Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[bobmaggi]

Finally got my first dive in my Nova. It was a ice dive in Michigan, pretty warm day, 52F topside with the sun out and 36F in the water. Getting into the suit was fairly easy, pre-dusting the suit with the included talc powder made slipping the suit on a breeze. I didn’t get the telescoping torso so its a bit of a tighter fit getting my head into the suit so it can go through the neck ring. I replaced the silicone neck seal with a neoprene neck seal, much nicer and even more comfortable than the silicone neck seal.
As this was the first time with this suit the first thing I did after putting the suit on was to go over and check the Kubi dry gloves out by dunking my hands in the ice water. To my regret I noticed some leakage on both gloves only to quickly figure out that when I replaced the rubber gloves that came with 720 X-Large gloves, I forgot that the glove interior uses cloth so installing the o-rings the same way as the rubber gloves were on meant water wicking up the liner. So I quickly re-did the gloves like my old Diving Concepts rings and solved that problem.
As for the dive I did not experience any leaks (yippee!), the suit was comfortable even wearing a base layer, heated vest, and outer 4th Element Artics. I felt some tightness over the shoulders but that might have been the suspenders being too tight. The suit fit is pretty good, the only excess material is around the hips area but didn’t notice any tendency for an air bubble to form or get trapped there.
It is a very nice suit with good fit and comfort. This is my 5th dry suit and 98% of my diving is in dry suit water conditions (Great Lakes). Most dry suits last me around 5-7 years before the interior fabrics get worn out enough that I have to replace them (last suit was a 4th Element Kevlar, Diving Concepts before that). I’ll see how well this one holds up over time

 

[vladodessit]

Finally got my first dive in my Nova. It was a ice dive in Michigan, pretty warm day, 52F topside with the sun out and 36F in the water. Getting into the suit was fairly easy, pre-dusting the suit with the included talc powder made slipping the suit on a breeze. I didn’t get the telescoping torso so its a bit of a tighter fit getting my head into the suit so it can go through the neck ring. I replaced the silicone neck seal with a neoprene neck seal, much nicer and even more comfortable than the silicone neck seal.
As this was the first time with this suit the first thing I did after putting the suit on was to go over and check the Kubi dry gloves out by dunking my hands in the ice water. To my regret I noticed some leakage on both gloves only to quickly figure out that when I replaced the rubber gloves that came with 720 X-Large gloves, I forgot that the glove interior uses cloth so installing the o-rings the same way as the rubber gloves were on meant water wicking up the liner. So I quickly re-did the gloves like my old Diving Concepts rings and solved that problem.
As for the dive I did not experience any leaks (yippee!), the suit was comfortable even wearing a base layer, heated vest, and outer 4th Element Artics. I felt some tightness over the shoulders but that might have been the suspenders being too tight. The suit fit is pretty good, the only excess material is around the hips area but didn’t notice any tendency for an air bubble to form or get trapped there.
It is a very nice suit with good fit and comfort. This is my 5th dry suit and 98% of my diving is in dry suit water conditions (Great Lakes). Most dry suits last me around 5-7 years before the interior fabrics get worn out enough that I have to replace them (last suit was a 4th Element Kevlar, Diving Concepts before that). I’ll see how well this one holds up over time

Just wondering: how many dives you get on your suits? 5-7 years doesn't tell the whole story

 

[bobmaggi]

I typically put in over 100-150 hours a year on my rebreather, not sure how many dives that turns out as. I’m mostly diving Great Lakes shipwrecks in the range of 150-220 typically so lots of deco diving in 40-42F water and I have my own boat that I trailer to Lake Michigan, Huron and Superior most weekends for diving. Crawling around the insides of wrecks with the quagga mussels also cause pinhole leaks but I retire my suits when it starts leaking faster than I can find and Aquaseal the leaks. My last suit was still in overall good shape but being all Kevlar the seams start leaking (sent it back under warranty for a complete fixing of the seams and 2 dives after I got it back it was a slow leak in the crotch again) so decided to try out the SeaSkin. Unfortunately I don’t have a off the rack size body (too short and stubby) so all but my first suit has been custom (didn’t know any better for the first suit but it worked OK until I decided to move into tech diving - couldn’t reach my valves on the doubles for drills).

 

[vladodessit]

Oh, I see. This is a very reasonable lifespan of suits.

 

[Addison Snyder]

Not exactly my forte, but I made a not-so-quick video overview of my suit I got two weeks back. Main reason was that I haven't seen any good video showing the neoprene drysuit in detail.

 

[jale]

Not exactly my forte, but I made a not-so-quick video overview of my suit I got two weeks back. Main reason was that I haven't seen any good video showing the neoprene drysuit in detail.

Thanks.
Good honest vid
regarding the zip, one word: WAX Wax and wax and...wax and it will become easy to zip and unzip
Neck seal: I also have a similar system and I am a bit like you with narrow shoulders. I found that being aware of the position of the BP shoulder straps is the way to go. i mean, the problem is mainly when you are walking to the water. When you don your BP, just put the straps a bit away from the seal. In the water is a non issue as you are horizontal and the straps are "loose".
Thanks again.

 

[stuartv]

Congrats on the new suit.

For storage, zipper should be all the way closed OR all the way open. The most important thing is to not be partly open. All the way closed is a little better than all the way open. The idea is to avoid the stress that happens to the teeth that are just outside the zipper slide, when the zipper is flexing there at the slide.

 

[Danny D]

At the beginning of March order ship dates were into July .

 

[drk5036]

My controversial recommendation is, unless you know you REALLY need it, it’s better to go with a fixed neoprene neck seal than a replaceable one. 1) you save a boatload or cash, 2) you don’t have to deal with the neck seal rings sitting under your webbing making things uncomfortable, and 3) I’ve never heard of anyone damaging a neoprene neck seal. Warm and robust.

I have seen people rip neoprene wrist seals, and having rings for dry gloves is useful, so I don’t have any problem with rings there. But I’m a big fan of neoprene neck seals. Thinking about getting a nova to supplement my ultra, and I’ll probably go fixed neoprene neck seal there too.

 

[stuartv]

The Quick Neck only adds about 50 bucks to the drysuit. I wouldn’t really call that a boatload of cash. But, I realize people have different budgets.

The ring having harness straps over it seems to only be an issue for persons of a smaller stature.

If you’re diving in warmer water, it can be nice to swap out your replaceable neoprene neck seal for a silicone one. I did that in FL a few weeks ago. The silicone was more comfortable in that warmer weather and water. I was diving dry for redundant buoyancy.

Silicone neck seals are easier to get in place. Sometimes, with thick undies on, it can be a real pain to get my neoprene neck seal folded in properly in the back. Of course, dives with thick undies are precisely when I really love my replaceable neoprene neck seal.

If I only had 1 suit, I would definitely want replaceable seals at the neck and wrists. Neoprene neck seals are very robust, but accidents can happen. And, they do eventually wear out (or so I’ve heard) - as in stretch out enough to no longer give a good seal.