user replaceable wrist seals

[pieper1]

ok so I just bought a drysuit with standard glued on seals. im wondering if there is a good easy system to make the wrist seals user replaceable? I don't want to be on a dive and rip a seal and have to miss the dive because of it. also how long do seals last on average assuming they are well cared for and not ripped putting it on.

 

[chrispete]

I put some SiTech Quick Cuffs (and neck ring) on my suit a few years ago and love them. I can change out any seal, in the field, within 2-3 minutes. You can also use silicon (wonderful but tear very easily) or rubber seals.

 

[Drin]

+1 for SITech wrist and neck rings.


-Adrian

 

[buddhasummer]

Are either of you guys small?

 

[Locus]

+1 SiTech. Chuck some extra seals in your save-a-dive kit and off you go. Added bonus is that the quick cuff rings are a platform on which to add various dry glove systems. I use marigold rubber gloves either stretched over the rings, or locked in with easily detached sitech quick glove rings. The gloves on their own are more reliable (less leaks) but the quick gloves are more convenient.

 

[Drin]

BuddhaSummer - I'm not particularly small. Not huge either. Why?

-Adrian

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

I like my SiTech oval wrist seals. The seals themselves are reasonably priced (unlike DUI Zip Seals) and the replacement process is ridiculously simple. SiTech neck seals are a little more expensive and more involved to replace, but still doable.

Bonus, you can use silicone seals with the replaceables. I just sent my wife's drysuit to DRIS to have her latex seals replaced with SiTech replaceables. They did a great job.

Perhaps the size issue was asked because if you have big hands, the SiTech oval rings can be a tight fit. My hands are just at the limit, especially using the Antares dry gloves that are compatible with the same rings. But I have very large hands... I have only ever met 1 or 2 people with bigger hands than mine.

If you're really worried about fit, or you want a slightly more versatile (but larger) ring system, then SiTech's round ring system might be a better pick than the ovals. Mike at DRIS is extremely knowledgeable, he can probably help you choose the system you'll like the best.

Are you interested in dry gloves as well, or just replaceable seals?

 

[buddhasummer]

BuddhaSummer - I'm not particularly small. Not huge either. Why?

-Adrian

I've been contemplating getting my neck seal changed to the Neck Tite system when it fails but have read people saying the system is uncomfortable and interferes with shoulder harness if you are of small stature.

 

[chrispete]

I've been contemplating getting my neck seal changed to the Neck Tite system when it fails but have read people saying the system is uncomfortable and interferes with shoulder harness if you are of small stature.

Probably depends on the suit. On my 14 yr old TLS350 sport (basically as simple a shell suit as you can get) the ring does get in the way of the harness a bit, certainly noticeable vs. when I just had a seal there. My wife's fancy CLX450 it so bulky to start with that I doubt there would be a difference and the ring would be under a layer of fabric to boot. We're both "small stature."

The SiTech ring did bother me for the first few dives, since then I've tended to forget that it was there until I need to change out a neck seal while still inside the suit.