Seaskin Sanity Check

[onepointfivethumbs]

Looking to finally break open my piggy bank and order a SeaSkin drysuit, custom sizing and options for the cost make that part a no-brainer.
This will be primarily for Great Lakes wreck diving, potentially Florida Caves and East Coast wrecks. If it lasts longer than that, more the better.
Probably taking ITT/AN/DP immediately after the Drysuit course. I understand there is a few weeks' lead time, my LDS is pretty flexible with Drysuit dates.
The difference between the Nova (trilam) and Ultra (crushed neoprene) when all is said and done with undersuit, hood, gloves, and spare seals is like $100 so not a major factor.

Trilam Pros:
-Lighter
-Dries Faster
-Self-donning zipper
-Baggier so less sensitive to any change in my weight
-Easier to plumb in pee valve/electric heat
Trilam Cons:
-Tears easier
-More difficult to effectively repair
-Will eventually delaminate
-No innate warmth
Crushed Neoprene Pros:
-Sturdier (tear/abrasion resistance, stretch)
-Easier to repair
-More hydrodynamic (marginally...)
-Innate warmth = less layers = less buoyancy swing
Crushed Neoprene Cons:
-lots of gripes about the Back Zipper
-Tighter so affected by weight loss/gain
-More difficult to plumb in pee valve/electric heat
-Dries slower/heavier for travel

I know the consensus here is very pro-Trilam, however I see very good divers doing incredible dives in crushed neoprene drysuits and having both increased abrasion resistance and innate thermal protection is attractive...

Regular zips, does a cover really matter? No pee valve but may add at a later date.

Seals-planning on SiTech Quick Neck with Silicone seals and SiTech QCS Ovals for the wrists

Planning on "Warm neck-simple" and the bibbed hood

Regular Apeks low-profile dump and Apeks/Seatek swivel inflator, 74cm rubber hose

Neoprene socks (so I can turn the suit inside-out)

No chafe pads, kevlar kneepads

2x large zipper cargo pocket on outside seams

If I got the compressed neoprene, I'd get the 150gm undersuit, if I got the trilam, I'd get the 250gm.

Spare silicone neck seal, spare silicone wrist seals, bibbed hood.

Anything else I should add, change, or delete?

 

[admikar]

As for neo vs trilam, you have all the data and only you can decide.
As I don't know if all the options are same for neo vs trilam, I'll give you desired extras for trilam:
- zipper cover (regardles of metal/plastic, you want to keep all the crud out of it)
- P-valve (while not really required, it's great option to have and you might as well install it now vs sending suit somewhere to get it in)
- go for Expedition pockets (no one ever said that they have too much pocket space)
- if diving twinset, at least go for shoulder protection to protect from straps chafe (back protection might be useful, but I use kevlar pad on my BPW, so not a factor)
- if diving Great Lakes, my guess some sort of dry gloves are planned. QCS gives you option of Rolock or Ultima (avoid Sitech systems).
- wide braces, brace pocket, inflator valve comfort pad etc. are all down to your own preferences

 

[stretchthepenn]

I'd get the Kevlar kneepads. They're not bulky, and they can help prevent problems.

And I'll echo some of the points @admikar wrote above; the Expedition pockets are better choices, as are the wide suspenders, and the valve comfort pad makes life more comfortable.

 

[Sebs]

If diving in great Lakes, definitely tick the option to accommodate 400gm undergarments. I dive in Swiss lakes (around 6°C at depth) and even with a 490gm undersuit (tecline) I get cold after around 30 to 40 minutes. Of course thermal tolerance is up to the individual but for me the 250gm seaskin was nowhere near enough.

 

[Jhgt2d]

I love my sitech gloves, definitely recommend planning for a glove system of some kind if you are diving up here. Lake bottom temps are 40-45 all summer for pretty much anywhere below 75'. Make sure you get the extra room for thick undergarments, you will need it.

