[Timw]

It's a real shame when a company gives up on quality in favour of price. My first Northern Diver suit was excellent and lasted 7 years of abuse and working dives. It was 10mm neoprene - well, it was back in the 80's!! The next one wasn't as good so I moved over to O3 - I used that one for 10 years until the neoprene shrank and I started to struggle to get into it :redface:

 

[Allan Carr]

Yes, a real disappointment. We've got three ND suits in the family. I'm on my second, an RBX which is 5 years old and has been fine. My previous compressed neo suit lasted 14 years of hard diving. My wife has a Cortex membrane which is 10 years old and has never let in drop of water. My elder son has a 17 year old commercial compressed neo (8mm thick after compression and weighs a ton but would probably stop a bullet) which likewise has never leaked.

However, several people in the club have bought ND suits in the past two or three years and had nothing but trouble. I don't think I'd be looking to replace any of ours with another ND suit.

 

[StephM]

I've noticed Scapa Scuba keep popping up on posts with very good feedback and good quality work being done. I'm mulling over getting a 2-3mm Neo for winter dives off the RHIB, they may wellbe getting a phone call.

 

[Rob Dobson]

I've noticed Scapa Scuba keep popping up on posts with very good feedback and good quality work being done. I'm mulling over getting a 2-3mm Neo for winter dives off the RHIB, they may wellbe getting a phone call.

I have a Scapa Scuba 2mm(?) Neo front loader. Superb suit.

 

[trimixer]

I have a Scapa Scuba 2mm(?) Neo front loader. Superb suit.

How much was it, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Rob Dobson]

How much was it, if you don't mind me asking?

MTM, exactly to my spec was ballpark £800 IIRC...?

 

[jamesp]

Ben at Scapa suba fixed my crotch seam after it started letting water in. Dumped wet in his shop 5pm after a dive. Returned dried and fix to the boat at some ungodly hour in the night. Best £15 I ever spent - he made a really nice job of it.
To be fair to ND these things can happen at high stress/movement areas. Apart from the faulty dump valve and the sticky inflater valve the sea going was the only problem I've had. If you consider it normal to replace neckand cuff seals after a year. Had they not been unable to shorten the arms and had they shortened the legs enough it would probably be a nice suit to dive in now that it has O'Three seals on and new dump and inflate valves. It was their attitude over the leg shortening and then the seals that really annoyed me.

Has anyone tried returning anything to Amazon? That's how customer service should work. You get something duff and you start wondering what complex process there will be to return it and how much the post office will extort out of you for the pleasure. Then you go on their web site, click a few buttons and get a postage paid return slip to stick on. I even got my replacement flask before I put the faulty one back in the post.

APD have amazing customer service too. The lady on the phone (Zoe? Nicky?) always seams to remember who you are and sorts stuff out. Counter lung OPV jammed with sand - no worries we'll email you the exploded diagram so you can work out how to take it apart, you've removed the T-peice from the counter lung and can't get it back on - send it in we'll fix it don't worry it wont cost. It makes it a pleasure to deal with them

Apparently O'Three also has amazing customer service so I might well get my next suit form there (but then being cheap I might go to seaskin at 1/2 the price)

Another shout for Scapa Scuba, on the basis that its along way from home I took a spare drysuit with me. Ripped a cuff seal on one dive(original seal, six years old; i`m careful with my gear). Scapa Scuba fixed it and dropped it on the boat for me overnight. No problems or dramas, no need for the comprehensive pile of spare bits I took with me.

If they were on the mainland they would shame a good many dive shops.

 

[chillydiver]

Being a larger lady, I got totally disheartened trying to find a wet suit that fitted without stopping my blood supply. I tried dive shops, large stores all over the country and was on the verge of having one made to measure when I had a last try at Northern Divers. I did not hold out much hope but not only did they find me a suit, they sent me off to lunch while they altered it to fit properly. I returned to a perfectly fitting and comfortable suit with only a small charge made for the alterations. I have yet to get the wet suit wet but it is looking good so far and all the staff there who were involved in my problem could not have been more helpful. I will let you know how it performs in the water soon.

