completion around June + shipping if you're overseas.

Quality wise, the suits looked brilliant (I don't currently own a drysuit but I've had my hands on plenty). Seams looked nothing other than bulletproof. The trilaminate material is British made up in Lancashire by a company I can't remember the name of. He insinuated that it was the same stuff as used by Otter (or maybe that SHOULD be used by them and others).

I will let you know what I think in June when I get my suit

 

[lexvil]

Hi Guys,
I'm lucky enough to live pretty close to Seaskin/Aqualand so I decided to pay them a visit. The boss man (Richard) was in and was nice enough to show me around and talked me through the suits and options etc. They were really quite busy! Anyone looking at ordering a suit (Nova in particular) is looking at completion around June + shipping if you're overseas.

Quality wise, the suits looked brilliant (I don't currently own a drysuit but I've had my hands on plenty). Seams looked nothing other than bulletproof. The trilaminate material is British made up in Lancashire by a company I can't remember the name of. He insinuated that it was the same stuff as used by Otter (or maybe that SHOULD be used by them and others).

I will let you know what I think in June when I get my suit

When I bought my first one there was scant info available but I took a chance and truly could not be happier. Worth the wait.

 

[Bierstadt]

Hello,

I need some help picking out a Seaskin. To start, I want to say wow, this thread has been useful. Thanks to everyone who contributed to it.

I have been diving the Great Lakes in all seasons for several years in my Hollis semidry. Its warmth underwater is good, but now that I am getting into doubles and ice diving, well, drysuits do indeed have their charms.

I was recently offered an older used drysuit that needed a new zipper, and I'd need to get new socks for it too since my feet barely squeeze into the current ones. Given that just about every coldwater drysuit diver I know has followed the "used-intro-to-drysuit-drysuit-then-buy-nice-new-drysuit" path I suspect I would be better off dropping the $500 or so into a shiny new suit and skipping the intervening step. Seaskin offers a compelling value proposition but I do have a few questions I hope my fellow SB'ers can help me with.

First, my diving with this suit will focus on 32F-45F water on recreational and eventually tech dives on Lake Erie wrecks.

1) Ultra vs Nova? I am only going to have one drysuit. Neoprene reviews and explanations sound like it offers a better underwater experience, but membrane suits are much more common even up north in the land of cold water. I assume there is a reason for this.
2) Plastic or metal zipper? (I have more faith in plastic from non-scuba experience, so long as I don't drop anything on it. Which I won't. Is that accurate for drysuits?)
5) 250 thinsulate or 150? I dive without thermal protection until it hits 65F, so if more typical divers would use the 250 in mid-30's temps I would lean towards the 150 for my own comfort. What temp ranges do these weights cover for other people?
6) How does this option list look? (I have base wicking layers and no need for a pee valve)

Options:
2) Dry Zip Cover
2) YKK Plastic Zip
3) Warm Neck Simple
3) Neoprene Neck Seal (more durable, comfortable, good for my thick neck, no unnoticed catastrophic seal tears)
3) SiTech Oval Cuff Rings (everyone I dive with has dry gloves, so start as you mean to go on)
4) DIR Dump
4) Increase LP Hose Length (chest size recommendation)
4) Comfort Patch
5) Neoprene Socks
6) Kevlar Knee Pads
7) Telescopic Torso
7) 40mm braces
7) Name Badge (cheap vanity)
7) No logos
7) Bag Upgrade
7) Name on Bag (more vanity)
8) Large Zipped Pocket (2x)
8) Computer Strap Patch (2x) (because I love my Perdix)

Add-ons:
1) 150g thinsulate undersuit
2) Thinsulate Socks
3) Warm Neck Hood
4) Antares dryglove system
5) Gloves

Any wisdom on suit selection would be much appreciated. (I will be training after I get the suit)
@stuartv @lexvil ?

 

[RainPilot]

Everyone thinks they don't need a p-valve, till they have a p-valve.

I found that I would subconsciously under-hydrate before I had a p-valve, just due to the PITA value of holding it in on a boat or having to faff around using the toilet after dressing. Once I had one, it was just so much nicer having one less thing to worry about, even if I didn't use it on a lot of dives.

 

[lexvil]

Hello,

I need some help picking out a Seaskin. To start, I want to say wow, this thread has been useful. Thanks to everyone who contributed to it.

