Whites Fusion Tech Suit and Scitech Gloves

[BrotherBear]

If you note my other thread in this sub-forum you'll see that I tried to get a Bare SB suit but their standard sizes didn't "cover" me

. I have moved on and am now considering the Whites Fusion Tech suit. OK, I'm more than considering it, the great folks at Aquatic Escapes are bending over backward trying to get me one ASAP since I trashed the zipper on my DUI and HATE diving wet in the cool weather.
I have read a great many posts about the fusion and have yet to find a significant negative comment, in fact what I've read makes me think this might have been a better choice than the SB in the first place. If anyone wants to set me straight regarding this suit now is the time.

My questions and the reason for this post is that I would like to have removable seals and keep my diving concepts gloves from my DUI. From what I understand the only solution that Whites offers is the Scitech system that wouldn't be compatible with my glove and would leave me needing to by gloves as well as the system from Whites. Am I correct in my assumption that the Scitech system provides a field replaceable seal system when diving wet gloves? Are Scitech gloves unique or are there a variety of gloves that can be fitted to their "system"? What do you think of your Scitech gloves overall?

 

[TSandM]

The SiTech system on the Fusion does provide field replacement of seals, but it is not compatible with any seal-mounted dry glove system. SiTech makes two dry glove systems that can be used with the Fusion, the Glove Lock and the Quick Glove. To use the Glove Lock system, you apparently need some part that doesn't come with the suit or the gloves -- I don't know what it is, but there are no grooves to mate with the splines in the glove side, on the permanently installed rings.

I bought the Quick Glove system, and I wasn't very happy with it. The o-ring easily gets out of place and crimps while you are donning the gloves, making them leak once you get in the water. This got better when I put the inner part of the seal holder in in the right orientation (and no, there are no instructions on this) and sprayed the glove side with silicone spray, but then the gloves developed a tendency to pop off.

My conclusion is that that system is usable if you are absolutely meticulous about how you put it together, but I'm sufficiently unhappy with it that I'm not going to put the quick seal change system on my new suit.

 

[Roko]

I have the diving concepts rings on my fusion, however they are mounted onto the seals themselves so the wrist seals attatched to the suit are not interchangeable. I do not know if the rings can be attached directly to the suit or not. (you can order the suit rings individually from a diving concepts dealer)

That said, I love the diving concepts rings, and over three years and nearly 100 dives later, the original seals are still going strong.

Sent from my SGH-I897 using Tapatalk

 

[BrotherBear]

The SiTech system on the Fusion does provide field replacement of seals, but it is not compatible with any seal-mounted dry glove system. SiTech makes two dry glove systems that can be used with the Fusion, the Glove Lock and the Quick Glove. To use the Glove Lock system, you apparently need some part that doesn't come with the suit or the gloves -- I don't know what it is, but there are no grooves to mate with the splines in the glove side, on the permanently installed rings.

I bought the Quick Glove system, and I wasn't very happy with it. The o-ring easily gets out of place and crimps while you are donning the gloves, making them leak once you get in the water. This got better when I put the inner part of the seal holder in in the right orientation (and no, there are no instructions on this) and sprayed the glove side with silicone spray, but then the gloves developed a tendency to pop off.

My conclusion is that that system is usable if you are absolutely meticulous about how you put it together, but I'm sufficiently unhappy with it that I'm not going to put the quick seal change system on my new suit.

I have the diving concepts rings on my fusion, however they are mounted onto the seals themselves so the wrist seals attatched to the suit are not interchangeable. I do not know if the rings can be attached directly to the suit or not. (you can order the suit rings individually from a diving concepts dealer)

That said, I love the diving concepts rings, and over three years and nearly 100 dives later, the original seals are still going strong.

Sent from my SGH-I897 using Tapatalk

Thanks to both of you! I have to noodle on it a bit more but I might have to go with the fixed seals and keep my DC gloves, I will have the replaceable seal system put on the neck, though, I really want to try a silicone seal and I hear they are fragile.

Thanks again

 

[Doomnova]

Eh I wouldn't say they are fragile. The Scuba club I am part of rents out Fusion Techs(and uses them in our classes that are taught) and I have only hear of 2 seals breaking both wrists in about 600-700 dives (in the last 8 months). The nice thing about the silicone is you can see when your stressing it as it starts turning white. If you see that happening you know your stressing the seal. The biggest thing is to make sure theat you keep your finger nails trimmed as stretched silicone easily break when you push on it with something with a point. Also when they do break it doesn't take long to fix them.

 

[WHITES Justin]

Hi Everyone,

If you want the replaceable seals then definitely order your suit with the SLT system.

We do have an adapter ring that will allow you to use the Glove Lock system with the permanently installed wrist rings. This is a relatively new option but will give you the best of both worlds - replaceable seals and the superior glove lock.

Cheers,

Justin

 

[TSandM]

I love the replaceable neck seals, because they really are as easy to do as the advertising says they are. But there is one thing to be aware of with them -- if you are very small-framed, they are going to impact the flexibility of the suit. With the neck ring, I have trouble reaching my dump valve to open and close it, and I truly struggle for my isolator.

 

[BrotherBear]

I love the replaceable neck seals, because they really are as easy to do as the advertising says they are. But there is one thing to be aware of with them -- if you are very small-framed, they are going to impact the flexibility of the suit. With the neck ring, I have trouble reaching my dump valve to open and close it, and I truly struggle for my isolator.

Hehe...small-framed and my name are two things never used in the same sentence!!

---------- Post added April 16th, 2012 at 09:11 PM ----------

Hi Everyone,

If you want the replaceable seals then definitely order your suit with the SLT system.

We do have an adapter ring that will allow you to use the Glove Lock system with the permanently installed wrist rings. This is a relatively new option but will give you the best of both worlds - replaceable seals and the superior glove lock.

Cheers,

Justin

Does the SLT system include the neck seal? The online brochure is pretty unclear about this, in fact I would say it implies this is for the wrist seals only.

 

[Doomnova]

Mine came with it. As far as I know when you replace the seals you can have them all changed over to SLT's.

 

[WHITES Justin]

Hehe...small-framed and my name are two things never used in the same sentence!!

---------- Post added April 16th, 2012 at 09:11 PM ----------



Does the SLT system include the neck seal? The online brochure is pretty unclear about this, in fact I would say it implies this is for the wrist seals only.

Yes, when you order your suit with the SLT system you get Silicone neck and wrist seals included.