Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

It is a very well made suit no doubt.

 

[Jenson]

@stuartv I hope you've been getting a lot of dives on your seaskin, how has it been holding up? Any changes since your initial impressions or options you would order differently? Thoughts on their undersuit compared to other underwear you've used?
Thank you for writing up this review

 

[superheavydeathmetal]

I just pulled the trigger on a Nova myself last week, so I was pretty nervous to open this thread, fearing what the comments might say. But, now I am more reassured than ever that I made the right choice!

I also went all-out with options and extra seals, and got a lot of the same options you did. Even with all of the extra options, I am still money ahead, WAY ahead of some brands, even including the undergarments! It seems too good to be true! I can't wait for mine to arrive, although I have three months left to wait.

What do you think about the base layer? Would you recommend it?

How about the upgraded bag? I almost got the upgraded bag, but decided I don't think that it would provide me much benefit, as I really don't ever use a gear bag.

Thanks taking the time to write the review!

 

[stuartv]

I do have a few thoughts to add.

About a month after I got the suit, I got a bill from FedEx for customs and duties or something like that. My total that I paid Seaskin for all the stuff I got was just under USD$1500. My tax bill from FedEx was $424! I was not expecting that. Even with that, I think the suit is still a fantastic deal compared to anything else I know of. But, it's not quite as good of a deal as I thought it was...

I got to dive the Saint Lawrence River again early last month. Water temps were 42 - 45F. Air temps were more like mid-30s and it was windy out on the water. It was my first time diving the Seaskin with the Seaskin bunny suit.

I wore thin low-cut Merino wool socks, spandex boxer briefs, the Seaskin base layer, the Seaskin 250-gram 1-pc coverall, the Seaskin 150-gram socks, dry gloves with a medium weight wool glove liner, and a Seasoft Ti Pro 6mm hood. The longest dive was 30 minutes and I was totally fine, in the water. After the very first dive, I froze my buns off during the SI. The boat had no heat or anywhere to really get out of the wind, and I didn't have a boat coat. In fact, it was so miserable that 7 of the 9 divers on the boat bailed on doing the 2nd dive (including me).

The 250-gram seems really bulky when you put it on, but it definitely compresses down quite a bit once you get in the water. However, it definitely made it very difficult for me to reach my valves. I need to spend some more time with it and see if I can do a better job of stretching and positioning the suit when I'm on the surface, before I descend.

The base layer and coverall seemed to do a really good job of wicking the moisture from my body to the outside of the undergarments. I know I did some sweating in the suit while gearing up. I never felt wet. I never had the cold, clammy feeling. But, when I finally took the drysuit off, it was definitely damp all over on the inside of the drysuit. But, under the 250-gram coverall, I was warm and dry.

I will probably never wear the 150-gram sleeveless coverall that I got.

I plan to order the 1-pc 150-gram coverall that Seaskin sells. The 250-gram is warmer than I need, I think. At least, for most of the time. I think I will get a lot more use out of the 150-gram. And I could be wrong. When I get around to doing some longer dives in cold water, I might end up using the 250-gram more than I think.

Other than the unexpected tax bill, I still have nothing negative to say about the suit, undergarments, or the transaction in general.

 

[stuartv]

How about the upgraded bag? I almost got the upgraded bag, but decided I don't think that it would provide me much benefit, as I really don't ever use a gear bag.

Thanks taking the time to write the review!

The bag upgrade that costs 9 pounds? I got that. And I got the 6 pound Name Badge for the drysuit bag, too.

I like it. I have used it as a changing mat now, once or twice. Mainly, it's just a nice place to store the suit itself when I'm not wearing it. And having my name on the outside seems like it could be handy just for helping to make sure I don't lose it by leaving it somewhere or someone else picking up the wrong bag and walking off with it.

Compared to everything else, it was a cheap enough add-on that I didn't really give it much thought before adding it to my order.

 

[stuartv]

Annnnd.... done. 150-gr undersuit ordered.

 

[lexvil]

I do have a few thoughts to add.

About a month after I got the suit, I got a bill from FedEx for customs and duties or something like that. My total that I paid Seaskin for all the stuff I got was just under USD$1500. My tax bill from FedEx was $424! I was not expecting that. Even with that, I think the suit is still a fantastic deal compared to anything else I know of. But, it's not quite as good of a deal as I thought it was...

I got to dive the Saint Lawrence River again early last month. Water temps were 42 - 45F. Air temps were more like mid-30s and it was windy out on the water. It was my first time diving the Seaskin with the Seaskin bunny suit.

I wore thin low-cut Merino wool socks, spandex boxer briefs, the Seaskin base layer, the Seaskin 250-gram 1-pc coverall, the Seaskin 150-gram socks, dry gloves with a medium weight wool glove liner, and a Seasoft Ti Pro 6mm hood. The longest dive was 30 minutes and I was totally fine, in the water. After the very first dive, I froze my buns off during the SI. The boat had no heat or anywhere to really get out of the wind, and I didn't have a boat coat. In fact, it was so miserable that 7 of the 9 divers on the boat bailed on doing the 2nd dive (including me).

The 250-gram seems really bulky when you put it on, but it definitely compresses down quite a bit once you get in the water. However, it definitely made it very difficult for me to reach my valves. I need to spend some more time with it and see if I can do a better job of stretching and positioning the suit when I'm on the surface, before I descend.

The base layer and coverall seemed to do a really good job of wicking the moisture from my body to the outside of the undergarments. I know I did some sweating in the suit while gearing up. I never felt wet. I never had the cold, clammy feeling. But, when I finally took the drysuit off, it was definitely damp all over on the inside of the drysuit. But, under the 250-gram coverall, I was warm and dry.

I will probably never wear the 150-gram sleeveless coverall that I got.

I plan to order the 1-pc 150-gram coverall that Seaskin sells. The 250-gram is warmer than I need, I think. At least, for most of the time. I think I will get a lot more use out of the 150-gram. And I could be wrong. When I get around to doing some longer dives in cold water, I might end up using the 250-gram more than I think.

Other than the unexpected tax bill, I still have nothing negative to say about the suit, undergarments, or the transaction in general.

This is why I ask for them to not use fedex ot UPS, sent through the mail and you will not likely get a bill, make sure they list on the bill that it’s a suit for sport diving made from 100% man made materials, other wise they tax it like it’s a custom English wool suit.

 

[stuartv]

And you might have even posted that before. It sounds vaguely familiar. But, alas, I did not remember or think to do that.

 

[lexvil]

And you might have even posted that before. It sounds vaguely familiar. But, alas, I did not remember or think to do that.

I’m sure I did, file a dispute over the rate applied, after a year of quoting import rates and regulations to them they gave up, that was a few years back, my last suite I asked to have sent through the post office, it came some sort of hybrid route but no charges.

It’s is also possible that this is some side effect of the trade war stuff that is going on now but I just bought a dry glove system from them, postal delivery without tax.

 

[Peter Slater]

This is why I ask for them to not use fedex ot UPS, sent through the mail and you will not likely get a bill, make sure they list on the bill that it’s a suit for sport diving made from 100% man made materials, other wise they tax it like it’s a custom English wool suit.

I second this. When I ordered my seaskin last year I got stuck with a customs bill. I was able to get it greatly reduced after proving it was sport diving equipment (Just had to pay the brokerage fee). Would have been simpler if it was declared properly to begin with.