The difference 3 months of diving in 45 degree water made to my drysuit seals is insane

I replaced my neck seal back in October and after 30+ dives in Puget Sound this winter the rubber has gone from stiff and uncomfortable to soft and flexible and I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed how much temperature and frequency affects the lifespan of these seals.

2 comments

2 Comments

river_hall4426d ago

30 dives in 45 degree water since October, that's a lot. Just a heads up though, the rubber itself doesn't really "soften up" from the cold water. It's more like the salt and a bit of wear from moving your head around breaks down the stiff surface layer. So it feels way better but the seal is actually getting thinner, not more flexible in a good way.

zara_hill4626d ago

Salt actually helps preserve rubber not break it down faster, that's more of a freshwater thing. The real culprit is temperature cycling and UV exposure from sitting in the sun between dives that causes the surface layer to crack and wear. So that softer feel is more about microfractures forming in the surface, not just salt scrubbing it away.