Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[Litefoot]

With the SS I need to manually trap air, with 4E it does it for me.

Thinsulate is harder to manage the bubble. I need to force air to stay trapped and manipulate the valve. With 4E I don't feel a bubble at all.

@rob.mwpropane Would you mind explaining what you mean in these quotes? Assume you’re explaining to a total drysuit noob. Thanks!

 

[rob.mwpropane]

@rob.mwpropane Would you mind explaining what you mean in these quotes? Assume you’re explaining to a total drysuit noob. Thanks!

We're all noobs in one way or another.

Thinsulate will compress a lot under water, so much so that I find I need to manipulate my valve closed to trap the air, and then open again on the way back up. It creates a bubble. I can feel it slightly rolling around in the suit

With 4E I don't need to do that. It's a lot more dense and much harder to compress. I leave the valve open and inflate just enough to prevent squeeze. On the way back up it just vents any excess air. I don't have to touch a thing. It has more of a structure to it.

Does that make sense? The only way to really feel it would be to try both. 4E is kind of like cheating.. I don't have to pay attention to it and I find it easier to dive.

 

[Josh_Boon]

I just got my Nova in yesterday! I had the pee valve installed but there was no barb connector. Is this normal or do I need to purchase a barb.

 

[Litefoot]

Drysuit pvalve

I have a pvalve and it’s gonna be first time using it this weekend, I have the catheter but how to connect to the hose I insert the catheter over the tube or inside the pvavle tube?

scubaboard.com

Yes, you need to purchase the barb.
Edit: There is a valve (mentioned by @stuartv below) that comes with the Trigon, but it has a 3/8" barb on each end, which works on the catheter side. But the inside diameter of the Trigon tubing is 5/16" hence the suggestion to replace it with the McMaster-Carr 5/16" barb valve.

 

[Josh_Boon]

Drysuit pvalve

I have a pvalve and it’s gonna be first time using it this weekend, I have the catheter but how to connect to the hose I insert the catheter over the tube or inside the pvavle tube?

scubaboard.com

Yes, you need to purchase the barb.

Do you know what size?

 

[Badger7]

Do you know what size?

For a hose that comes with a sitech trigon valve, this is the barb and QD that most of us use:

Drysuit pvalve

I have a pvalve and it’s gonna be first time using it this weekend, I have the catheter but how to connect to the hose I insert the catheter over the tube or inside the pvavle tube?

scubaboard.com

Buy a couple extra of the male barbs, as they are relatively easy to lose or accidently toss. The QD stays inserted into the tube, and you'd have to be pretty rough on it to break it and need a spare.

 

[stuartv]

I just got my Nova in yesterday! I had the pee valve installed but there was no barb connector. Is this normal or do I need to purchase a barb.

if you got a Trigon, there should be a white plastic fitting with an on/off lever that is to connect the pee valve hose to your condom catheter. It should be in the ziploc bag that also has the Trigon documentation and the tool for the Trigon to help you take it apart for cleaning.

A QD setup with a dry break is much better, but the Trigon DOES come with everything you actually NEED (except actual condom catheters).

 

[Josh_Boon]

if you got a Trigon, there should be a white plastic fitting with an on/off lever that is to connect the pee valve hose to your condom catheter. It should be in the ziploc bag that also has the Trigon documentation and the tool for the Trigon to help you take it apart for cleaning.

A QD setup with a dry break is much better, but the Trigon DOES come with everything you actually NEED (except actual condom catheters).

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

 

[stuartv]

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

There should either be a separate bag for the pee valve, OR you should find the pee valve documentation, tool, and connector in the bag where the other Si Tech stuff was.

If you can't even find the Trigon documentation, then they probably failed to include the Trigon bag with your suit and you should call or email Seaskin to get it. You especially want the little tool for taking the Trigon apart for cleaning.

 

[dwrdnet]

I got the Si-tech but I don’t recall seeing anything in the zip lock bag. I’ll have to double check again. I did have the tool in there for the neck seal system.

Mine came taped to a manual in the bag, so be sure to double check the manuals.