My Extreme dry suit (3 yrs. old) is leaking at the feet seams. I could tell it was leaking because… my feet were getting wet. I have the design with the Triton fabric feet and have noticed this model NOW comes with latex feet (surprise, surprise, surprise!). I see you can buy the latex feet, but instead I bought a big honking tube of Aquaseal and I’m going to paint it into the feet seams (inside and out) and see if that works.
Anybody have any advice, suggestions or general help you can offer?
Have them change the feet
I was able to bully NRS into changing the feet on mine to latex for free.
Yah
That’s not gonna work for me. I’m 5’7-5/8" and 165lbs. I don’t bully anyone (except my cat). I just gave them my lunch money and hope the aquaseal works.
Long as your Give N Goes don’t leak,
you’ll be okay.
Call NRS
I have a friend whose NRS suit was replaced entirely after a few years of use because of a couple leaks. His suit probably had a couple hundred days of use (logged 100 days last year alone), and the zipper was broken (zippers are not covered by warranty). He sent it in to have the zipper repaired and they told him other problems (ones he was not complaining about) meant that he would get a new suit.
Definitely call NRS
I’ve always found them to be very responsive and you’ve got nothing to lose from a phone call. You may get a new suit or new feet. I would think that at the very least they can do a better (or neater?) re-seal job than you, so you won’t look like you have snot feet.
If you want to paint the feet, I suggest
Seamgrip rather than Aquaseal because Seamgrip is thinner and penetrates fabric better.
But it sounds like you’re heading toward latex booties.
did you order the “scupper” option?
just do a headstand
while holding the neck gasket open.
My experience with GoreTec booties…
which should be not dissimilar to the Triton ones - because that part of the fabric just about always ends up being folded and crimped up and sweating under paddling shoes, it is always the first spot to leak. I am not sure that there is an alternative other than latex booties or higher levels of annual maintenance on the booties. (Like redoing the tape on the seams or sending them out for that work.)
one other option
My suit is the only one I’ve seen with thin neoprene booties. They take up extra room in paddling shoes, but otherwise they’re great. Far more durable than latex or gore-tex.
Yes, CALL, do not e-mail or use the web
Their people are something else. They all paddle and understand what you need. They spend time with you on the phone and get to the heart of your problem. It’s like you have a friend who works at the store.
Thanks all
I think I will call them and have them send me the latex booties. I’m sure they will donate them ($40) and I will attach them myself. The BEST part of having a dry suit is having dry feet, and it bummed me out when I realized they are leaking. I’ve missed a few good paddling days because this and what price can you put on that? Maybe if I start talking about litigation they’ll ‘overnight’ them to me and throw in a few extra stickers.
Wear and tear
In all fairness to NRS (and everyone else who makes a dry suit) wear is hardest on the booties. So IMO it’s not something that calls for a real aggressive start. It’s kinda like brakes on a car - they are going to wear.
I’m wondering
Why you don’t want a new suit. They will probably replace it for free, I sent two of them back for free replacement with a fast turnaround.
Normal wear
Just about every time (roughly every 2 years or so) I send my Kokatat Expedition dry suit in for gaskets and check-up they have to repair small leaks in the booties. Having booties leak after 3 years is not unusual.
head stand…
thats whu freya learned that trick.
i knew there was a reason.
lol
Yeah
I know nothing lasts forever, but that was definitely a weak point in the design (evidenced by the change to latex booties in the newer suits). I think it will be pretty easy to remedy as there is nothing else at all wrong with the suit. Maybe I could get a new suit out of them by being a hard-ass, but I like the one I have. It smells like me (kind of rosy).
Anyway, I already have the aquaseal so I’m going to try that. Next step will be to try to get a free pair of latex booties out of them.
Actually I hope they do leak
Sing taught me that you’re supposed to pee in your drysuit…or was that wetsuit… HEY, maybe my feet aren’t leaking after all!
You’ll probably do fine
I did not need to be a hard ass with them. In fact I did not expect replacement. They were shipped back to them with a note that they leaked and I beleived that it was somewhere below the knee on both suits. NRS decided to replace both suits without any prompting. Their support seemed to go above and beyond and I appreciated it. This suit has been handed over to my wife and I now wear a Gore Tex Kokatat, it is noticeably more comfortable.