Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[stuartv]

No exposed o ring on ultima, plastic won’t get bent, you can use without wrist seals (you do need part of the seal but can just be the minimum) they are not cheap but still a lot cheaper than KUBI.

I did specify "when the gloves are not attached."

When you're not wearing gloves, the Ultima wrist rings that are on the end of the sleeves have both an exposed O-ring and the mating surface (the part the glove ring attaches to) is also exposed. Right?

In contrast, when you are not wearing the gloves, the Kubi ring that is on the end of the sleeve has no exposed O-ring, and the mating surface that mates to the glove's ring/O-ring is on the inside of the ring.

That is one of the reasons I cited for my preference of Kubi. When you dive without dry gloves, the parts of the dry glove system that you are diving with (the bits attached to the end of the sleeve) have less opportunity to get damaged - because the parts involved in sealing with the dry glove rings are "in" instead of "out".

 

[lexvil]

Suit side

Glove side outside

Glove side inside

 

[stuartv]

Suit side

View attachment 620347
Glove side outside

View attachment 620348
Glove side inside
View attachment 620352

Interesting. Thanks. I would swear the ones I have looked at, the O-ring that you have inside the glove ring is in the groove on the outside of the sleeve ring.

 

[ross9]

Thanks all. I didn't actually realise you could use the Kubi system with wrist seals - I thought it was dry gloves or nothing. So the cost difference for the wrist system only is actually less of an issue (£55 si tech v £125 Kubi).

Choosing Kubi now locks me into Kubi gloves, rather than keeping my options open for a few different glove options. However as you say, if Kubi is good that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[stuartv]

Thanks all. I didn't actually realise you could use the Kubi system with wrist seals - I thought it was dry gloves or nothing. So the cost difference for the wrist system only is actually less of an issue (£55 si tech v £125 Kubi).

Choosing Kubi now locks me into Kubi gloves, rather than keeping my options open for a few different glove options. However as you say, if Kubi is good that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Do you mean you're locked into the specific rubber gloves that they supply? That is not true. You can pretty much use any rubber glove you want with the Kubi glove rings. I mean it's just a ring, with some grooves, and some O-rings.

That said - and forgive me if I already posted this - the gloves they supply with the rings are ones I really like, personally. They give great dexterity and yet are still pretty darn durable.

And, replacements are cheap. I buy them from Zoro.com. These are the exact same gloves that came with my original Kubi glove rings:

Ansell 87-118 $4.09 G17K Black Heavyweight, size 10-1/2 | Zoro.com

$4 per pair.

If there were a color other than black, it would make it easier to see hand signals in low viz. At one point, I did find the same glove in pink. I bought some for a buddy, for his wife. But, I don't see them anymore.

 

[StefinSB]

QCS is the best way to go as there are many options for that base system, I successfully use Antares but it took some time to get them right, I did 3 hours in them last Saturday but I have the ultima on my other suit, it is a vastly superior system (once the gloves are on the rings) and I’ve ordered the Rolock 90 system from Seaskin to try and will offer my impressions once I have them in hand.

Right now waterproof ultima is the top of the heap for me and they pop right into the QCS PU rings.

Does the roloc 90 work with the QCS?

 

[lexvil]

Does the roloc 90 work with the QCS?

Supposed to, will find out for sure soon (ish)

 

[StefinSB]

Supposed to, will find out for sure soon (ish)

Awesome. Very curious as I would prefer a Swiss product over the other options. Keep us informed.

 

[Sbiriguda]

Guys what about the undergarments that come with Seaskin Nova? I need one for very cold lake waters. I can see from the Seaskin site that undergarments are made with Thinsulate and I like that. Did anybody buy also the garments? Are they good provided they seem to be also much cheaper than other alternatives like DUI or Santi?
Thanks

 

[stuartv]

Guys what about the undergarments that come with Seaskin Nova? I need one for very cold lake waters. I can see from the Seaskin site that undergarments are made with Thinsulate and I like that. Did anybody buy also the garments? Are they good provided they seem to be also much cheaper than other alternatives like DUI or Santi?
Thanks

i have all their undies. They fit well, are warm, and wick moisture well.

I wore the 250 under my trilam last year in Lake Erie. The water was 43-44F. I was so warm, I wore the 150 the next day, in the same water, and was warm enough.