Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[NauticalNerd]

I've had my Nova since 2020 and dive with it quite a lot (around 150 dives a year, not including holidays). Mainly in lakes, but also caves, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and a lot of training.

I ordered the Tech Boots and they leaked completely after two years. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. At first I tried to seal the holes with glue, but in the end I had them replaced by a workshop with neoprene socks. I'm happy with that. But a few weeks ago I had wet pants, which isn't great at 5 degrees. I was still thinking, "It's probably user error. I twisted my neck funny and then water got in." Then it was two weekends of training with eight dives and the undergarments were slightly damp after the dives, but nothing serious. Now yesterday I was diving a bit deeper again and at 45 metres I felt the dampness in my crotch, then I still had 55 minutes to the surface, which wasn't great either. At home I inflated the suit and checked for holes with soapy water. I found two small holes on the seam at the back. The seams on the inside still look great, the glue and the seam tapes are still holding well.

As I said, the suit is 4 years old and probably has less than 500 dives. When the suit starts to disintegrate, I can either start chasing the small holes again and again or look for a new suit.
So far I've actually been satisfied, but in my eyes a suit should last longer.

 

[lexvil]

Haha of course I haven’t been doing that quite enough yet…

All black with gray stitching
Telescopic torso
Plastic zip with cover
Light monkey balanced p valve
Hose tidy
Orust neck system
SLAGGO wrist rings
DIR dump
Comfort inflation patch
Neoprene socks
Kevlar knee pads
40mm suspenders
Left&right expedition pockets
Computer straps
No logos/reflective tape

And for reference I’m a Florida cave diver so water temps are 68-72 year round

The only thing I would change for sure is the wrist rings, sitech oval is more compact that the others and a few other choices I don’t think matter in use but really don’t cost enough to worry about.

 

[eja12a]

The only thing I would change for sure is the wrist rings, sitech oval is more compact that the others and a few other choices I don’t think matter in use but really don’t cost enough to worry about.

Ok so SiTech oval vs slaggo? Just a smaller profile?

Some of the other stuff I wasn’t sure if I’ll really use at all but most of it’s cheap enough I just decided to add it (like the computer straps)

 

[Alekseolsen]

I've had my Nova since 2020 and dive with it quite a lot (around 150 dives a year, not including holidays). Mainly in lakes, but also caves, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and a lot of training.

I ordered the Tech Boots and they leaked completely after two years. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. At first I tried to seal the holes with glue, but in the end I had them replaced by a workshop with neoprene socks. I'm happy with that. But a few weeks ago I had wet pants, which isn't great at 5 degrees. I was still thinking, "It's probably user error. I twisted my neck funny and then water got in." Then it was two weekends of training with eight dives and the undergarments were slightly damp after the dives, but nothing serious. Now yesterday I was diving a bit deeper again and at 45 metres I felt the dampness in my crotch, then I still had 55 minutes to the surface, which wasn't great either. At home I inflated the suit and checked for holes with soapy water. I found two small holes on the seam at the back. The seams on the inside still look great, the glue and the seam tapes are still holding well.

As I said, the suit is 4 years old and probably has less than 500 dives. When the suit starts to disintegrate, I can either start chasing the small holes again and again or look for a new suit.
So far I've actually been satisfied, but in my eyes a suit should last longer.
View attachment 832136

As much as I agree fully, I had that with my One Endurance on pretty much every seam way before 400 dives

 

[Boarderguy]

Which neck seal do you recommend?

Sitech quick neck

 

[Boarderguy]

I've had my Nova since 2020 and dive with it quite a lot (around 150 dives a year, not including holidays). Mainly in lakes, but also caves, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and a lot of training.

I ordered the Tech Boots and they leaked completely after two years. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. At first I tried to seal the holes with glue, but in the end I had them replaced by a workshop with neoprene socks. I'm happy with that. But a few weeks ago I had wet pants, which isn't great at 5 degrees. I was still thinking, "It's probably user error. I twisted my neck funny and then water got in." Then it was two weekends of training with eight dives and the undergarments were slightly damp after the dives, but nothing serious. Now yesterday I was diving a bit deeper again and at 45 metres I felt the dampness in my crotch, then I still had 55 minutes to the surface, which wasn't great either. At home I inflated the suit and checked for holes with soapy water. I found two small holes on the seam at the back. The seams on the inside still look great, the glue and the seam tapes are still holding well.

As I said, the suit is 4 years old and probably has less than 500 dives. When the suit starts to disintegrate, I can either start chasing the small holes again and again or look for a new suit.
So far I've actually been satisfied, but in my eyes a suit should last longer.
View attachment 832136

So a suit that cost about $1k in 2020 made it 500-600 dives (150x4). That's well under $5 per dive for the suit and very much a win. Could you honestly say that a $3-4k DUI, Santi, Bare, Otter, or whatnot would make it 1500-2000 dives before needing to chase small holes and get the same return on investment? Attached boots are always a terrible thing imo.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I went with sitech because I will lose and break the damn things. I don't notice mine at all above or below the water. I'm pretty average shoulder as well.

I have read this over and over but has anyone actually lost a bunch or is it just a perception of what would happen? I have yet to read real world experience of this happening.

To top it off, silicone seals breaking are pretty rare. I mean I always have a spare ready but how often do they fail? Every 2-3 years if you're careful?

FWIW, I also went with quick neck and have zero complaints in the 18 months I've had it. I'm broad shouldered though.

 

[Litefoot]

Changing the subject a bit, but I have stretched out my way-too-small Seaskin short neck hood into a good fit. I stuffed an under-inflated basketball in the hood for a week and then pulled the neck over an HP100 for another week. Feels pretty decent now. Will the neoprene shrink back down after I dive it or do you think it will stay where it is?

 

[Boarderguy]

I have read this over and over but has anyone actually lost a bunch or is it just a perception of what would happen? I have yet to read real world experience of this happening.

My buddy had the orust clips for his dry glove system. They were broken or lost within a few months and he was diving with 2 or 3 of the 5 each wrist "required". At a few $ each he just hadn't gotten enough spares initially. I think he went with a different system recently so it's not an issue any more.

Cold water = stress to plastics

 

[JoeTPhilly]

I have read this over and over but has anyone actually lost a bunch or is it just a perception of what would happen? I have yet to read real world experience of this happening.

To top it off, silicone seals breaking are pretty rare. I mean I always have a spare ready but how often do they fail? Every 2-3 years if you're careful?

FWIW, I also went with quick neck and have zero complaints in the 18 months I've had it. I'm broad shouldered though.

I also went with the Quick Neck but since I am short and reading what Santi did with their suits I had mine made with the zipper on the other side (left handed zipper).