Need to trim the neck gasket on my Kokatat dry suit (he said, gagging). Anybody else with a size 16 neck remember how much they had to trim the gasket? Thanks. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dave, 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. At one point my hands went numb because my wrist gaskets were to tight I trimmed then down by over an inch to a very comfortable fit and they worked wonderfully. I'm going to do the same with my neck gasket. 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. Jed In a message dated 12/27/00 6:23:51 AM, dkruger_at_pacifier.com writes: << Need to trim the neck gasket on my Kokatat dry suit (he said, gagging). Anybody else with a size 16 neck remember how much they had to trim the gasket? >> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
SeaKayakNH_at_aol.com wrote: > > Dave, > 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. I think you may be on to something. It was part of the subtext in my running dialog with Kevin Whilden and his indicating that use of a neck ring lets in just minute amounts of water when Eskimo rolling. If little water enters even in that situation, then a neck gasket that is just touching your neck, with just a tad of stretch to it, would certainly keep water out. I also think that the latex material, in general, if not so extensively stretched on your neck, will also tend to last longer. Also what you describe in terms of the stretch and possible damage when donning or doffing seems to be an added benefit of a looser fit. I imagine if you were a diver and deeper in the water with all sorts of added water pressure, you might want a tighter fit (although that diver you refer to seems to say it is not necessary even for them), you might need a tighter seal. But if it is matter of wearing the dry suit as a just-in-case emergency clothing item, then perhaps tightness isn't critical, especially since your neck would be mostly out of the water while effecting a self or assisted rescue. 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. When I first got the suit around 10 years ago, I was quite happy with the neck gasket. The fit was very comfortable and the latex was basically just touching. It was as easy as a cotton turtle neck sweater to put on over my head. At the time, I could not understand why people complained so much about donning neck gaskets. But lookinig back, I suspect the suit may have earlier been "borrowed" by someone in the shop with a burly neck or who may have done an initial cut. The two neck gasket replacements since then have been awfully tight but I just grinned and beared it and never dared to cut any rings at all. The later replacements also did not last as long as the original before disintegrating or going limp. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> 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 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jed wrote: >>>>>.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.<<<<< It has been my experience that the gaskets stretch out over time (and body oils also "rot" them) I'd cut only enough to not feel I was being strangled because they will loosen up more. Don't leave any nicks when you cut because that's where a tear will start. Tears are most likely the result of nicking the latex with a fingernail while struggling (and stretching it) to take it off. Has anyone ever died from being strangled by a dry suit they tried on and couldn't get it off before they passed out? Seems like a possibility to me. How about just making bad decisions because the brain wasn't getting enough blood? Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Matt Broze wrote: > Has anyone ever died from being strangled by a dry suit they tried on and > couldn't get it off before they passed out? Seems like a possibility to me. > How about just making bad decisions because the brain wasn't getting enough > blood? I make bad decisions all the time ... no need to deprive my brain of blood to get that to happen! Seriously: Tuesday I paddled vigorously for four hours with an over-tight neck gasket -- so tight it was difficult to swallow. Even if it had been a lot tighter I would still have been able to get air, by slipping a finger through it near my Adam's apple. And, blood flow occurs via the carotid arteries, more protected than the airway. I've been hypoxic enough (at altitude) to prompt brain slowdown, so I know what that's like. Not anywhere near that state with my over-tight gasket. Because the gasket has to fit over your head to reach the neck, plenty of warning of an over-tight gasket. Doubt anybody has ever strangled from that. [There have been times when my paddling partners have wanted to strangle me, but that's a different story!] -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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