Adding an inflator valve

[Sawdust123]

This may be a stupid question but can I add valves to an existing drysuit that is not diving specific. I have a Kokatat shell with socks that I use for kayaking and hunting but have never used any kind of drysuit for diving. I'm very new to diving and currently live in Puerto Rico so I have never actually seen a scuba drysuit. Don't judge me

 

[fmerkel]

Theoretically, sure. You also need an exhaust valve, along with appropriate gaskets.
Whether it's worth it vs. just buying a dedicated suit is another story. I'm not familiar with the Kokatat but I have used similar suits for fall>spring cold water windsurfing and compared to my scuba drysuits they are not as rugged.

 

[Zef]

This may be a stupid question but can I add valves to an existing drysuit that is not diving specific. I have a Kokatat shell with socks that I use for kayaking and hunting but have never used any kind of drysuit for diving. I'm very new to diving and currently live in Puerto Rico so I have never actually seen a scuba drysuit. Don't judge me

I have a brand new NRS drysuit that I purchased for whitewater kayaking a handful of years ago...the waterproof breathable laminate seems similar to that used in breathable diving drysuits and is a little bit thicker than the material Aqualung uses for their Aircore fabric suits.

I thought about putting an inflator vavle and exhaust valve on it until I it dawned on me that the whitewater drysuit is sized for a totally different activity. You don't typically wear much insulation under whitewater drysuit as your paddling generates more than enough body heat to stay warm plus you have the added layer of your PFD and spray-skirt.

Unless you have a Kokatat that is a few sizes too big you may find that it is not very comfortable to layer under the suit for cold water use.

Put on some insulating layers and try your kokatat suit on...if it fits, you can try to convert it and if it does not hold watertight at depth you can pull the valves off and patch the suit...the holes only need to be roughly an inch or so wide in diameter for the stems of the valves to fit through.

Good luck with this...I am interested in knowing how it works out if you do it.

-Z

 

[JackD342]

If you have never seen a drysuit, it will be hard for you determine the following, but I will mention them anyway.

Are both neck and wrist seals able to seal the same as a drysuit? Drysuit seals are not just waterproof, but are tight enough to resist the pressure of the air instead trying to escape.

Are all zippers able to seal the same as a drysuit? Same reason as above.

 

[Sawdust123]

I have a brand new NRS drysuit that I purchased for whitewater kayaking a handful of years ago...the waterproof breathable laminate seems similar to that used in breathable diving drysuits and is a little bit thicker than the material Aqualung uses for their Aircore fabric suits.

I thought about putting an inflator vavle and exhaust valve on it until I it dawned on me that the whitewater drysuit is sized for a totally different activity. You don't typically wear much insulation under whitewater drysuit as your paddling generates more than enough body heat to stay warm plus you have the added layer of your PFD and spray-skirt.

Unless you have a Kokatat that is a few sizes too big you may find that it is not very comfortable to layer under the suit for cold water use.

Put on some insulating layers and try your kokatat suit on...if it fits, you can try to convert it and if it does not hold watertight at depth you can pull the valves off and patch the suit...the holes only need to be roughly an inch or so wide in diameter for the stems of the valves to fit through.

Good luck with this...I am interested in knowing how it works out if you do it.

-Z

It's big enough for me to wear a heavy layer 1 and a bunny suit so size won't be a problem

 

[Zef]

It's big enough for me to wear a heavy layer 1 and a bunny suit so size won't be a problem

The only question is whether the laminate and the seams will remain impermeable at depth. If so then you are fairly golden and will have a lightweight drysuit...if not, you will get a bit wet. Try it in a deep pool before heading out to deeper open waters.

-Z

 

[Sawdust123]

The only question is whether the laminate and the seams will remain impermeable at depth. If so then you are fairly golden and will have a lightweight drysuit...if not, you will get a bit wet. Try it in a deep pool before heading out to deeper open

-Z

Good idea I didn't even think about taking it in a pool

 

[Zef]

Good idea I didn't even think about taking it in a pool

You will find that if you take in a pool without installing an inflation valve that the suit will squeeze around you due to the pressure of the water. After more than about 3-4 feet you will find that the squeeze is such that movement will be restricted. I can only imagine what it would feel like at 8-10+ feet. I would caution you to consider this when thinking about jumping in the pool before establishing an inflator valve on the suit.

Regarding the zipper question posted above...the brass zipper on my NRS suit is comparable to similar zippers on diving drysuits that I have seen including my Aqualung Fusion.

And regarding the seals: Latex and silicone seals for diving drysuit seals are not sized "tight" to withstand water penetration into the suit...in fact a too tight neck seal on a diving drysuit can cause a carotid-sinus response where the diver passes out. A neck seal should be comfortably snug...the water outside the suit will push the seal against the body so as long as the seal lays flat and is relatively unobstructed by hair and body morphology, there should be no issue with the seal leaking. Having too loose of a seal can be problematic with the seal not conforming to the neck (or wrists in the case of wrist seals) or with the seal being too easily disrupted by movement of the body part it is around thereby allowing gaps to be present or temporarily form with movement that will allow water to flow by.

Kokotat makes a range of products for different activities and I am not sure what model you have or its intended purpose...The rigors of sea kayaking are not typically as substantial as the rigors of whitewater kayaking. I would have no issue putting valves on my NRS drysuit, conducting tests and if passed diving it if it was sized correctly, but I purchased it at a time when I was a bit leaner and it was sized specifically active paddling on the rivers of the pacific northwest. If a drysuit for whitewater can keep a paddler dry while being thrashed around in class 4 rapids like a Maytag washing machine it should be able to keep a diver dry while gently swimming along at depth...as long as the laminate material and seams can withstand the penetration of water.

I will have a look at the seams of my Fusion and my NRS drysuits this evening....I don't recall if the taping is similar or not. I do know that the taping of my NRS drysuit and my Fusion is different than the seam taping I have in my goretex rain jacket and other products designed for backpacking but these products are not expected to be immersed in water where a drysuit is...I will post what I find.

-Z

 

[happy-diver]

Hows about you don't purge the suit before you take it in a pool without installing an inflation valve so that the suit doesn't squeeze around you due to to the pressure of the water and climb in rather than jumping so the air that's in
there is not immediately expelled so you don't have to install an inflation valve just for testing in a shallow pool and
if any qualms inflate it through the cuff before climbing in then walk deeper then dunk

 

[northernone]

I've dove a drysuit without an inflator, a couple dozen times. Start with the suit well inflated and use a rope and weight to pull yourself down in the pool. Hang around and see if it floods. Breath hold dive to avoid embolism issues.

If it's watertight (pun intended) you could invest in cutting holes in it and installing the inflator afterwards.

Have you considered using a wetsuit instead? They are a good solution where a drysuit isn't entirely required.

Regards,
Cameron