Butyl rubber seals?

[Evans]

A specific question:

Buddy and I have been dry for a year now and looking over the gear found at least one of our drysuit seals is toast (her neck seal). They are both Mobby's Sport Shell suits. They guy who sold them to us said the seals aren't latex, but "butyl rubber." He said it is better because it is stretchier or something. In fact the suits haven't leaked a drop, so I can't complain. But is it true that there is such a thing as butyl rubber seals? Are they better or worse in some way or other than latex?

More importantly, are there any issues with getting them off the suit I should know about, like do they explode if exposed to MEK or something like that? :05:

And a general question:

I am obviously planning to replace one or more seals myself (not to save time or money, but for the experience of doing it) and I am wondering how generic latex seals are. Is it something that is specific to suits, like, I need to know the make and model and size of the suit and order something particular... or do I go buy just any old "latex neck seal," put it on and cut it if necessary?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Gary D.]

The size needs to be right. Different suits have different openings and shapes. Some are straight some are puffy. A lot will interchange but a lot won't so get the right ones.

The best thing to do is have a shop do them and watch how it's done. Not a good idea to FUBAR it and have a failure.

I used to do the teams but quit. It is actually cheaper to have the shop do it. They can buy the cement which doesn't like to sit on the shelf long once it's opened. They can keep the jigs up and clean. I don't need the headache even with over 20 suits to keep up it's just not worth it.

Take care of those seals and they will last a long long time.

Gary D.

 

[Evans]

Thanks. I have a follow-up question. I noticed on the neck seals of my suit that there is what looks almost like a cut about half-way through the seal that runs in a ring all along the seal right up against where it attaches to the nylon of the suit--in a circle all around the neck. In one two places it is all the way through. It's very clean, almost like it could have been done with a knife. Is this common? What causes it?