Dry suit question.

easy solution
trim it down until it doesn’t choke you or chafe your neck

Neck gasket
You can trim it or stretch it - there’s a thread a mile long on this if you do a search.



The Kokatat rep recently pointed out to some of us that you can use a neck garment - not sure what it’s called - under the neck seal if you get a rash or are allergic to the rubber. It’s some kind of thin fabric choker type of thing that women sometimes wear. You won’t get leaks - maybe just some wicking.



I put some talcum powder on my gaskets just so it slides on easy and that makes it more comfortable on the neck.

Buff Headgear
Jay is referring to a multi function garment called a Buff. Google search Buff Headgear.



I LOVE Buff’s. Have a half dozen of these things. They are the best thing since sliced bread. You can use them for a hat, a neck up, a neck protector or simply to hold wet hair off your neck. Just put it on with half of the tube inside the gasket and half outside. You will get some wicking. If you take a swim with it inside the gasket, just pull it out and no more wicking.



I had to wear this for a full winter last year due to a reaction I was having every time I put the drysuit on. I thought I was developing a latex allergy but it turned out my face lotion was the culprit - they changed the formulation and whatever was in it bothered me more when I had the gasket on. Perhaps it reacted to the latex.



Suz

You can also use silicone grease
on your neck. Buy it in dive shops.



Dogmaticus

NRS gasket warranty is void …
… if you trim them, so says the product literature they sent with the dry top I just received. They recommend stretching them instead. I’m not sure it’s that big a deal, though - never having owned a dry top before I don’t know how tough it is to replace the gaskets if they tear or wear out. But it makes me wonder why the neck gasket has rings! I’ve read numerous posts here about trimming them to make them fit better.



It’s probably like everything else in our litigation-happy society. I’m sure most pistols must come with the following warning: “Caution! Do not point weapon towards self and pull trigger. Serious injury or death may occur!”

Not a bad question from a guy who

– Last Updated: Mar-22-08 12:03 PM EST –

has no intention of ever owning a dry suit but who has a sensitive neck.

with the supernova
you might get a spoonful of splashed water down the neck…

BUT if you are swimming you are going to get more…i had to wear one during a demo day at work one day…first roll sucked water into it…i will never go near one again…

r

Did not when it was new
A new gasket is very smooth. Once trimmed to fit, mine didn’t choke or chafe.



Years later, the chafing began. I looked at the inside surface of the neck gasket. It was not dark glossy black (like the outside of the ankle gaskets still were), but a matte dark gray. I ran my fingers over the two surfaces. The matte surface felt grabby, no surprise.



Rubber gets worn. The chafing can be eliminated by applying silicone grease to the neck contact area. The real fix would be t replace with a new gasket.

When dryness is paramount
you can’t beat latex. Not a bunch of fun to get on/off or particularly comfortable to wear, but very effective for cold water paddling. When I am older I will use the wrinkles on my neck as an overskirt on my more comfortable neo-collared (semi) dry top. I imagine it will work as well as my belly pouch does with my spray skirt…