Getting out of wrist seals - any tips?

[samsp]

I find the hardest part of doffing a dry suit is getting out of the wrist seals. Using talc helps a little, are there any other tips?

Is it ok to turn the sleve/seal inside out in the process of arm extraction?

Sam

 

[jagfish]

Latex or neoprene?

JAG

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Use Talc, make your hand as small as possible, gingerly work the seal up over with your other hand. Don't think I'd go for turning wrong side out, seems a little forceful to me. I'm assuming you're talking latex, have you trimmed a ring off? They don't have to be super tight to keep water out.

 

[DivingGal]

I use talc too. I find using talc, and cupping my fingers together allows the cuff to slip off with ease.

 

[jagfish]

I work a couple fingers from the other hand underneath the latex and then pull it off with thier help. You can find a description of that technique on DUI'S website and in their manual...

JAG

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have large hands and relatively small wrists. I find it helpful to use talc but also to use the fingers of my other hand to pull the seal gently up onto the ball of the thumb. From that point onward I can pull my hand out of the seal easily. The seal is turned inside out and there is nothing wrong with that as there is no additional stretching or pulling.

It must work because I get 4-5 years out of a set of latex wrist seals.

 

[Spectre]

I never liked talc. It was messy, and it hardly helped when my hands are wet, like when I doff my suit. And those opinions were formed before they were reinforced by knowledge of at least one instance where a runaway ascent occurred and on analysis the diver found a build-up of old talc in the dump valve that caused the clog.

I use KY. a little on each wrist seal when I gear up. A little on the finger and lube up my wrist until my wrist spins freely inside the seal when I'm taking my gear off.

It's water soluable, it's not messy, and it's a great source of jokes on the boat.

 

[jagfish]

So that's what you tell you friends when they ask you why you carry that tube everywhere?!?!?!?! Don't know if I could get away with that one....

JAG

 

[seavonj]

KY or your local grocery store lube(personal lube), works wonders on your seals and will not damage them. I use talc for donning the seals and KY jelly to remove. By keeping your seals dry before the dive helps avoid water seeping in.

 

[gfisher4792]

I've seen someone grab his wrist seal and pull until it tore off his suit. I'll put that in the "not recommended" choices.