Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Moonhowler]

My suit should arrive tomorrow. My orignaal dispatch date was Feb 9, and it shipped on the 13th. My duty charge was 159.56. That is the suit, 2 undergarments and the Kubi glove side.

That duty isn't too bad compared to what others have paid in the past. However, my (probably imperfect) research seems to indicate that there ought not to be any duty at all coming from the U.K. It all depends on the Commodity Code that someone uses for the dive gear. As far as I have been able to determine, there is no specific code for a dry suit and related items. Here's a bit of what I've learned:

Harmonized System (HS) Code: The commodity code is part of the Harmonized System (HS), which is an international standard for classifying goods. Each product category has a unique code. You can find the HS code associated with your scuba gear by searching for keywords related to its features. (I used Bing's CoPilot AI to help get this info).

Sample Codes:

• Here are a few sample HS codes related to scuba gear:
  • 9506.29: Diving suits, including wetsuits and drysuits.
  • 9506.99: Other articles for underwater diving, such as regulators, masks, fins, and buoyancy compensators.

Here's where you can see the percentage duty to be charged (Search 9506.26):

Harmonized Tariff Schedule

hts.usitc.gov

It looks like there should be zero duty. The /1 footnote seems to indicate that there is duty if it is coming from China.

 

[admikar]

has anyone tried the orust neck seals

IMO, Orust is an inferior system to Quick neck, unless you have really small shoulders. Those clips are just asking to be lost on a rolling boat.

Sample Codes:

• Here are a few sample HS codes related to scuba gear:
  • 9506.29: Diving suits, including wetsuits and drysuits.

That's what was used by my customs+ VAT.

 

[Josh_Boon]

Send them an email and ask them to remove Kevlar writting from the pads.
[/QUOTE]

I didn’t know that they had wetting on the pads but I’ll email them.

 

[Pumpkin King]

That duty isn't too bad compared to what others have paid in the past. However, my (probably imperfect) research seems to indicate that there ought not to be any duty at all coming from the U.K. It all depends on the Commodity Code that someone uses for the dive gear. As far as I have been able to determine, there is no specific code for a dry suit and related items. Here's a bit of what I've learned:

Harmonized System (HS) Code: The commodity code is part of the Harmonized System (HS), which is an international standard for classifying goods. Each product category has a unique code. You can find the HS code associated with your scuba gear by searching for keywords related to its features. (I used Bing's CoPilot AI to help get this info).

Sample Codes:

• Here are a few sample HS codes related to scuba gear:
  • 9506.29: Diving suits, including wetsuits and drysuits.
  • 9506.99: Other articles for underwater diving, such as regulators, masks, fins, and buoyancy compensators.

Here's where you can see the percentage duty to be charged (Search 9506.26):

Harmonized Tariff Schedule

hts.usitc.gov

It looks like there should be zero duty. The /1 footnote seems to indicate that there is duty if it is coming from China.

That’s why we don’t listen to AI yet. The latest HTS (since you’re in the US) doesn’t use the 9506.26 subheading. Drysuits are classed 4015.90, as a type of apparel, for all purposes, of vulcanized rubber. 4% unless it comes from China, as you noted.

 

[Moonhowler]

That’s why we don’t listen to AI yet. The latest HTS (since you’re in the US) doesn’t use the 9506.26 subheading. Drysuits are classed 4015.90, as a type of apparel, for all purposes, of vulcanized rubber. 4% unless it comes from China, as you noted.

We don't "listen" to AI, we use it.

The same AI pointed out the Dive Gear Express website. This is a U.S. based company exporting to other countries. Since the HS Code is supposed to be an international standard, I find this interesting from their FAQ section on their website:

"For our export of your order we are now required to enter descriptions using the Harmonized System of nomenclature. The HS number we must enter from our end is 9506.29 which is titled "Water-sport Equipment, Other", and that is sub-category of "Sporting Goods".

The classification for your order upon import is determined by your local Customs agents, also using the HS system. There is no guarantee local Customs agents will use the same HS number, although they usually don't question the 9506.29 export code. In most countries, you can appeal their HS classification of your order if you feel it is inaccurate."

If it is the U.S. authorities that "requires" DIve Gear Express to use 9506.29, the same authority should accept that for imports of the same.

 

[Guille G]

Regarding neck seals:

• Does anyone favor non-replaceable neoprene neck seals over the Quick Neck system?
• How costly is it to install the QN after the fact?
• Is it possible to remove the QN and install a fixed seal after the fact

@stuartv you mentioned adding a QB on your ultra through SS in the UK, would you mind sharing costs/annoyance? I sent them an email but no answer yet.

