Re: [Paddlewise] Dry Suit Neck Gasket

> SeaKayakNH_at_aol.com wrote:
> > > After a week of stretching my neck gasket over a 21"
circumference pipe I still had to trim a full 1/2" off just to be
able to survive a few hours in my suit. Recently I ran into a
winter diver that told me my gaskets (neck and wrist were way to
tight).  Long story short, he says that anything tighter than
light contact is overkill. < < < SNIPPED
> > >  Has anyone had personal experience with a gasket that was
trimmed too much?  If so what was the effect?  What did the fit
feel like?  Certainly it's possible to over-trim a gasket but I
think we've been misled regarding how tight a gasket must be to
be effective. Another benefit of a loose fitting gasket is it's
resistance to tearing. Since it's under less stress when
stretched over a body part for donning or doffing. < < <

Ralph Diaz wrote:
 > > My dry suit is currently being replaced at the neck (and
booties at the ankles).  When I get it back, I will likely be
quite aggressive in cutting the neck down to a tolerable fit,
something I have been loathe to do in the past. < <


My 2 cents:
Adjustments should be made only in small increments - it would
not be good to have a leaky suit or to have so replace a brand
new, but cut-too-much gasket.

A few more considerations:
--  After making small adjustments, wear the drysuit for a while.
It takes the latex a while to warm up to body temperature, and
until that happens, it will feel tighter than it really is.  My
drysuit gaskets always feel tighter when the drysuit is first put
on than they do at the end of the day, and it's the 'warmed-up'
tightness that counts.

--  The degree of tightness is a personal choice, dictated by the
shape and size of the person wearing the suit, coupled with the
conditions the suit is used in.  Ideally, the gasket will be
loose enough so that it doesn't feel uncomfortable or restrict
blood flow, but tight enough to keep out water in real-life
conditions.  Don't forget that paddlers face conditions (flowing
water on rivers or in tidal races, and surf in open water) where
the water will be moving with some force and will penetrate a
gasket that might otherwise be water-tight in static conditions.

--  I prefer to cut one ring at a time, and suffer through a few
hours of paddling before making further adjustments.  After
changing gaskets, I go out on a close-to-home test paddle, and
might even carry a small - but good - pair of scissors with me.
That way, if the tightness is unbearable, I can head for dry land
and make adjustments on the spot (hoping to not go hypothermic in
the process:-).

Slightly tight is right.

Erik Sprenne



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