Talc vs KY

[CALI68]

KY does work great but just a little is all you need. The only hard part is buying it...no matter how much of a "who gives a damn, I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude you have, it's always a bit awkward when you plunk it down. It's better if you do it like that scene in American Graffitti..." I'll have a comb, some candy, and bottle of Old Harper, some KY, a Coke and some shaving cream.

Before you jump on me I was just kidding.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

If we can get this topic back on topic, great. If I see any more references to people's anatomy, parentage, or other digressions, I'll just close it.

Good grief ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Snowbear]

As Boogie mentioned, sometimes the latex gets a little sticky. If you try to tug the sticky seal over the ears or schnoz anyway, you are likely to rip it and there goes the dive. Another reason I lube my neck seal is to reduce irritation. If I'm doing a lot of diving and don't use lube, my poor neck looks like I tried to hang myself!! Gets some interesting looks, though :11:
The non-divers assume the worst while the divers laugh and ask where I went diving

 

[Spectre]

The only hard part is buying it...no matter how much of a "who gives a damn, I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude you have, it's always a bit awkward when you plunk it down.

I just have fun with it. It's all about selective shopping with the main intent on horrifying the little highschool girl behind the counter. A little soda, some juice, a package of medical tape, some sleeping pills, the KY... walk up to the counter.. glance around. "OOH! How much for that mary poppins tape?!"

--

I've watched folks with the DUI seals that have absolutely no problems getting their seals on. But I've also looked close at the DUI seals vs. my Bare seals. They are -definately- thicker. Another, more important, point is that the proportion of wrist size to hand size varies in everyone. Those that have small hands and big wrists [Billy the Kid was rumored to be able to slide out of handcuffs just do to the big wrists and small hands] won't have any trouble with wrist seals; but those with big hands and small wrists are going to need a little help.

Why would I waste my time, and risk my seals, just to fight into them? In the winter, on the first dive, I don't need anything. But I do getting out of them after a dive, and getting into them on a subsequent dive.

Since the biggest need I have is getting out of them post dive, I use KY. talc just gets gummy when wet. I also know of at least one diver who had a problem with a dump valve after getting clogged up with talc dust over time.

 

[Lightning Fish]

Questions: If I don't use any lube I get a friction burn on my neck, especially the adam's apple. So I tried KY and ended up getting a really bad burn on my adam's apple. So my questions are: 1) would a band-aid on my adam's apple help or be a leak point?, 2) should I be pulling my latex neck seal lower so it rests below my adam's apple? (If this is possible).

Cheers,
Bill.

 

[northcoast_diver]

Well it looks like if you have tiny wrists that is the whole issue. Otherwise you can cut your seals to comfortably slip over your hands without talc etc.

 

[Hoosier]

Try both.... It won't be harm to you.

 

[large_diver]

Why would I waste my time, and risk my seals, just to fight into them? In the winter, on the first dive, I don't need anything. But I do getting out of them after a dive, and getting into them on a subsequent dive.

I definitely have the big hands, smaller wrist problem.

So Jeff, how do you use KY to help you get OUT of your seals?

-Chris

 

[DA Aquamaster]

KY does work great but just a little is all you need. The only hard part is buying it...no matter how much of a "who gives a damn, I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude you have, it's always a bit awkward when you plunk it down. It's better if you do it like that scene in American Graffitti..." I'll have a comb, some candy, and bottle of Old Harper, some KY, a Coke and some shaving cream.

I am not a big fan of wal-mart and regard them as a killer of home town businesses everywhere. But...for buying K-Y there is nothing better than the self checkout counter at wal-mart.

----

To be honest I've never had a problem getting in and out of a latex seal that was properly trimmed without the use of either lube or talc. First dive, second dive, or tenth dive.

That's including the fact that I went with the military grade seals on my latest suit.

There is no question of whether it is possible to get in and out of latex seals without talc or K-Y as it obviously is and I am sure most K-Y or talc users have on occasion found themselves at the dive site without it.

But in my opinion using talc or K-Y puts much less strain on the seals and they will last longer. (I routinely got about 5 seasaons with anywhere from 50 to 100 dives per season out of each set of latex seals.) Plus the most likely time to tear a seal is when donning the suit and using talc or K-Y makes this much less likely which means at some point you are going to get to dive when you otherwise would not, military grade seals or not. I used to use talc but switched to K-Y when I switched to a very snug set of skin in neoprene seals as it works better in that application.

 

[hex92]

I use both talc and KY. I use the talc in the little bag for dusting my seals to get into my drysuit. After the dive I put a dab of KY on my finger and run it around under my wrist seals to make it easier to get them off.