 

[trimixer]

Ben at Scapa Scuba has this weird OCD attitude to customer service, fixating on doing a good job, quickly and at good prices. Drop a suit off with him after a day on the Flow and you can pretty much guarantee that it will be back on the boat before anchors aweigh the next day. I've had wrist seals done overnight and loads of divers have had their trip saved by his interventions.

Also, you have to love the novelty dive hoods and suits!! If only I had a sense of humour I might consider buying one....

Another shout for Scapa Scuba, on the basis that its along way from home I took a spare drysuit with me. Ripped a cuff seal on one dive(original seal, six years old; i`m careful with my gear). Scapa Scuba fixed it and dropped it on the boat for me overnight. No problems or dramas, no need for the comprehensive pile of spare bits I took with me.

If they were on the mainland they would shame a good many dive shops.

 

[Andjo216]

Never had the pleaser of dealing with ND as on the one occasion I made inquirers toward there produces I was at the NEC dive show, and as pretty as the girl was working at the stand she was as clueless when it came diving equipment, so I walked away!

 

[dir-sussex]

Should have bought a backplate and wing!

No crappy plastic buckles and clips to slip or break.

'Nuff said.

 

[ScottishDiver]

I currently own a Northern Diver dry suit and have found it to be excellent quality and has kept me warm and dry throughout my dives, in contrast to several of my buddies who have emerged from the depths wringing wet and shivering with cold despite having more expensive kit.

Their customer service is excellent and they go out of their way to make sure that what you're buying is fit for purpose and right for you. I'm not surprised that chillydiver managed to find herself a well fitting wetsuit at Northern Diver, and it seems her experience matches my own.

Quality, value for money and first rate customer service........thanks Northern Diver, keep up the good work!

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I currently own a Northern Diver dry suit and have found it to be excellent quality and has kept me warm and dry throughout my dives, in contrast to several of my buddies who have emerged from the depths wringing wet and shivering with cold despite having more expensive kit.

Their customer service is excellent and they go out of their way to make sure that what you're buying is fit for purpose and right for you. I'm not surprised that chillydiver managed to find herself a well fitting wetsuit at Northern Diver, and it seems her experience matches my own.

Quality, value for money and first rate customer service........thanks Northern Diver, keep up the good work!

Interesting first post......

What moved you to join YD just to post this ?

 

[ScottishDiver]

It's a thread about Norther Diver so it wouldn't have made sense to post about my OMS wing

 

[MSargeant]

I have one of the old ND Cortex suits as a backup, shame they're discontinued. The seals are good, the material the suit is made from is bombproof. The valves on the otherhand are absolute shite...

 

[Stebzy]

I am so glad that I bought an Otter Mako Dry Suit which has performed brilliantly!

Me too!! Had mine a few years now and its never let me down.

 

[trimixer]

It's a thread about Norther Diver so it wouldn't have made sense to post about my OMS wing

While it is good that you have had good experience with ND stuff, there is no denying the fact that many, many others have not. The numbers speak for themselves.

 

[ScottishDiver]

Agreed. If and when I have a bad experience with kit and / or customer services I'll be first to raise awareness, firstly for safety reasons and secondly to ensure I get satisfaction and a resolution to the issue.

Kit wise, I tend to mix and match, as I guess do many divers, according to the type of diving I'm looking to do.

It's a competitive market and it's good that suppliers have visibility of what we the customers are saying.

 

[diverdiver123]

Anyone got issues with Northern diver / Ndiver please get in contact with me as I am also seeking possible court action against them .

idream2000 at Hotmail dot com - I have many people talking about the issues of Suits so please contact me with your experience

 

[Wopke Martens]

They did not give him one unfortunately.