I’m in the market for a used drysuit. I sometimes see ones that look good but need new gaskets. Having never owned a drysuit I’m not sure how much time and expense goes into changing them, so it’s hard for me to judge whether it’s worth it to spend X dollars less on a drysuit that needs new gaskets. Also how much skill is required?
Thanks!
Like you I have never done this. If I were considering it, I would start by asking the manufacture how much they would charge to do it (and what warranty they provide for this service) and also how much the parts (gasket, glue, etc.) would cost. That would inform my decisions on how much discount to get and whether I want to learn a new skill.
Kokatat lists all the cost for everything on their site. Go to Accessories , then repair. No need to guess. Cost for just the gaskets or for gaskets with installation…it is all there.
Best Wishes
Roy
If you don’t want to replace the gaskets yourself, Kayak Academy has replaced neck and wrist gaskets on two of my drysuits. 95 for a neck, 55 each for wrists for one suit last They did an excellent job, I can’t tell at the seal that the gaskets are not factory installed. Nice folks, they know drysuits. They also sell new and used drysuits and other gear. Kayakacademy.com. Check out the website. And as Roym said, Kokatat.com sells and replaces gaskets.
Great, thanks everyone!
Changing gaskets is very attention to detail, but not difficult. Or, since you sound new to drysuits…Level 6 is having a huge sale right now on refurbished new drysuits. Check it out…I would get one if I needed another one.
I have replaced mine twice now. It isn’t difficult.
depends how handy / mechanically skilled you are. You also need small clamps which are cheap.
I’m sure kokatat will just do there own suits. They will also water test your suit if it’s a kokatat for a reasonable price.
Thanks. I’m sure I could do it but I looked at the Kokatat website and you don’t save that much buying just the gaskets. I’m guessing they will do a better job than I would.
Are the older Kokatat drysuits noticeably less good than the newer ones? I mean design-wise, i. e., provided an older one was in good condition, are there still substantial advantages to the newer designs and materials?
Level 6 suits are definitely cheaper, but you get what you pay for. I’ve been quite disappointed in the L6 dry wear I’ve purchased: leaks, strange tailoring, etc. for my next suit I’ll go back to Kokatat.
Agree about Kokotat being the gold standard. My 11 yo drysuit was just returned from Kokotat after getting new gaskets and a leak check so I’ll be ready for winter paddling.
My Level 6 splash top with neopreen gaskets works great into it’s 3rd year now.
If cost is a huge issue for a first time drysuit buyer, at 1/2 the price of a Kokotat, I would be willing to get the Level 6 over a used one from a user who I do not know. If one can afford it, Kokotat is still the drysuit to buy.
My 11 year old Kokatat suit is like new; I’ve had the gaskets replaced twice. I’ve used other older model suits and would have no issue buying/using an older suit, especially if you’re not going to be using it daily. There are minor changes in fabric and features but nothing that’s worth the expense of new. Kokatat’s Tropos fabric is fine, a bit less breathable than Goretex but again great for occasional use.
Thanks, that’s good to hear.
That’s interesting, I always think the opposite, that I’d prefer a top-quality used item over a less good new one. I’m sure both approaches have their pros and cons.
Replacing gaskets is not hard, but the first time you do it, it will take a bit of time. Aside from Kokatat’s site there are a lot of other sites and videos on how to do it. Some variations may be easier than others and require different materials to accomplish the task. They almost all work.
If replacing both neck and wrist gaskets, wrist gaskets are generally a bit easier, so I would recommend doing these first.
If you are unsure about the condition of the suit, especially a Kokatat suit, I would recommend sending it in. I’ve gotten a new Gore-Tex dry suit and a dry top in the past for warranty issues. Kokatat warrantees most of their products for the life of the original owner for defects in material and workmanship. Latex gaskets failing are considered normal wear and tear, however.
shipping my drysuit to kokatat from Long Island was 90 bucks one way 4-5 years ago with insurance. I did shop it and USPS was the cheapest . They sent me a new suit back under warranty and paid shipping.
I spent $160 this past spring to have a dive shop (which works with diving drysuits) replace neck and wrist gaskets on my Palm Drysuit. Took about 5 weeks to get it done.
sing
Echo other comments. Its not a lot of money but look at the proposed brand they publish it on their website.
In my experience I own a Kokatat half/semi dry suit whose gasket got damaged so I had to ship it back in the fall which was when I really started to need it. They had a 4-6 week turnaround time and I wanted to replace everything else because it was a couple years old and honestly if one gasket failed it was a matter of time until others did. I even had a leak test done and everything. Turns out the suit was delaminating and they replaced the entire kit and kaboodle under warranty for free.
FYI Kayaking is an expensive sport these costs are all rounding errors but the shipping is significant because the box you need for the suit isn’t small.
I have an older (2009) Kokatat GFER (was their top of the line back then) which I bought used with a torn neck gasket – in excellent condition otherwise. I opted to replace that gasket and the wrist ones myself.
But that older design had a separate external collar arrangement that overlaid the inner gasketed one. It was a bear to figure out a way to get something the right diameter inside the torso of that suit to stretch the attachment area AND to get that outer overlay out of the way so I could smoothly glue the new latex on. I figure that complexity and difficulty in gasket replacement was why they dropped that design. But if you find an older Kokatat with that, I would advise against attempting to replace the neck gasket yourself.
The wrists were easy – I just trimmed off the old ones leaving a bit over an inch, shoved a wine bottle down the sleeves to stretch the remaining strips, painted the primer and solvent on the strips and new gasket edges and slipped them together. That also worked for replacing the ankle gaskets with glue-on latex booties.
The longer you use drysuits the more you’ll likely want to be able to replace the gaskets yourself.
Nothing wrong with having it professionally done, but tearing a gasket rarely happens at a convenient time. It’s worth checking out the repair video for NRS which uses a more traditional form and Kokatat which has their own system…both work well. Keep in mind a DIY repair may not have that pro look, but a decent repair with a good seal that doesn’t leak is all you’re really after…and who’s to see it under the neoprene collar anyway.