Silicone Seals stretching?

[Jeff Shaw]

My fusion has latex wrist seals that are melting, so I am thinking of a ring system and trying out the silicone seals, I was talking to Jeff Smith at Pacific Wilderness about them. He was of the opinion that the silicone seals do not return to their original shape, and stretch out making them worthless after a while. He thought that they might be fine for the few dives a year type of diver, but the every weekend type might be best off with the cheaper latex.

Anyone had this experience?

 

[p1p]

Interesting,as the new Whites Fusion has silicon seals, and are replaceable as well. My LDS has quite a few dives on his with no issues.

 

[maxguru]

I had a ring system installed in my White's Catalyst. I used silicone seals, and both of the wrist seals tore before I had done five dives with the suit. They are very stretchy and very delicate. Unless you have a medical need to use silicone seals, don't do it.

I still have a silicone seal in the neck of my suit. The ring is a little small for my head (I max out any hat size chart) to get through, but once I have it on, the seal works fine.

As for the ring system, the wrist seals tend to pop out from time to time when I'm donning the suit, but never in the water. The neck seal is holding strong.

Max
DSAT 198186

 

[Shftrdog]

I don't like the silicone ones, I find they are not as durable.

 

[TSandM]

What I have heard is that there is a big difference between the SiTech silicone seals and the Waterproof ones. My SiTech wrist seals are sturdy and thick (much thicker than latex seals, and thank goodness, because that's the only thing letting me use my Viking rings with the suit now). I didn't use the neck seal long, because it was too big, but it didn't seem to be stretching at all.

 

[aaen]

So whats the verdict on these seals? Are they not worth it in the long run? Anybody else having failures with them? Are they ultimately worth it? The only one I am really interested in getting is the neck seal as I tend to get a rash after a few days of diving in salt water. I've heard of fingers stretching them out putting them on and resulting in a weird bulge in the neck seal, wrist seals that have split by putting them on, etc. I have also heard they are the greatest thing in the world.


At the moment from what i can tell people either love em or hate em. Any further opinions/reviews?


Thanks

Steve