Drysuit Material Leaks Poll

[JamieG]

Just wondering what type of suit people have remained dryer in over a period of time (Material/contruction type - not manufacturer)

In the past I have had Membrane and Neoprene but both the buggers leaked regularly on me!

Just interested really.

[Paul Oliver]

How strange, i have just walked in from testing my suit for holes in the garden

4 holes, all on seams

So i don't think the suit material really matters on those

[nigelH]

My Otter Britannic leaked like a sieve when the mice chewed a hole in it and again when I didn't do the zip quite up.

Who do I complain to?

[Richard Mason]

I've used three drysuits in my time, a neoprene Hydrosub (yes - who?) 7mm, which got progressively wetter and wetter as the years went by until it became a standing joke, as back then (1998 on) I was the only diver in my club who had one.

I finally replaced this with a Protec membrane suit and apart from worn and torn neck seal and last week, a wrist seal, it was as good as gold, the only leak in the fabric came as a result of being underweight and having to squeeze every last skerrick of air out and then diving, and foolishly not adding any more. This caused a tiny rip (5mm long) in a crease just above the knee when I bent my knees, put the trilam under too much tension and it just let go. I fixed this up quite easily, with an aquasure/aquaseal type patch, which I replaced a couple of times but it was otherwise completely watertight. The zip on this died last week, just after I fixed the wrist seal.

Today I dived in an off the shelf DUI, over 10 years old but only used twice by the previous owner and, apart from some perished & cracked areas on the neckseal, repaired and now good as new with a bike puncture repair kit, for the huge sum of $4, good as gold too and the most comfortable suit I've ever worn.

(The neck seals on the DUI are very heavy duty, like a truck inner tube).

Between neo and latex neck seals though - no contest - neo wins for comfort every time. They say it leaks more than latex neckseals but this hasn't been my experience.

Neo? I can;'t speak for the compressed variety but the only neo suit I had was shithouse.

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by nigelH

My Otter Britannic leaked like a sieve when the mice chewed a hole in it and again when I didn't do the zip quite up.

Who do I complain to?

The silly bugger who permitted a mouse infestation in his garage. Who would that be then Nigel?

[Scuttler]

I've used both membrane crushed neoprene suits.

I've only ever got wet in membrane. I find that latex seals are especially prone to leaking when gripping things as my tendons raise creating a channel that the water creeps in through. I've also had the neck and seams leak on a membrane suit.

Never had a problem with a neo suit though. (so far)!

[scuba g]

Originally Posted by JamieG

Just wondering what type of suit people have remained dryer in over a period of time (Material/contruction type - not manufacturer)

In the past I have had Membrane and Neoprene but both the buggers leaked regularly on me!

Just interested really.

A good quality one. The material is irrelevant, leaks are caused by glueing and taping which is shoddy, and sh*te valves.

[AidanS]

My crushed neoprene suit is like taking a bath however when I sent it back to the manufacturer apparently there is a manufacturing fault so have a new one to try now!

[Scuby]

Unless you're getting a very thin membrane suit (a few of which i've known to have puncture holes, or just worn through), the material doesn't make much difference.

Good seams in the material are essential - my Gates / Hunter one has never leaked anywhere other than the wrist / neck seals, and that's over 5 years & several hundred dives old now.

Seals are by far the most common place for leaks.

David

[AidanS]

Originally Posted by Scuby

Unless you're getting a very thin membrane suit (a few of which i've known to have puncture holes, or just worn through), the material doesn't make much difference.

Good seams in the material are essential - my Gates / Hunter one has never leaked anywhere other than the wrist / neck seals, and that's over 5 years & several hundred dives old now.

Seals are by far the most common place for leaks.

David

That is very true it was the dry seams on mine that went and apparently it was because the glue must have cured too quick during the manufacture. I will wait and see if the new one does the same.