Comfort vs. survival
what if you can’t survive the tight gasket?
And everyone knows patience isn’t
practical with today’s thicker heads!
Try Using Football
– Last Updated: Nov-12-09 7:18 PM EST –
It has a nice taper that over time gently increases the stretch on the neck gasket.
In combination with 303, a football worked for this old turkey. Now my only problem is to eliminate my unsightly wattle - and no, being a Thankgiving main dish is not an option.
Neck size 16
Football??!! I worked up to a damn soccer ball trying to get it to stretch and I worked on it for weeks. It still turned my face beet red and made me panic.
On my last gasket I had trimmed two rings and after 3 seasons it had stretched to an extremely comfy fit. So loose that I could go into the water and burp my suit without pulling on the gasket. It would just gently evacuate the air under the water pressure, however, it would not leak. I like that. I replaced that gasket, not because it leaked, but because the latex was visibly deteriorating. The deterioration had nothing to do with trimming and everything to do with UV and age.
Now I realize that some “Stretchers” out there will jump on this burping-thing and say “See! Your gasket is too loose. You trimmed too much. If you take a long swim you will lose your air insulation and die from hypothermia.” And maybe they are right. Perhaps after2 ½ years I should have replaced the gasket (which is easy), instead of waiting for three years. BTW…how often do you change your oil?
The whole thing about nicks causing catastrophic failure is more apt to happen with a gasket that is stretched too tight than one that fits correctly.
Much ado about nothing……
Results With Stretching Do Vary
– Last Updated: Nov-12-09 9:34 PM EST –
and it sounds like your results did vary.
Latex doesn’t stretch over time…
…it breaks down, gets loose and eventually needs to be replaced. There is no way that simply sticking your neck through a latex seal is going to stretch it significantly.
Your seal wasn’t too loose…
…it fit the way it should. As I’ve repeatedly said when this topic comes up, seals don’t need to be tight to work well.
I stretch
– Last Updated: Nov-13-09 12:35 PM EST –
I'm not shy about a new gasket, I put it right over a gallon milk jug.
I takes a few weeks of use and re stretching and I'm good. Now I never use Kokatat neck seals since they only go to large. I buy from a dive store and buy an XL neck gasket and that's a lot better and it won't need stretching for me - and I don't have the football player neck.
I think something is wrong when 100% of dry suit users have to cut seals. Has anyone ever heard of anyone happy with the neck seal fit on a new gasket from any drysuit manufacturer?
Don’t use talcum powder
Trim latex seals,stretch neoprene seals.
Never use talcum powder, since the perfumes and additives will work on the latex.
Instead of talcum, use corn starch, which will work fine. Some use KY Jelly (it’s water based).
On zippers, use zipper lube, parafin, or even a candle. Never use silicone, which will make it impossible to glue in a new zipper.
Can get unscented talcum powder
I’m not going to get into an argument about other additives, but unscented talcum powder can be obtained and is, I know, used by some scuba divers.
What advantage stretching?
Seems the advantage to trimming is you can get the right fit right now.
But why stretch? What advantage is there to that method? Seems it necessarily results in a slightly thinner gasket than what you started out with.
Bingo!
Absolutely
– Last Updated: Nov-13-09 12:41 PM EST –
One option is to get a package of "tire talc". With tire talc, talc is the only ingredient (so there's no worry about additives that might be bad for latex), and it's cheap. Unlike corn starch, it's inorganic, so it won't ever decompose (and get funky) due to bacteria/mold + moisture.
Yeah, I’ve asked why gaskets
can’t be sold properly sized, and the answers I got all defended the great inconvenience this would pose for retailers.
Well, one of these days a drysuit manufacturer is going to get smart, and see that anyone can buy a wetsuit where at least the neck gasket fits properly.
Now you tell me
– Last Updated: Nov-13-09 2:51 PM EST –
So the lavender talcum powder is fine for my hind end but no good for the latex - great.
In two days graduating up in size I have a much more comfortable neck gasket, nice smelling too but I will clean that off assap.
Unscented talc - Who knew?
I guess this all could have been avoided. I had the option of purchasing from two online stores. One had the free polartech liner, the other well known for lending while you wait for custom at the same price. I needed that liner so I made the right decision.
It's not like you can buy one of these things locally here so it's a crapshoot going on line.
Why would kokatat put a large neck gasket in an extra large suit is what is beyond me. This is like putting a 28" waist band on a pair of XL drawers.
This Gore Tex feels ten times better than the Tropos. The Super Nova suit has like a rubber film on the inside where this feels like slick fabric.
Yes, instead of the narrow contact band
you get after trimming, you get a wider, gentler contact area. Now, you might not care about that. But I much prefer it, and my own experience indicates that stretched gaskets last quite well.
Why not trim?
– Last Updated: Nov-13-09 4:27 PM EST –
The advantage of stretching is that you don't have to trim. People worry about trimming and having an uneven cut or a rough cut which might cause a tear. NRS says not to trim on their site:
http://www.nrsweb.com/repair/gasket_replacement.asp
And they use neck seals with rings like Kokatat - maybe the same vendor. I know a lot of people do it and have good luck but I also know that people have screwed it up and caused a premature tear too. Most people are not choking to death but just need a little relief and often a little stretching is so easy to do. And it works. You stretch it over your head and that's what causes it to loosen after a little use too. Kokatat says to trim it but what do they know.
BTW: NRS sells XL neck gasket replacements.
Dan now you need an executive type Job!
Once you are comfortable in a dry suit you’ll be able to wear a suit and tie in any weather!
Loose seals will work fine
I purchased a Kokatat Goretex suit from Kayak Acacemy and trimmed it per their instructions. It was comfy and fit fine.
After being diagnosed with CAD and recommended for heart surgery, I got serious about my lifestyle. I was able to reverse the heart disease, reverse the diabetes, reverse the high blood pressure and cholesterol, overweight, and avoid the surgery and get off all meds. If that interests anybody, check it out. http://drmcdougall.com/stars/robert_cross.htm
Anyhow, I lost over 60 pounds and thought I would need a new neck gasket, since it was just too comfortable and loose for me. It felt like it had no tension at all on my neck.
But I have done numerous roll sessions up to two hours with the suit and the seal works fine and is incredibly comfortable and easy to put on and off. So I don’t think anybody should worry about taking off one ring too many if trimming. There seems to be quite a range that will work, since my suit started quite comfortable, and still works with a couple inches off my neck.
I leave my neck gasket
up over my head. Cut two holes in the front so I can see and tried robbing a bank. Teller couldn’t understand what I was saying, then I passed out. When I get out of jail I’m cuttin’ a nose and mouth hole as well.