Seaskin Ultra drysuit review

[RobPNW]

I live in the Pacific Northwest and the water gets close to 40F. Do you think the 250 weight undergarment over a basic merino base layer would be good enough?

 

[RobPNW]

That’s only $1700 to $2000 more than the Seaskin,

That's super cool. You could get DIY neck and wrist seals, dry glove capability, all sorts of undergarments for about half the cost of the Bare suit.

 

[lexvil]

That's super cool. You could get DIY neck and wrist seals, dry glove capability, all sorts of undergarments for about half the cost of the Bare suit.

Yep, I’m not a fan of thinsulate undergarments, to bulky for my taste, I use heavy weight merino wool base and either waterproof 3D or Hollis 450 fleece.

 

[stuartv]

I live in the Pacific Northwest and the water gets close to 40F. Do you think the 250 weight undergarment over a basic merino base layer would be good enough?

When I dive in water in the low 40s, I wear my trilam. It is easier to fit over thick undergarments.

If the neoprene suit were made big enough to fit over thick undergarments, it would be annoyingly loose when wearing thin or no undergarments.

The trilam is much nicer for wearing wearing over thick undies and then still being comfortable for thin or no undergarments.

All that said, I guess if I was ONLY going to be using my drysuit for 40 to 50-something water, then maybe I would just order the neoprene suit, with the option to accommodate thick undies.

I don't know. The plastic front zipper on the trilam is very convenient....

 

[Dominick Gheesling]

When I dive in water in the low 40s, I wear my trilam. It is easier to fit over thick undergarments.

If the neoprene suit were made big enough to fit over thick undergarments, it would be annoyingly loose when wearing thin or no undergarments.

The trilam is much nicer for wearing wearing over thick undies and then still being comfortable for thin or no undergarments.

All that said, I guess if I was ONLY going to be using my drysuit for 40 to 50-something water, then maybe I would just order the neoprene suit, with the option to accommodate thick undies.

I don't know. The plastic front zipper on the trilam is very convenient....

I am about to order an Ultra!!!

I've been diving a used one for some time now.

QUESTION? When you refer to "thick Undies" are you talking about something thicker than a 250g undersuit with a base layer?

Really appreciate any feedack. Not certain if I should get the option to accommodate thich undies.

Thanks

 

[stuartv]

I am about to order an Ultra!!!

I've been diving a used one for some time now.

QUESTION? When you refer to "thick Undies" are you talking about something thicker than a 250g undersuit with a base layer?

Really appreciate any feedack. Not certain if I should get the option to accommodate thich undies.

Thanks

First... Go Noles! I'm originally from Tallahassee. All my family is there.

Second, I did not get the option to accommodate thick undies. I can wear my Seaskin 250gsm suit and base layer under my Nova, but I couldn't fit anything else under there with it. When wearing all that, I do feel restricted in my arm range of motion. But, I can't say whether more room in the drysuit would change that. It could just be the nature of wearing a 250gsm undergarment. I just can't say.

I have never worn the 250 under my Ultra. I wear my 150, when needed. I dived my Nova (the trilam) in 43 degree Lake Erie last year. I wore the 250 the first day and I decided I was warmer than I needed to be. I wore the 150 under it the next day and I was fine. I haven't worn the 250 since.

 

[RobPNW]

I have a Scuba Force X-Nine undergarment. Very similar in design and supposedly warmth as a Halo 3D, but about $200 less because they don't have to pay the cast of Fourth Element models LOL. My base layer is a basic Terramar merino. I have yet to try my X-Nine because the local pool is shut down and I need to get in there and do some equipment checks and drusuit refresher training first. With that said, the X-Nine isn't very bulky so hopefully the Ultra will just fit with the base layer and the X-Nine and if I dive in anything warmer, that won't make the base layer alone too roomy. Not sure I completely agree on the roominess concern because, Hell, my damn waist and chest goes up and down 2 inches over the course of the year, depending on whether I'm lazy, it the holidays, I've been in the gym etc anyway. I guess I need to be in shape in the winter and let myself get lazy in the summer

 

[RobPNW]

I'm now debating between this suit and the trilam one because the trilam has the front plastic zipper and zipper cover. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see the Rolock 90 system as an option on the trilam suit, not sure why, but I see the Kubi. Looks like there's about a 30 buck difference in price which isn't much considering the total price of the suit. I'll have to youtube some Kubi videos. Looks like the Rolock would adapt to an existing Si Tech cuff built into the sleeve and the Kubi would be installed by Seaskin? Am I reading that right? Also, with the Kubi, I assume the ring that would hold the glove is included, as opposed to just being a DIY seal device? Do both the Rolock and Kubi allow for cheaper industrial aftermarket glove options? Thanks.

 

[RobPNW]

Can anyone speak to the fit of the attached boots you can get on the Seaskin suits? Do they take into account that you might wear super thick socks? How about width? Typically, I buy hiking boots in about size 9 with a width of EE-EEE depending on the boot. I have Fred Flintstone feet, shorter, wide and squarish. So, if the boots aren't a little generous on the width or they have a narrow "toe box", I'm screwed on those. Personally, I would prefer to have the attached boots. It's just one less thing to forget to take to the dive site. Thanks.

 

[drk5036]

I'm now debating between this suit and the trilam one because the trilam has the front plastic zipper and zipper cover. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see the Rolock 90 system as an option on the trilam suit, not sure why, but I see the Kubi. Looks like there's about a 30 buck difference in price which isn't much considering the total price of the suit. I'll have to youtube some Kubi videos. Looks like the Rolock would adapt to an existing Si Tech cuff built into the sleeve and the Kubi would be installed by Seaskin? Am I reading that right? Also, with the Kubi, I assume the ring that would hold the glove is included, as opposed to just being a DIY seal device? Do both the Rolock and Kubi allow for cheaper industrial aftermarket glove options? Thanks.

For dry gloves, the part attached to the suit and the gloves themselves are different. Basically there are two popular options for the suit-side: the si-tech oval rings, and the Kubo rings. Those are just ring systems for replaceable seals. You then also have to buy the gloves if you want to use gloves. In that case, if you have the si-tech ovals, you can use the ultima drygloves or the rolock-90. If you have the Kubi rings, you need to buy the Kubi gloves. The ring to include the gloves is not included.