Re: [Paddlewise] Dry Suit Gaskets - How tight is too tight

From: Rex Roberton <rexrob_at_mac.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 17:45:33 -0800
on 12/27/00 3:29 PM, SeaKayakNH_at_aol.com at SeaKayakNH_at_aol.com wrote:


Snip
> part. Then a club member came over to care for me. He's a winter paddler but
> his experience with diving drysuit gaskets is what lead me on this current
> crusade. He said that drysuit gaskets need only be tight enough such that a
> single finger could easily be rolled beneath the seal to pull the gasket away
> from the body.
Snip
> So that's the episode that starting me questioning this whole
> trim-the-gaskets-until-they're-just-bearable logic. Again, I am no expert on
> this or anything else for that matter. But for this man, and this body, tight
> gaskets led to a dangerous inability to keep my hands warm. So I will trim
> *my* gaskets down, way down past just bearable and onto down right comfy. If
> I ruin some gaskets in the process, so be it. I have to learn to replace
> gaskets sooner or later anyway.


I agree.  It's hard to describe to someone how much to trim off but the end
result  is that a properly trimmed gasket won't feel tight.  You should not
be aware of the gaskets at all.  I trim one ring (3mm to 4mm) at a time in
the comfort of my home and get pretty close to the right fit before I go
kayaking.  If needed I'll trim more when I get home.  I want it slightly
snug so it keeps water out and not a bit tighter than that.  I'm just as
liberal on trimming my neck gasket as I am on the wrists. (I don't have
ankle gaskets, I had Kokatat install the latex socks).

Rex

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Received on Wed Dec 27 2000 - 17:44:01 PST

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