Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

With respect to the neck system, below is information from the Seaskin website about the Orust. I ordered the Quick Neck since I wanted the neoprene warm neck added to the suit.

"This neck ring is NOT compatible with having a neoprene warm neck fitted. Warm necks prevent the clips fitted to the Orust system from being accessed."
 
The Orust looks to be only slightly more flexible than the QuickNeck ring, but you have to deal with all those little clips. Seems like more of a pain and a higher chance of dropping/losing one of the clips, especially if changing on a boat. Just my .02. I do have the QuickNeck, haven't had to change a seal on it yet so cannot comment on that. I'm about as small shouldered as an adult male can be and while my harness straps DO sit on the ring I can still reach my valves in doubles.
 
The Orust looks to be only slightly more flexible than the QuickNeck ring, but you have to deal with all those little clips. Seems like more of a pain and a higher chance of dropping/losing one of the clips, especially if changing on a boat. Just my .02. I do have the QuickNeck, haven't had to change a seal on it yet so cannot comment on that. I'm about as small shouldered as an adult male can be and while my harness straps DO sit on the ring I can still reach my valves in doubles.

would you mind posting a picture and telling us how wide your shoulders are?
 
FWIW, I got an Orust neck seal at the same time as when I had the zip replaced on my Seaskin Nova. An adjustable warm neck seal was put on. Have used it with silicone and neoprene seal (which I like much more) and have found that the clips can be accessed without too much trouble. It looks like the standard warm neck seal would make accessing clips much harder. Have had 2 Novas and been using them regular for 13 years. Great suits.
 
How do you like the orust? Is it a pain to change and does it stay on well?
 
I was thinking either the SiTech Trigon Pee Valve, or the Light Monkey "Tinkle" Balance P-valve.
All pee valves are good as long as they are non balanced))
P-valves with check valves tend to leak... especially those, that with duckbill check valves as on Light Monkey "Tinkle"

P.S. ordered Nova with Light Monkey Non Balanced P-Valve but got "Tinkle" instead...had to modify it.
 
The Orust is the only quick change system I have used. I don't have any concerns about it falling apart. It seems robust and reliable and is supposed to be more flexible (comfortable?) than other SI Tech systems. Changing out seals is not particularly difficult. I filed the sharp edges off a flat screwdriver to make a tool to make it easier to get the clips on and off, although I can change a seal without any tools. Have used the Orust with both silicone and neoprene seals. I much prefer neoprene as it is much more comfortable and a lot warmer. The neoprene seal from Waterproof seems to be made from very high quality neoprene and I expect that it will not only last a long time, but will be much less likely to fail suddenly and catastrophically compared to latex and silicone seals. That also means that it will be unlikely that I will ever have to change a seal in the field, but can do it at home as a part of normal maintenance. Have been very happy with the Orust system and will get another or an equivalent on my next drysuit.
 
The Orust is the only quick change system I have used. I don't have any concerns about it falling apart. It seems robust and reliable and is supposed to be more flexible (comfortable?) than other SI Tech systems. Changing out seals is not particularly difficult. I filed the sharp edges off a flat screwdriver to make a tool to make it easier to get the clips on and off, although I can change a seal without any tools. Have used the Orust with both silicone and neoprene seals. I much prefer neoprene as it is much more comfortable and a lot warmer. The neoprene seal from Waterproof seems to be made from very high quality neoprene and I expect that it will not only last a long time, but will be much less likely to fail suddenly and catastrophically compared to latex and silicone seals. That also means that it will be unlikely that I will ever have to change a seal in the field, but can do it at home as a part of normal maintenance. Have been very happy with the Orust system and will get another or an equivalent on my next drysuit.

Could you share the link or shop where I can purchase the neoprene neck seal? I would like to try it out.
 
I much prefer neoprene as it is much more comfortable and a lot warmer.
It is warmer on the surface... the deeper you go the more it is compressed - so the same as latex at depth.
Moreover it needs to be tucked inside properly, that is not always an option especially if diver uses seal-on-seal dry gloves, where undergloves are put on before drysuit, thus buddy has to help.

BTW, our team entirely switched from ring gloves systems to seal-on-seal ones. These gloves lack the main disadvantages of ring systems - complexity and bulkness.
 
For the Pee Valve - I chose the LM ... Roll Royce of Pee Valves as Seaskin puts it. Do get a quick disconnect ( whatever Pee valve you choose).

Quick neck is what I got because I needed a warm collar. My understanding was that they cannot put a warm collar with the Orust system.

The Quickneck sys is good but slightly heavy & stiff - you won’t notice it during the dive. However many DSs have this system now & is a good solution for field replacable next seals.
 

Back
Top Bottom