Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Badger7]

How did you find the customs fee?

When you're getting an overseas shipment from a full-service carrier with brokerage services like UPS or DHL Express, you'll typically get an invoice in your email from the carrier once the package clears customs. If you pay it quick enough, it doesn't really slow down delivery.

I got an invoice from $96 from UPS once my seaskin hit customs, but the lions share of that amount turned out to be duties due on the undergarments, not as much on the suit itself which was deemed sports equipment rather than apparel.

UPS didn't provide an itemized list until after delivery. You pretty much just pay whatever they're asking, and expect a duties bill somewhere betwen $50 and $150 for a US destination depending on what else is on the order and how it gets coded.

 

[JoeTPhilly]

You can request the invoice from UPS that shows the breakdown. Mine showed the value of the items and the rate charged (4%).

 

[JorinB]

I ended up getting a text from UPS asking to pre pay.
Total Paid (USD):$117.16

Import Charges
Government Charges:$103.16
Brokerage Charges:$14.00.

No breakdown on what was drysuit, what was undergarment though.

 

[elvenhome21]

I think it was dec 10th i ordered, I got an email from ups saying there is customs fees due. It's in Louisville already. Left UK on 19th cleared us customs this morning and still on time for fri delivery. It was $41 is duty and 14 in brokerage

 

[MaxAir]

I've posted this info before, but just to reiterate since there are new mullings above... for the current US customs & duty you'll see a 4% charge on the drysuit and perhaps any related hardware you order, but then expect to see 24-28% charges on clothing items such as undergarments. How this changes going forward (ie: potential tariff changes) remains to be seen.

On request via phone, UPS did email a PDF with a detailed/line item breakdown of my entire shipment.

 

[drummerc]

Just to follow up to this order, I received my shipping date today (23 Jan, ordered 15 Jan UK time) which is tentatively 28 Mar. Looks like ~10.5 weeks from order to ship right now. Will update when suit in hand as well.

Drysuit arrived today a few days early. Was $157 in import ($111 govt + $46 brokerage) for drysuit and undergarmets. Drysuit smells like factory fresh rubber =) Anything I should do for my first drysuit? I saw there is some talc included, so imagine I should dust the seals and such.

 

[lexvil]

Drysuit arrived today a few days early. Was $157 in import ($111 govt + $46 brokerage) for drysuit and undergarmets. Drysuit smells like factory fresh rubber =) Anything I should do for my first drysuit? I saw there is some talc included, so imagine I should dust the seals and such.

There should be a square of cloth, put some talc on it and fold the corners together to make an applicator. Pat the cloth on the seals and with the suit being new it can help to either turn it inside out or just reach in and pat some talc on all of the seams.

 

[mwerle]

Anything I should do for my first drysuit?

Be careful not to rip the seals when you don/doff the suit (the talc can help), and regularly clean and lube the zipper. There should have been some zipper lube and/or a stick of wax included. Rinse the outside thoroughly after every dive, and the inside after each dive trip including the dump valve(s).

In other words, basic good equipment maintenance.

 

[stuartv]

Look for the Seaskin video on talcing the inside of the suit.

Or, just make your talc bag (as @lexvil described) and talc the entire inside somewhat liberally.

Making it as "slippery" inside as you can will help it go on and off more easily. Seaskin (in their video) says something like it makes it feel a full size (half size?) bigger when you are donning it, if you have talced it properly.

It didn't feel like it made THAT much difference to mine. But, it still seems worth doing, to me.

 

[afieldofblue]

My suit arrived today as well, with 13,000 yen import duties to Japan.

Size is good, but I'm missing the male connector on the crotch strap (which means I will need to find a way to stitch the strap shut once I actually get one), and the order is also missing the extra neck and wrist seals i had ordered and Ziptech lubricant for the plastic zip... Guess they were in a bit of a hurry.

Otherwise it looks good to go - the silicone neck seals will probably need to be trimmed though, which is something I've never done... it's a Quick Neck system with Silflex seal
Does anyone know if talc should be used on silicone seals btw?