Seaskin Sanity Check
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onepointfivethumbs
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Re: Inflators, the Apeks are the standard option and I'm sure they have back stock to get through, I could switch to a SiTech inflator or the Vega block for heated undergarments...what would you say the likelihood of an inflator failure and not being able to do a 1:1 replacement are?
Re: Expedition Pockets, makes sense, will change
As far as dry gloves go, I believe the options are SiTech 60910 (Round), SiTech QCS Ovals, SiTech SLAGGO, or Kubi Rings; I heard horror stories about SLAGGO, I don't like the Kubi system, and my understanding is the ovals are the most comfortable option, but I'm happy to be proven wrong by someone who understands this better than I
Re: Expedition Pockets, makes sense, will change
As far as dry gloves go, I believe the options are SiTech 60910 (Round), SiTech QCS Ovals, SiTech SLAGGO, or Kubi Rings; I heard horror stories about SLAGGO, I don't like the Kubi system, and my understanding is the ovals are the most comfortable option, but I'm happy to be proven wrong by someone who understands this better than I
JoeTPhilly
Contributor
The Apeks and SiTech are different sizes but the SiTech will fit since it is smaller (See video below). I got the Apeks but would probably get the SiTech since Apeks is no longer making drysuit valves.
I got the QCS Ovals and they are nice. However, when putting on Rolock 90s the oval get replaces with round rings. If you want ovals you need to use Antares and have read the system sucks. I really like the Rolock 90 system.
There is also the 4th Element Ellipse dryglove ring system that integrates with the suit-side ring of the Si-Tech QCS oval system...it will keep the system oval and works much better than the Antares (which I agree sucks)....the Ellipse ring system functions similar to the Waterproof Ultima DGS but because it is oval the gloves have to be lined up/indexed on the glove-side rings...I have a set of them in a box on a shelf in the basement from some testing and review of the system I did a few years ago. It seemed like a good elegant solution but didn't do anything the Ultima DGS didn't already provide except kept the ring system oval. After testing quite a number of different glove ring systems designed to integrate with the QCS oval rings, I settled on the Rolock 90.
If you or anyone you know want to trade a set of Rolock 90 for a set of 4th Element Ellipse, let me know...I need a set of the Rolock 90 for my wife's drysuit.
-Z
TheSnowBeast
Registered
I would suggest the zipper cover. I've seen the pull on thr zipper get snagged and crack the seal open on suits without the cover. Ends a nice dive real fast. Cover keeps the main zipper protected too.
OP
onepointfivethumbs
Registered
So verifying that I understand this correctly:
-SeaSkin glues the plastic rings into the fabric of the suit (Round or Oval), and the seals are held in place with an inner plastic ring.
-Something like Rolock (which is round) screws on like a pop bottle with a male and female plastic piece, which holds the wrist seal against the original ring, and then the Showa glove is held against the other with another inner plastic ring which means I need to buy a set of Rolock rings and a couple sets of Showa gloves
-Why bother with QCS Ovals instead of SiTech 60910 which is already round?
-SeaSkin glues the plastic rings into the fabric of the suit (Round or Oval), and the seals are held in place with an inner plastic ring.
-Something like Rolock (which is round) screws on like a pop bottle with a male and female plastic piece, which holds the wrist seal against the original ring, and then the Showa glove is held against the other with another inner plastic ring which means I need to buy a set of Rolock rings and a couple sets of Showa gloves
-Why bother with QCS Ovals instead of SiTech 60910 which is already round?
admikar
Contributor
The Si-Tech wrist cuff ring systems are made up of the following components:
1. A soft (polyurethane material) ring is glued into the cuff of the suit. This ring is round in shape and is the overall platform for seal and glove retention.
2. A removable hard plastic ring that is pressed into the soft ring effectively sandwiching the wrist seal in between.
As you noted, Si-Tech has 2 different wrist cuff ring systems...the QCS Oval and the Si-Tech 60910, also known as the QCP (Quick Cuff Platform).
With the QCS Oval ring system, the hard plastic ring is oval shaped.
With the 60910 (QCP) ring system, the hard plastic ring is round shaped.
The 60910 (QCP) ring system is Si-Techs original ring system. It is older in design and both the soft and hard rings are larger in diamter than the the later generation design of the QCS Oval ring system.
The 60910 (QCP) rings fell out of favor with many divers as the larger diamter rings were often cumbersome and some folks such as tech divers had issues with specific tasks such as reach up and handling their valves due to the size of the rings. Another issue with the 60910 (QCP) rings is that there are not many glove systems designed to integrate with it...there are primarily 2, the Si-Tech Quick Glove system and the Si-Tech Glove Lock system. While both of these systems readily and seamlessly integrate with the 60910 rings system, they have their short comings.
On the other hand, the QCS Oval ring system has a lower overall profile when diving the ring system without a dryglove system attached (just wrist seal, or wrist seal with wet/neoprene syle gloves). Another advantage of the QCS Oval ring system is that there are quite a few more glove systems designed to readily integrate with it, some made by Si-Tech and some by other companies. Principally the systems that are designed to readily integrate with the QCS Oval rings are as follows :
Si-Tech Antares
Si-Tech Virgo
Waterproof Ultima DGS
4th Element Ellipse
Rolock 90
The dryglove ring systems listed above are not cross-compatible with the 60910 (QCP) ring system.
With the Rolock 90 ring system, the wrist seal is retained by folding the seal over/around a round shaped hard plastic ring. This ring is then pressed into the soft ring of the QCS oval system that is glued into the wrist cuff of the suit. This hard plastic ring also forms the base of the system for attaching a dryglove. A glove of choice is attached to a seperate ring that comes with the Rolock 90 system. The ring with the glove attached is then twisted onto the ring that was mounted to retain the seal. There is a system of ramps on each ring that slide/twist against each other to cause the system to pull together forming a water tight seal with the assistance of an o-ring in the face of the ring used to attach the wrist seal.
A dryglove system is only necessary if your comfort level/cold tolerance in the temperature of the water you are diving dictate it is. In the water temps that I dive a drysuit over a wetsuit, my comfort/cold tolerance steers me to use a glove system almost everytime.
It should be noted that one can obtain samples of gloves directly from SHOWA for free. Just call them and ask for the models and sizes you want to try. Once you have figured out what model you prefer and what size is most comfortable for you, spare gloves can be purchased rather inexpensively on Amazon or Ebay.
I hope that helps clarify your concerns.
-Z
One small nuance to add to the replies above. The glove rings on rolocks don't really "screw in like a pop bottle", there aren't threads that progressively tighten as you turn the glove in. If there were, you would leak if the glove ring turned at all against the wrist ring underwater. Its more like a set of lugs and channels. When you mate the rings together, they catch on the lug, compressing an oring between the wrist and glove ring. As you turn it further, it doesn't tighten anymore, just seats the lugs farther into the horizontal channel. You actually don't need to turn them in all the way to the hard stop, as long as they are engaged the oring is compressed and they are sealed. You can turn the glove rings back and forth a few degrees and they won't leak at all. Its a pretty good system as long as you keep the oring lightly lubricated.
Sebs
Contributor
Why don't you like Kubis???
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