Drysuit Wrist Seal Questions

I just got my Bare NexGen Womens Pro today. As many others have posted here the wrist seals are HORRIBLY tight. It fits fine in all other aspects and there is no way I should be a larger size. I can't imagine what size person (12yr old kid maybe) could actually fit in this size small seal. My husband can only get 3 fingers in it. Its tight enough that I cannot have it on for more than a minute before my hand puffs up like the Michelin man. I am trying to decide whether I dive it tomorrow or send it back to have the wrist seals replaced with a larger size.

In order to dive it tomorrow, I would have to cut the wrist seal a bit and see if that helps. For those of you who know this suit you know it isn't a conical seal. Cutting the seal will not make the opening larger but just a smaller length will be pressing against my wrist. The seal isn't listed as trimmable by Bare. A few people have posted here they had a bit of luck triming the seals even though it isn't advised and doesn't appear that it would make a difference. If I do this, I cannot send the suit back of course. There is always the chance that I cut it and it doesn't help. If this is the case then I will have to have totally new seals put on. Knowing the approximate cost for wrist seal replacement might make my choice easier. Anyone have any estimates?

I'm anxious to dive dry and have already waited two weeks for it to arrive (and the boots were missing so I had to buy converse to hold me over until they can be shipped). I would rather not send it back, wait for the seals to be replaced with a larger seal, and then wait for return shipping. That'd probably be a month at least! Then again I just want such an expensive purchase to fit correctly! (FYI my wrist measurements were given at the time it was ordered) Suggestions?

Miranda

Well you could pray for bad weather for the next month, you know the kind of stuff you wouldn't go diving in anyway. Fortunately, this is generally the time of year for that.

I would give them a call and ask what to do about it, or call who ever you bought it from, they should be able to give you some advice about it.

Is it practical to stretch them, you know the old trick about putting something in and leaving it over night. You didn't mention if this Neoprene or Latex, so how much help this may be is debateable.

I have the suit and it works fine for me without trimming. The seals are very tight though, much tighter than on my other drysuit, but since it's latex it'll expand. I was even able to push my hand through with 4mm gloves on. You just need to use force (and perhaps talc, or a plastic bag, or maybe some lube...). Same with the neck seal, I have not trimmed it.

I think latex seals will loosen up after a bit, but yours sound pretty tight. You might be able to have your LDS replace the seals for you. You could also just put on suit rings and dive with drygloves.

Thanks for the post. Its a latex seal. I have pop cans (well, Miller Lite) inserted in each seal right now hoping it might stretch a bit! I'm IN Florida and the weather only gets so bad!

I have a call in to the place I purchased it through. I spoke to them briefly today and asked about the seals but haven't heard back on that yet. We are still working out the missing trek boots!

I just realized it came with free seal replacement for life so technically if I screw it up I should be able to get it replaced for free. I dunno if that'd actually be honored though if it happens a day after I got the suit!

Miranda

*Floater*:

I have the suit and it works fine for me without trimming. The seals are very tight though, much tighter than on my other drysuit, but since it's latex it'll expand. I was even able to push my hand through with 4mm gloves on. You just need to use force (and perhaps talc, or a plastic bag, or maybe some lube...). Same with the neck seal, I have not trimmed it.

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Unfortunately although i can get m hand in the seal, the veins are pumping and its swelling within a minute or two. It also goes numb and then takes a while to get back to normal once the suit is removed. I can't imagine what a whole dive would be like. I think I wouldn't be able to move my hand by the time i got in the water. Which size seals do you have? I'm 5'6 120lbs with a size small (womens)

Miranda

cinder4320:

Unfortunately although i can get m hand in the seal, the veins are pumping and its swelling within a minute or two. It also goes numb and then takes a while to get back to normal once the suit is removed. I can't imagine what a whole dive would be like. I think I wouldn't be able to move my hand by the time i got in the water. Which size seals do you have? I'm 5'6 120lbs with a size small (womens)

Miranda

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Mens MLT. I'm 6' and 190#. I ordered it from divetank and I think it came with the default seals (at least I never specified a size preference for them). But they are much smaller than on my other (O'Neill) drysuit.

Given the symptoms you describe I guess you have no alternative than to get bigger seals or to trim the existing ones. What about the neck seal? I'm just wandering whether perhaps it's the latex itself that may be disagreeable to you as it is to many others who complain of neck rashes with latex seals.

miranda, sounds for sure like your seals are too tight

you could try to cut them a bit loser... do your seals have "rings" for marking the various widths? does your manual tell you what "ring" to cut for your wrist measurement?

if not, you can try cutting a little at a time until it feels better... but be careful not to cut too much

get a styrofoam cup and an exacto knife, and SMOOTHLY cut the seal while it's spread by the styrofoam cup

you don't want to leave any "knicks" or they will cause the seal to leak

it's not terribly difficult once you get the hang of it

We went ahead and cut the wrist seals even though they "technically" aren't the normal trimmable ones. Its a bit difficult to describe but I saw another poster who explained it well by saying now instead of a really thick (and tight) rubberband on the wrist there is now after trimming a thin (still same tightness) rubberband. At least this way the blood flow in only hindered by a small tight blockage. It does make quite a difference! I do know that I will request the normal latex seals when these need to be replaced.

The neck seal is the normal kind with the rings for guidance on cutting. We trimmed that a bit right away since it was very obvious and normal. The Bare manual lists the neck as a trimmable seal and the wrists as non trimmable. A bit odd I think. Too bad I didn't notice the threads on this aspect of the suit before. I might have asked for medium seals on the wrists.

Well tomorrow if officially the first dive in the new suit! Thanks guys!

Miranda

awesome

lol, i just noticed we're both in Jax