Love my drysuit, but the Zip Gloves detach too easily

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vam

Contributor
Messages
89
Reaction score
42
Location
Ontario, Canada
# of dives
100 - 199
I did my first drysuit dives on Monday with my new CLX 450. Hurray! The first dive went really well. I did bottom out a couple of times, but I've seen first dives of the season go a lot worse for others, so I was really happy with everything, and buoyancy wasn't as difficult as I had imagined.

On my second dive I tried to reach into my right hand pocket, and I could feel water pouring into the glove near my pinky. I have the blue Zip Gloves. I was unable to re-seal it underwater, so I tried to keep that arm low, but I got soaked through my torso and down to my knees. The water was 48F, so this was somewhat uncomfortable, but the liner that came with the glove did a good job of keeping my hand warm enough.

So this morning after drying things out I tried to re-attach the glove. I followed the directions, except I used a slightly higher ratio of soap, and I used baby shampoo for the soap. I figured this way it could double as defog in my kit. Other than that I think I followed everything closely. I did the pull test, and it seemed solid. Then I tried just poking it with my finger. I'm not holding onto anything else, it is just hanging on a hanger. I applied enough pressure for it to swing back a little, but not much, and the zip separated, as shown here:

Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 7.56.40 AM.png


I have a feeling this is what happened more or less when I tried to reach into my pocket. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but unless the soap is really a big factor then I don't know what it could be. I ran my hands around the seal more than once with the glove inverted and it felt good. I can feel and see it shift a little when I deform the ring into an oval, but I imagine this in normal.

I would really appreciate any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here. I don't recall the seals that were on it when I bought it coming off so easily.
 
Go onto the DUI website. There's a video or two on attaching Zipgloves.
 
Thanks Marie... I should have mentioned that I'd watched the "Dog TV" videos on this, and even one in Russian just to watch what he was doing. The only difference I could see was that the Russian used wet fingers instead of a spray bottle to apply the soapy water. As far as I can tell I'm doing what they're doing.
 
Hi Vam. This is Kathy Long with DUI. My browser will not enlarge the photos. Could you email them to me? Kathy@DUI-Online.com. From the smaller images and the description of your issue I am thinking that the gloves were not really locked on both channels....

Please send the larger images... and we can go from there.

Thank you,

Kathy
 
Thanks Kathy - I've done so, including a better view of the channels:
Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 8.56.14 AM.png

Re-posted here for anyone who comes across this in the future with the same issue.

I really appreciate your help.
 
Sounds like you have the experts from DUI on the case but in my experience you need to make sure you get both channels lined up and engaged not just one and use little to no soap. They will go together dry. It is a challenge but it can be done. My recommendation might be to clean out both sides of the seal using only fresh water and a toothbrush to get down in the channels and then try again with no soap and just a little water. If you cant get them to go together add just a drop of soap to an entire spray bottle of wate, wet the surfaces and try again. There should be considerable resistance to getting the two sides of the seal to separate if put together correctly.
 
Thanks Andrew. While waiting to see what the experts have to say I tried your tip without waiting for them to dry, so they were still wet. It seemed a little better but not enough better. I'll try again when they're really dry and see how it goes. Much appreciated.

Can someone with experience with Zip Gloves confirm that the channels are lined up correctly in my last photo here? I have them so that the lip of the sleeve fits over the seals on the glove, and the next two ridges in the sleeve fit into the channels on the glove.
 
Your pic. is not clear enough to tell.

We have had no problems with DUI's dry gloves.
 
As mentioned, can't tell from your pictures....

BUT (usually 99% of the time i see with people having issues with ZIP Seals)

One thing that DUI doesn't mention (or show) is which part lays in which other part.

On the glove side, there is a very small ridge. This goes OUTSIDE the drysuit wrist.

The rest lock INSIDE.

I spent many a time reattaching wrist things before I figured that part out (would usually pull them apart getting out of the suit)


Hope that helps (and DUI, please mention that somewhere? Not just a slightly better picture of a mated seal?)

_R
 
Hope these images will help. The rings need to line up and lock.


1.png
2.png
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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