Whites Nexus Shoulder Dump

[Bob3]

Is there anything in the design of the SiTech valves that causes them to only dump when facing upwards? I've noticed that behaviour and I wonder if I'm just imagining it or if that actually is the intended behavour. If so, what's the purpose?

Ummm... the air bubble has to be where the valve is, that's why the critters dump better when they're pointing "up".

 

[USIA]

Honestly, with the Si Tech Valve, it really just takes some practice with finding the right position that works the best. Once you get comfortable with the valve, you will find the performance much better than any other valve. We've been using Si Tech Exclusively for nearly 10 years and have never had a recall. No other valve can say the same. For those of you new to dry suit diving, if you LDS has a pool, practice a couple times before you ever go into the open water. And if you spend $1,000-2000 on a dry suit, make them have a Dive master help you. Most LDS's offer this, but if people don't ask, they don't offer.

 

[Rick Inman]

Honestly, with the Si Tech Valve, it really just takes some practice with finding the right position that works the best. Once you get comfortable with the valve, you will find the performance much better than any other valve. We've been using Si Tech Exclusively for nearly 10 years and have never had a recall. No other valve can say the same. For those of you new to dry suit diving, if you LDS has a pool, practice a couple times before you ever go into the open water. And if you spend $1,000-2000 on a dry suit, make them have a Dive master help you. Most LDS's offer this, but if people don't ask, they don't offer.

FBOW, I think the Si Tech valve rotates SO easily that just taking the DS out of it's bag changes the position. In fact, I'd even keep an eye on it in a heavy current...

 

[Daryl Morse]

Ummm... the air bubble has to be where the valve is, that's why the critters dump better when they're pointing "up".

I figured that little detail out on my own, thanks.

 

[Daryl Morse]

Honestly, with the Si Tech Valve, it really just takes some practice with finding the right position that works the best. Once you get comfortable with the valve, you will find the performance much better than any other valve. We've been using Si Tech Exclusively for nearly 10 years and have never had a recall. No other valve can say the same. For those of you new to dry suit diving, if you LDS has a pool, practice a couple times before you ever go into the open water. And if you spend $1,000-2000 on a dry suit, make them have a Dive master help you. Most LDS's offer this, but if people don't ask, they don't offer.

I don't disagree that the valve works and I also concur with your advice to spend some time in a pool to figure out the idiosyncracies of the valve. I did that and it helped immensely.

I guess my comments arise from just how fussy I found the valve to be. When I was in the pool, I found it would spontaneously dump only when it was facing almost directly upwards. On a stock White's Nexus, that means you have to roll on your back, which I find to be a PITA. That's why I'm wondering if there is something about the design of the valve that makes it dependent on inclination or whether there is some other factor that I haven't figured out yet.

I haven't dived in a drysuit with a cuff dump, but I've dived with people who have a cuff dump and I was envious of the ease with which they were able to dump air as they ascended. Just wave the arm up and out goes the excess air. It would seem to me that if the designers of the valve intended for it to only dump when facing upwards, maybe they got it wrong.