Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[KenGordon]

If they are lacking the confidence to offer it in the open, just not the sort of people I would feel confidence in ordering from.

O3 are one of the two premier drysuit manufactures in the U.K., along with Otter. They prefer you to come to the shop to be properly measured so that the suits can be adjusted accurately.

I currently have an Ri 1-100 front entry. It is a very compressed neo suit. It is about 7 years old and is probably the best money I have ever spent on dive gear. I am in the process of getting the new trilam suit as it is lighter and has replaceable seals. My current neck seal is a bit loose and I am not in a place where getting that sorted will not loose me a load of diving.

Since I am st the other end of the country at the moment they are going to send me their best guess size of suit (or two) to try on and then to base any required adjustments on. Of course they still know the adjustments from stock from my last suit, maybe that makes it easier.

They are the kind of people you can ring up, or visit, and be talking to the actual boss.

Seaskin’s reputation here is not so good, they are at the cheap end of things. My buddy of the last few weeks has a pretty new one and has been having leaks past the zip which he eventually fixed himself with goo.They do have a nicer web shop though. If I wanted a cheap suit there is a good supplier local to me (when in London). No snazzy web shop but all the same options. Again a visit is important.

I think you lot are insane buying a suit direct from the U.K. with FedEx, customs and the like.

 

[bansiphansalkar]

Insane - maybe. I did quite a bit of research & found both positive & negative comments on almost every Drysuit manufacturer. Eventually I settled on Seaskin Nova & am happy with what I got. About leaks - - let’s see.
Hope you get the O3 that is good for you.

 

[BoltSnap]

O3 are one of the two premier drysuit manufactures in the U.K., along with Otter. They prefer you to come to the shop to be properly measured so that the suits can be adjusted accurately.

I currently have an Ri 1-100 front entry. It is a very compressed neo suit. It is about 7 years old and is probably the best money I have ever spent on dive gear. I am in the process of getting the new trilam suit as it is lighter and has replaceable seals. My current neck seal is a bit loose and I am not in a place where getting that sorted will not loose me a load of diving.

Since I am st the other end of the country at the moment they are going to send me their best guess size of suit (or two) to try on and then to base any required adjustments on. Of course they still know the adjustments from stock from my last suit, maybe that makes it easier.

They are the kind of people you can ring up, or visit, and be talking to the actual boss.

Seaskin’s reputation here is not so good, they are at the cheap end of things. My buddy of the last few weeks has a pretty new one and has been having leaks past the zip which he eventually fixed himself with goo.They do have a nicer web shop though. If I wanted a cheap suit there is a good supplier local to me (when in London). No snazzy web shop but all the same options. Again a visit is important.

I think you lot are insane buying a suit direct from the U.K. with FedEx, customs and the like.

I lived in the UK for most of 2019 and this is what I found based on discussions with many people there including attending dive shows and meeting tech. divers and instructors there. I don't remember anyone saying anything positive or is actually using Seaskin suits. The only suits I hear about in the UK that are UK made are O3 and Otter.

 

[stuartv]

I think you lot are insane buying a suit direct from the U.K. with FedEx, customs and the like.

Did you also used to say "I think you lot are insane diving that voodoo gas, air enriched with oxygen"?

 

[lexvil]

Well I must assume, from my experience anti that of others here in the US, that Seaskin sends their best stuff here at extraordinary low prices.

I personally not someone who needs or wants to talk to someone to order something and if they can and will make something like a front zip neoprene yet lack confidence to advertise this ability I won’t risk buying from them.

There is a large segment of every specialty group who feel things that cost most must be better, there is an old saying about fools and their money...

I have heard and read good things about Otter and very little about Seaskin when I bought my Nova 6 years ago and bought the ultra about 3 years ago and normal wear and tear repairs have been done, I had a tizip installed other than that it’s been trouble free and still spends hours underwater every week. Why would I spend thousands of $ more for something that even if it could last longer couldn’t possibly perform better?

The second time I’ve bought a suit I had them ship by postal service after fighting with fed ex for months over duty, fed ex is fast and secure but the customs thing is a nightmare since they have no idea of what a drysuit is. If possible and safe avoid them but if they are the only safe and secure way go for it.

 

[49COE]

For what its worth, I got my Seaskin Drysuits and so far could not be more pleased with them. The customs thing was annoying and a pain, but that was mainly Fed Ex, not Seaskin. If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would do differently is to start pestering Fed Ex sooner to process it instead of waiting patiently for 10 days to then find out that they had done nothing and having to rush to get the information they needed before hitting the 14 day cutoff where they said that they had to send it back if they didn't get all the info. Even with the customs PITA, I would not hesitate to order another suit from Seaskin.

 

[KenGordon]

Did you also used to say "I think you lot are insane diving that voodoo gas, air enriched with oxygen"?

Never. I even have a voodoo gas sticker on a toolbox.

And I think people have much more personal experience of hassle from shipping and customs than toxins or getting bent.

Are there no cheapo suit manufactures within your local free trade area?

 

[stuartv]

Never. I even have a voodoo gas sticker on a toolbox.

And I think people have much more personal experience of hassle from shipping and customs than toxins or getting bent.

Are there no cheapo suit manufactures within your local free trade area?

I had no significant problems with shipping or customs on either of my Seaskin suits. There is one recent poster who had a bit of a hassle and delay with shipping/customs. But, it seems like most US recipients of Seaskin suits have had an experience pretty much like mine.

I don't know of any other suit maker anywhere that offers what Seaskin does for anywhere near the price that Seaskin does. That may actually be in part because of the USD - GBP currency exchange rate. That may be putting the ones in my "local free trade area" at an insurmountable disadvantage.

 

[KenGordon]

I lived in the UK for most of 2019 and this is what I found based on discussions with many people there including attending dive shows and meeting tech. divers and instructors there. I don't remember anyone saying anything positive or is actually using Seaskin suits. The only suits I hear about in the UK that are UK made are O3 and Otter.

I have known a few people with them. Some are ok some no so good. All the people with O3 suits are happy in the end but I have seen them screw up the sizing but it was quickly sorted out. There other similarly small scale products, I have bought club suits from Hammonds who are half an hour’s drive away - £2400 for three complete suits with undersuits and rock boots.

Personally I prefer all these specialist producers to the ‘big boy’ manufacturers as you get to talk to the actual people, not some distributor.

 

[KenGordon]

I had no significant problems with shipping or customs on either of my Seaskin suits. There is one recent poster who had a bit of a hassle and delay with shipping/customs. But, it seems like most US recipients of Seaskin suits have had an experience pretty much like mine.

I don't know of any other suit maker anywhere that offers what Seaskin does for anywhere near the price that Seaskin does. That may actually be in part because of the USD - GBP currency exchange rate. That may be putting the ones in my "local free trade area" at an insurmountable disadvantage.

They will get cheaper again in January when the next stage of the death of the pound is due.