I have been diving the Great Lakes in all seasons for several years in my Hollis semidry. Its warmth underwater is good, but now that I am getting into doubles and ice diving, well, drysuits do indeed have their charms.

I was recently offered an older used drysuit that needed a new zipper, and I'd need to get new socks for it too since my feet barely squeeze into the current ones. Given that just about every coldwater drysuit diver I know has followed the "used-intro-to-drysuit-drysuit-then-buy-nice-new-drysuit" path I suspect I would be better off dropping the $500 or so into a shiny new suit and skipping the intervening step. Seaskin offers a compelling value proposition but I do have a few questions I hope my fellow SB'ers can help me with.

First, my diving with this suit will focus on 32F-45F water on recreational and eventually tech dives on Lake Erie wrecks.

1) Ultra vs Nova? I am only going to have one drysuit. Neoprene reviews and explanations sound like it offers a better underwater experience, but membrane suits are much more common even up north in the land of cold water. I assume there is a reason for this.
2) Plastic or metal zipper? (I have more faith in plastic from non-scuba experience, so long as I don't drop anything on it. Which I won't. Is that accurate for drysuits?)
5) 250 thinsulate or 150? I dive without thermal protection until it hits 65F, so if more typical divers would use the 250 in mid-30's temps I would lean towards the 150 for my own comfort. What temp ranges do these weights cover for other people?
6) How does this option list look? (I have base wicking layers and no need for a pee valve)

Options:
2) Dry Zip Cover
2) YKK Plastic Zip
3) Warm Neck Simple
3) Neoprene Neck Seal (more durable, comfortable, good for my thick neck, no unnoticed catastrophic seal tears)
3) SiTech Oval Cuff Rings (everyone I dive with has dry gloves, so start as you mean to go on)
4) DIR Dump
4) Increase LP Hose Length (chest size recommendation)
4) Comfort Patch
5) Neoprene Socks
6) Kevlar Knee Pads
7) Telescopic Torso
7) 40mm braces
7) Name Badge (cheap vanity)
7) No logos
7) Bag Upgrade
7) Name on Bag (more vanity)
8) Large Zipped Pocket (2x)
8) Computer Strap Patch (2x) (because I love my Perdix)

Add-ons:
1) 150g thinsulate undersuit
2) Thinsulate Socks
3) Warm Neck Hood
4) Antares dryglove system
5) Gloves

Any wisdom on suit selection would be much appreciated. (I will be training after I get the suit)
@stuartv @lexvil ?

You seem to have more cold tolerance than I do but to your list, #3 warm neck, I got the one with Velcro which helps tuck the hood in the simple could be just as easy., I don’t think it matters as much with a neoprene seal. I use silicone seals on the quick neck with both suits.

Oval rings are what I like as they just don’t get in the way much in use.

I don’t really have an opinion on the dump, I just use the standard placement.

Longer hose is fine.

I never feel the air coming in so don’t have a comfort patch.

Socks yes, I haven’t worn out the knees without pads but if they make you feel more secure...

Computer straps may be a good idea, I would do it if I bought another suit. I don’t use a bag, I use one of those yellow top 1/2 size Costco totes.

I don’t use my pockets much but handy when you need it, I only have one on the right, zipped is good because Velcro pockets are so hard to open.

Telescoping was not an option but I would have it if it were.

I like diving the ultra more but use the Nova more often because I like the front zip, I also didn’t have the plastic zip option but put one on when my brass zip broke, love the plastic.

I’m using Antaries dry gloves, lube them every second to fourth time and they are fine, one thing I did was get extra glove side rings and tested each for fit, I than put index marks on them to make sure they are perfectly aligned, not a leak since.

Unless you do short dives you may want to rethink the pee valve.

I don’t like the bulk of thinsulate and I would probably be miserable in a 150 but I would make sure they give you enough room to layer but not to much that you have a big bubble to fight.

 

[Bierstadt]

@lexvil Thank you, very helpful feedback. I have been focused on getting the drysuit order correct but I shall have to research undergarments more thoroughly. I have treated them as somewhat of an afterthought, which was a mistake. What do you prefer to use?

Also, if you could only have one drysuit and both had front zip, would you opt for the Nova or the Ultra?