I would recommend to get the pee valve installed now rather than later. If you get the pee valve get the hose tidy as well, it's annoying to have my pee valve hose flopping all over while I am trying to get dressed or roll up my suit, though it's not required. Definitely go with the wide suspenders and the inflation valve comfort patch is worth the cost, that air gets cold when it blows directly on your nice warm chest.

I have heard the apeks low profile valve used to leak when full open. No idea if that was fixed or just a rumor. I use sitech dump valves with no issues. I would also recommend the DIR dump position to allow easier dumping while in trim.

Protection pads are personal preference. My bilaminate suit has been worn for over 400 dives with no sign of wear so far. Add them if you want, they don't really have much of a down side until they start coming unglued which is an easy fix.

Elasticated back panel is personal preference and may have use if you change to smaller thermals sometimes.

Some people like the flair from the reflective tape and name patches, nothing worth with either, just personal preference.

2 pockets is highly recommended, and the larger the better in my opinion.

Front entry allows you to suit up solo, though that can be done with back zip if your shoulders are still good. That's the 1 regret I have the my bare dry suit, I cheaped out and didn't spend the extra $200-$300 for a front zip. No matter which entry you get, add the dry zip cover. The zipper is the most failure prone piece and should be protected as much as you can.

Weezle make some top notch undergarments and since your suit is already going to take a bit to ship, you may as well order some thermals from the UK as well.

Good luck and if you ever want to do some diving let me know.

 

[synackdouche]

I suspect that the reason the consensus here is "pro-trilam" is because the consensus among divers in general is very "pro-trilam". I don't know any divers that regret a trilaminate drysuit purchase and have gone back to neoprene, but I know plenty that have moved from neoprene to trilaminate, or regret purchasing a neoprene drysuit because they were talked into one at an LDS or didn't know better and intend to purchase a trilaminate one when the time comes for a replacement. The best way to get a sense of this is to ask other divers though. Don't ask them for their opinions on their own drysuits though, ask them which kinds they have owned and why they are diving the kind of drysuit they have now. I strongly suspect that you will find that those who have tried both are diving trilaminate drysuits. The front zip is also super convenient. You'll regret the backzip immediatly the first time a heavy handed buddy jams the zip on you or doesn't close it all the way (or you forget to ask someone to zip you up before you get your rig on). Once you're in "cold" water the inherent thermal protection from neoprene is minimal. Pick the right materials for the job: trilaminate for the drysuit for the reasons you mentioned and wool/fleece for the undersuit to trap air and provide insulation. Also, I've never heard someone suggest that trilaminate tears easier than neoprene. My first Seaskin Nova is coming up on 10+ years old and it's still going strong (a fellow club member is diving it now).

Silicone seals tend to fail catastrophically and with little warning, so make sure you have spares. I prefer a neoprene neck seal, you get the comfort of neoprene and they can be repaired on a boat if required. If the quick change neoprene neck seals weren't outrageously expensive I'd be the first in line to get mine swapped out. I've also only ever had fitted Kubi dry gloves and seals. I've heard divers complain about other brands but never Kubis.

You will also need boots (or the ever fashionable Chuck Taylor All Stars) if you go with neoprene socks. It's a good choice, but an added expense.

Also another vote for expedition pockets with velcro flaps. You will never regret having somewhere to put more stuff and you don't want to have to worry about getting a zipper jammed when you're trying to get a DSMB or spare mask out of your pocket.

 

[Td9984]

Get the pee valve now. Have them install it factory that way you don't have to worry about doing it yourself or someone else messing up.
Same with dry glove system. I like my Kubi but they are more expensive. Get whatever set of rings you are going to use installed now for the same reason as the pee valve.
I third or fourth the expedition pockets. Always nice to have large easy to access pockets.
Neck system is nice, don't forget to trim it to size once you try it on. Almost passed out while suiting up my first time diving mine.
Also look into what boots you are going to wear. I wear chucks friend wears SCUBA specific boots. Both work but guess who is more expensive...
I personally can't stand the 250 undershirt I got. I feel like the stay puff marshmallow man. Loose almost all my range of motion. Don't get me wrong it's warm, but there are better and slimer options with better range of motion.