Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[lexvil]

At least there is now this

Commercial 7/8MM Drysuit - Otter

Top tip: use the suit builder below to specify and price your own design of drysuit. Of course, we’ll be in touch after you order to check details and make sure you get just what you want.

www.otterwatersports.uk

still to much $$

 

[waterone]

You guys are such sweethearts, @stuartv is a very good friend of mine for years and we joke and challenge each other all in good fun and friendship, so please don't jump in between us and take things out of context.

I'm not jumping in, I have asked the same question repeatedly and you won't give an answer. From my searching it is because there is no other option.

 

[SaltyFrog]

How are all your suits doing?

50 dives in, many of my valve's pad are coming off big time... water leaking from pee valve, inflation valve, haven't even checked the exhaust valve..

 

[admikar]

How are all your suits doing?

50 dives in, many of my valve's pad are coming off big time... water leaking from pee valve, inflation valve, haven't even checked the exhaust valve..

If you read manual, it states that you need to tighten all valves multiple times during first 6 months

 

[SaltyFrog]

If you read manual, it states that you need to tighten all valves multiple times during first 6 months

based on what has been failing I don't think tightening would help.

I think essentially the rubber pad they use is too rigid, so as long as you use the suit, the soft trilam fabric will cause the glue to fail at the outer ridge of the pad.

(and tightening doesn't help here because the pad is way larger than the valve. And this is espeicially true for the p-valve, which is tiny, and it is used with a giant rubber pad that's probably like the size of my hand...)

And a well known dry suit service shop has confirmed with me that Seaskin suits' pad is a very common issue with incoming suits they service/fix...... so i'm surprise this hasn't come up in the forum.

 

[admikar]

Only reason I can think of is that it is not that common among Scubaboard members

 

[lexvil]

With a new suit I would send it back, mine is about 8 years old so I just fix things that come up as they do. Can you post pics of the issue @SaltyFrog ?

the rubber grommets they use are should be regular Si-tech parts.

 

[stuartv]

I haven't seen you here for a very long time and I thought I post something here for you to finally come up to the surface and grace us with your charm


I won't tell you anything, you have to do the work yourself.

BTW, did you know that programmers in India and China cost a tiny fraction of what it costs to hire one in the US??

I can officially announce I have completed thorough research, surveying every single manufacturer of drysuits in the U.S., and there is not a single one that is competitive to Seaskin.

I do know that programmers in other countries are far less expensive than ones in the U.S.. The industry went through a period of attempting to offshore software development back in the 90s. It was largely a failure. At that time, the IT infrastructure to support such work did not exist. As well, American managers largely did not have the skills required to manage such projects effectively.

I have been saying for well over a year now that COVID has completely changed the landscape on that. Most organizations that extensively employ knowledgeworkers have now adapted to having their employees working remotely. Managers have learned how to manage those workers effectively - or fallen by the wayside. I predict the next thing to happen will be that those companies will now start to realize that just as they no longer need their employees to be physically on site at their office, they also no longer need them to even be in the same country. The next wave of offshoring knowledgeworkers is imminent, and this time it will be largely successful.

And just as with divers and drysuits, telling companies to pay 2 or 3 times as much to get what they need, just to support someone in the U.S. is not going to be regarded as fiscally responsible. COVID has leveled a lot of the playing field - and that means the peaks are going to be much lower for everyone. The highest and lowest are going to be much closer together than they ever have been.

 

[admikar]

I can officially announce I have completed thorough research, surveying every single manufacturer of drysuits in the U.S., and there is not a single one that is competitive to Seaskin.

Regarding SaltyFrog's issues, how is your suit holding up?

 

[stuartv]

Regarding SaltyFrog's issues, how is your suit holding up?

I have not had any leaks at all, except as I think I posted about last week or so. I.e. I've never had any leaks until my last trip to FL (earlier this month). I now suspect that I may have a leak at the seam between the right attached sock and the suit leg. I have not yet attempted to diagnose it.

I definitely have not had any issues with leaks around my pee valve, inflator, or exhaust valves. I actually do not really understand how @SaltyFrog is saying his is leaking. If the pad around the valve is coming up at the edges, I don't see how that allows water to come in. The sealing occurs in the area where the inner and outer parts of the valve screw together and clamp the suit between them, right?

Also, if it matters, I have removed and reinstalled my Si Tech Trigon pee valve a couple of times and I have removed and reinstalled my Si Tech inflator valve - and replaced it with a Si Tech Vega valve - several times, too. No leaks. I have never removed my Si Tech exhaust valve.

I need to bring my Nova in from the garage and work on it to figure out where it is leaking, so I'll look at my valves and try to better understand SaltyFrog's issue and post back if I have any further insight.