Silicone and latex seal shelf-life

[Zef]

Currently breaking in a drysuit with Si Tech silicone neck and wrist seal ring system. I bought a suit with this system so that if a seal eventually tears, particularly while donning the suit at a dive site, I could easily and quickly install a new one.

To that end, my plan is to add a neck and at least one wrist seal to my save-a-dive kit. My concern is that they may deteriorate over time to the point that when I need them they will not be useful.

Could anyone share their experience/expertise regarding the expected shelf-life of a set of silicone seals?

How about the shelf-life for latex seals?

Thanks,
-Z

 

[tomfcrist]

As long as they aren’t subjesmcted to extreme conditions they will last for years....I have spare silicone seals from 5 years ago that 1) I’ve never needed and 2) are exactly in perfect condition

 

[broncobowsher]

I've seen latex that is 30 years old that looks and feels perfect, I have also seen it rot in 6 months.
Silicone should have an infinite shelf life. I holes a wrist seal and did a quick swap and was back in the water the next day (happened the last dive of the day). So I do like the quick change and have used it once.

 

[dberry]

Compared to latex and butyl rubber, silicone polymers are extremely resistant to degradation from sun light and air (actually oxygen and ozone). But storing your seals in a zip-loc and keeping them out of the sun should let them last for decades.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Sunlight and skin oils do in latex and synthetic rubber seals. I'd avoid handling them, maybe hit them with a spray protectant, then put them in the zip loc and they should hold up.

I ended up going with a neoprene drysuit because I got tired of seal failures. If I go back, I'd do what you did and get the field-replacable seals.

 

[Scuba J7]

Of the drysuit seals that I’ve seen, silicone seems to hold up better. I’ve seen latex that looked good at the start of a weekend and just kinda melted and then disentagrated the next day.

The owner of my LDS said he’s seen it many times, I’d love to know the science behind it.

 

[Lobzilla]

Of the drysuit seals that I’ve seen, silicone seems to hold up better. I’ve seen latex that looked good at the start of a weekend and just kinda melted and then disentagrated the next day.

The owner of my LDS said he’s seen it many times, I’d love to know the science behind it.

Straight from Wikipedia:
Due to the presence of a double bond in each repeat unit, natural rubber is susceptible to vulcanisation and sensitive to ozone cracking.