I’ve got every other option narrowed down, but I can’t shake the feeling that the QN for the diving I do may not be needed, and that a neoprene seal may be simpler and more comfortable. You can see wear on neoprene and I’m not a dive pro so will usually have time to get an old one replaced, which appears to be simple enough even for DIY… but then again, the rentals I’ve used so far were silicon and replaceable so I don’t know what a neo seal is like to use.

 

[Moonhowler]

That’s why we don’t listen to AI yet. The latest HTS (since you’re in the US) doesn’t use the 9506.26 subheading. Drysuits are classed 4015.90, as a type of apparel, for all purposes, of vulcanized rubber. 4% unless it comes from China, as you noted.

Also, the 4015 number does not make sense. It applies to apparal made of vulcanized rubber. My AI tells me that trilam drysuits are NOT made of vulcanized rubber, as follows:

"Trilaminate drysuits are not made of vulcanized rubber. They are constructed from three-layer fabrics, with a waterproof butyl rubber membrane laminated between an outer layer and an inner layer1. The outer layer can be made from various materials, ranging from lightweight fabric to heavy-duty materials like Kevlar23. The inner layer typically offers a softer touch fabric for comfort2. So, while they do contain a type of rubber, it’s not vulcanized rubber. It’s a waterproof butyl rubber membrane1."

Who told you the HS Code is 4015.90?

 

[Boarderguy]

Regarding neck seals:

• Does anyone favor non-replaceable neoprene neck seals over the Quick Neck system?
• How costly is it to install the QN after the fact?
• Is it possible to remove the QN and install a fixed seal after the fact

@stuartv you mentioned adding a QB on your ultra through SS in the UK, would you mind sharing costs/annoyance? I sent them an email but no answer yet.

I’ve got every other option narrowed down, but I can’t shake the feeling that the QN for the diving I do may not be needed, and that a neoprene seal may be simpler and more comfortable. You can see wear on neoprene and I’m not a dive pro so will usually have time to get an old one replaced, which appears to be simple enough even for DIY… but then again, the rentals I’ve used so far were silicon and replaceable so I don’t know what a neo seal is like to use.

Always user replaceable seals. You can get a neoprene seal from other sources if that what you want. Not having to send your suit somewhere to replace/repair it is worth the minimal added cost.

 

[Pumpkin King]

Also, the 4015 number does not make sense. It applies to apparal made of vulcanized rubber. My AI tells me that trilam drysuits are NOT made of vulcanized rubber, as follows:

"Trilaminate drysuits are not made of vulcanized rubber. They are constructed from three-layer fabrics, with a waterproof butyl rubber membrane laminated between an outer layer and an inner layer1. The outer layer can be made from various materials, ranging from lightweight fabric to heavy-duty materials like Kevlar23. The inner layer typically offers a softer touch fabric for comfort2. So, while they do contain a type of rubber, it’s not vulcanized rubber. It’s a waterproof butyl rubber membrane1."

Who told you the HS Code is 4015.90?

Import and export are different. HTS vs. Schedule B. Yes, they’re both based on the international HS standard, but they’re US systems.

Since these are systems that attempt to classify every single item that gets sold internationally, they try to balance how specific they get. Hence almost every heading having some form of ‘other’ category. Drysuits (to stay on topic) are an interesting case to consider. Different manufacturers have used different forms of coated canvas, neoprene, bilaminate, trilaminate, and probably other materials over the years. Each of these could be classified differently, but that would be time consuming and complicated. As a worn item, drysuits are classified as apparel, but they’re obviously different than clothing. Look at the duty rates for undersuits for a good example of why we don’t want drysuits classed as clothing. Drysuits also don’t fit cleanly into sporting goods, either, since they might be used commercially or by municipalities.

On top of all that, there’s also the consideration of precedent in how similar items have previously been classified. CBP has a searchable database of customs rulings, although it’s incomplete.
There is a reason this is a job for lots of people and hasn’t been automated; it requires knowledge, experience, and staying on top of changes.

Again, AI hallucinations are a known limitation, especially when asking for situationally specific information. It’s not how they’re designed to work. From ARL-TR-2224, “Butyl rubbers are copolymers of isobutylene with a small amount of isoprene added to allow for vulcanization.”

 

[admikar]

That’s why we don’t listen to AI yet. The latest HTS (since you’re in the US) doesn’t use the 9506.26 subheading. Drysuits are classed 4015.90, as a type of apparel, for all purposes, of vulcanized rubber. 4% unless it comes from China, as you noted.

My customs used HS 9506.26 code due to all bits added, although their text clasification is somehwhat different to US one.
Besides, that hit me with 5% instead of 10.