Vulcanized rubber???

[Scubadent]

Shooting the breeze with a dive shop owner recently, he made the comment to me that the best type of dry suit was a vulcanized rubber suit because it will not leak. I believe that he recommended an Andy's suit but it might have been a Gates. He stated that all other suits leak, especially around the zippers. He declines to sell any other brand, because his experience has been poor with regards to leakage.

I am someone who is researching drysuits for a future purchase and was under the impression that they kept you dry! A small area of moisture on the undergarments near the seals doesnt bother me but speaking to this shop owner made me think that unless I'm wearing this particular vulcanized rubber suit I am going to be quite wet. This could be an issue diving in February in New England!

Could I get some opinions on this advice that I was given. FWIW, the individual with this advice seemed to be giving me his honest opinion based on his experience in the past, not a high pressure sales pitch, because the conversation began discussing his style of diving and his choice of equipment to use. Thanks for any replies. -Recently confused.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I would characterize what you were told, in the Southern vernacular, as "almost maybe but not quite plumb."
Vulcanized rubber is durable, waterproof, and a great drysuit material. It's what we used in the Navy for flying over water with extreme conditions before we moved to some new fancy stuff for our ventilated drysuits (that was a "few" years ago - don't know what's in use now).
However, there are excellent suits that keep you dry made from other materials as well. Zippers don't necessarily leak.
Rick

 

[Arduous]

I'm here in Massachusetts like you and I dive DUI and am always dry. If I get wet, it's from sweat..............Arduous

 

[Uncle Pug]

I have had Gates and Viking vulcanized and they leak when they get holes just like any other drysuit. Since the waterproof material (rubber) is on the outside you need to be careful what you rub up against as the rubber can get cuts and/or tears. My first Viking last 5 years and had well over 200 patchs... not all of them necessitated by rolling around on an urchin covered bottom... but it seemed as thoough the suit just got tired and gave up. We would patch a hole (or twenty) and then pressure test it and more holes would open up.

The Gates suit I had only suffered three urchin punctures in 5 years of use (all happend at the same time) and once patched quit leaking and is still in limited service today.

The trilaminate suits have a thin layer of butyl rubber between two layers of protective fabric. They will also leak if puncture but are very abrasion resistant, light weigh and easy to patch.

Most zippers only leak when they get old and break... I've never had a zipper break but the Viking vulcanized rubber suit did have a zipper that finally leaked around the edges of the material.

Vulcanized rubber suits are not the end all be all... they are easy to patch, clean of well & dry quickly (the outside anyway.)

But they are heavy and restricted movement.

 

[Scubadent]

You all have restored my confidence in being dry when I am finally able to dive dry!

 

[mddolson]

I cannot comment about other brands.
My very first dry suit was a neoprene suit from BC, it began to leak at the seams after 5 years. (Ocean air)
My next suit was a viking was a Viking Pro, it was 8 years old had over 750 dives on it, when I replaced the zipper. The rubber wore thru to the fabric, and it weaped at that location. I replaced the zipper, and sold the suit. It was still water tight. Yes it had some patches in it.
My current suit it a Viking HD, 200 dives a little heavier, but a tough suit.

Mike D
:blfish:

 

[Lost Yooper]

Vikings have a great reputation for not leaking, but when someone says "all other suits leak", be wary. It's a sales pitch, and a dishonest one at that. That's typical dive shop stuff.

There are cheap, no good suits and a few really good suits. Most suits (if not all suits) have something wrong with them in design. Rubber suits puncture easy and aren't the most flexible, but are easy to patch, replace seals, and add accesories to. Of course, you can't patch them underwater when you have 45min of deco to do in 50F water.

Buy a quality suit with a good reputation that is fairly durable, allows ideal flexibility, and can be fixed reasonably easy. I would say that $2000 is a decent ball park when it's all said and done. Last I heard, Vikings were $2500+. DUI seems to have the best overall suit on the market right now with their TLS350 or 450.

Good luck.

Mike

 

[Lost Yooper]

Vikings have a great reputation for not leaking, but when someone says "all other suits leak", be wary. It's a sales pitch, and a dishonest one at that. That's typical dive shop stuff.

There are cheap, no good suits and a few really good suits. Most suits (if not all suits) have something wrong with them in design. Rubber suits puncture easy and aren't the most flexible, but are easy to patch, replace seals, and add accesories to. Of course, you can't patch them underwater when you have 45min of deco to do in 50F water.

Buy a quality suit with a good reputation that is fairly durable, allows ideal flexibility, and can be fixed reasonably easy. I would say that $2000 is a decent ball park when it's all said and done. Last I heard, Vikings were $2500+. DUI seems to have the best overall suit on the market right now with their TLS350 or 450.

Good luck.

Mike

BTW, if the guy wasn't being dishonest, then he's totally ignorant. In either case, be wary. Remember, he's a salesman first. That's why we have these boards.

 

[TCDiver1]

Watch out for the snake oil, it's pretty slippery stuff!

Over the years have dove Viking & DUI suits and depending on what your looking for, IMO you can't go wrong picking one of those Manufacturers.

Got to try out a DUI CF-200 last year and i really liked it. It's a crushed neop. material thats thinner and therefore more flexible than a standard thickness neop. drysuit. I thought it was nice cross between added warmth of neop. and flexibilty of a shell type drysuit. I'm selling my TLS-350, size large and getting a CF-200. It's in great shape if anyone out there is interested, PM me & we can talk.

A word on drysuit zipper care. ANY drysuit zipper can and will leak at the zipper if not properly cared for. You have to keep the zipper clean & lubricated to assure a water-tight seal. A good quality zipper like you find on most Viking or DUI suits will last a long time if properly cared for.

 

[Scubadent]

I did get a hint of snake oil odor during our conversation but it was a very convincing discussion!

Thanks for the tips.