Used drysuit neck seal fit

[catone]

I'm contemplating buying a used drysuit that seems to be my size. The latex seal however has been trimmed by the current owner to fit his 17.5" neck and my neck is only 16.5". I cannot try the suit (out of state seller) and I've only used neoprene neck seals, so my question is: will I need to replace the seal? Or one inch difference in size won't matter much?

Thanks!

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

Not an expert, but it would depend on many factors. Most likely you will be replacing the seal.


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[TSandM]

An inch is a huge difference. Unless the previous owner liked his seals really tight, you will be replacing it. However, it is not a terribly expensive repair, even if you have someone else do it, and it's not difficult to do yourself.

 

[Peter_C]

Latex seals are $30 plus glue to DIY, just factor it into the cost of the suit. They can be changed in under an hour.

You could also upgrade to the Si-Tech Neck Tite system so you could run silicon seals and perform seal swaps in the field

 

[spectrum]

The rings on most seals are at about a 1/4 inch spacing. A good fit usually has 3-4 bands resting against your skin. Removing an inch is equal to about 2 bands or at least 1/2 of the seal stretch the prior owner had. Unless he was running it tight you're apt to come up short.

If it's a good deal consider that seals are perishable and you could spoil a good one tomorrow with an errant finger nail. Just allow for it in your offer.

Pete

 

[raftingtigger]

You could also upgrade to the Si-Tech Neck Tite system so you could run silicon seals and perform seal swaps in the field

Did just that on my new (used) suit and couldn't be happier. While you are at it consider putting in the wrist rings and silicon seals. I've found them much more comfortable than the latex and have adapted them inexpensively to dry gloves.

 

[catone]

Thank you all for your help, that was exactly what I needed to know and then some (the SI-Tech Neck Tite tip)!

 

[zider]

See the folks at Dive Right in Scuba. They carry everything you need for your project and are great to work with.

 

[flots am]

I'm contemplating buying a used drysuit that seems to be my size. The latex seal however has been trimmed by the current owner to fit his 17.5" neck and my neck is only 16.5". I cannot try the suit (out of state seller) and I've only used neoprene neck seals, so my question is: will I need to replace the seal? Or one inch difference in size won't matter much?

As everybody else said, it's probably going to be loose, and it's only going to get looser. The seals stretch over time.

However whether or not the suit is a good deal for you depends on the price and wheter you're going to do the seals as a "Do it yourself" project. While the actual seal is pretty cheap, oif you plan on sending it out for service, you'll probably be into it for $250+ by the time you get done with shipping.

Also, as a used suit, you have no way to know the actual condition of the zipper or whether the suit has no/some/a lot of leaks.

I'd make sure the seller would take it back if the suit needs too much work, or that it's cheap enough that you can afford to have any needed work done and still be happy.

flots

 

[Peter_C]

All costs listed for repairs.
Scuba Diving Services - Gas Fills and Scuba Repairs

Here is a Neck Tite system with a video on the page. I think there are a couple of install video's available on youtube too.
Si Tech Neck Tite Drysuit Neck Seal System | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

The better question is what kind of suit and how much money? Take a look at Dive Right In Scuba's drysuits while touring their pages. Some are quite affordable.