Waterproof versus Sitech silicone wrist and neck seals

[Mitchell Teeters]

Update, since my last tear I have blown through two silicone neck seals( that is three in two months)these are not cut or nicked, small pieces are tearing right out of them right down to the sealing gland on the quick replace system.

The seals are being treated gingerly and not grabbing at with finger tips or long nails, etc. i place the fingers down through the neck and pull out slightly turn the head and lift up not over stretching or anything. Perhaps I have gotten a bad batch? Regardless in the 9 years of diving dry i have never gone through a latex seal, silicone three in two months. I no longer can recommend these seals.

Diving regularly, and many if not all of my dives are deco obligations I cannot rely on a seal that fails this easily, if i stretch my neck to far, etc who says it will not tear at depth, last thing i want to do is try to complete 20-30 minutes of deco hypothermic.

Back to latex seals for this guy.



Steve

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Steve it could be a combination of things or just one.
1) big melon
2) pointy ears
3) tusks pointing up

LOL

Or just a bad set of seals. Hope you are doing well

Mitch


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[aaen]

Mitch,

Nope none of those things, although the stubble on my shaved head maybe the issue :0.

Things are well, just btw jobs again and hoping the two I am chasing right now will pan out and get me pack into fifo work and making some cash again and being adventurous and traveling the world for work, aka gun for hire, no i am not a merc, i am an engineer.



Steve

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[aaen]

Well i am convinced the store i got them from had a bad run of seals. I ended up going through 4 seals all with no nicks/cuts/etc, were not pulled out and apart or abused, I've watched a acquaintance of mine treat his like crap(abuse them)and just pull directly on the seal to get it off etc, no issues and i was treating mine gingerly, go figure. Sigh

I've since switched back to latex. I'll wait a few months and get one from another spot to try them again.

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

Man that sucks knowing they can be so fragile. I would use silicone in a heartbeat if they lasted.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[aaen]

So far i am the only person in my area that has had these issues. Mind hey did they had a bunch rip out in chunks though. The first seal i had was great it lasted 2months until my hanger punched a hole in it when i was removing it.

I'm willing to give them another shot though. I will just get them from somewhere else to see if that was a localized issue.

 

[Peter_C]

Well i am convinced the store i got them from had a bad run of seals. I ended up going through 4 seals all with no nicks/cuts/etc, were not pulled out and apart or abused, I've watched a acquaintance of mine treat his like crap(abuse them)and just pull directly on the seal to get it off etc, no issues and i was treating mine gingerly, go figure. Sigh

I've since switched back to latex. I'll wait a few months and get one from another spot to try them again.

Some stores were warrantying the first run productions with issues. Might be worth a call to the shop.



FWIW I like the Waterproofs available colors of Orange and Blue! I have the Si Tech branded all black for my neck and wrist seals. Zero failures so far.

 

[aaen]

Yeah i know they were warrantying them. That is how i went through 4. The last ones i had them give me latex instead.

 

[aaen]

Just wanted to update. I've switched back to a silicone and this one is lasting for now n8 dives in. Longest one I have had to date fingers crossed!!!

 

[CMAN]

I got a new Fusion drysuit with oval replaceable wrist rings installed by Whites in July. While trying the suit on I ripped one of the silicone wrist seals (untrimmed) taking the suit off. I replaced the seal with another silicone seal(and trimmed this one) and it lasted for two dives before it tore. I replaced it again with another silicone seal (trimmed) but haven't dove it yet (maybe tomorrow). I have a DUI suit with latex seals that are five years old and around 100 dives on them and they are still holding on. If the silicone seals tear again I will go back to latex.