Picked the wrong drysuit for a North Sea job last November and paid for it

I had to choose between a crushed neoprene drysuit and a trilaminate one for a 10 day gig on a platform jacket off Aberdeen. I went with the crushed neoprene because my buddy swore by it for warmth and durability. First day was fine, but by day three the suit started taking on water through a pinhole leak I missed during inspection. The trilam would have been easier to patch on site, but neoprene soaks up water like a sponge and I was freezing my tail off by the end of the shift. Spent three nights trying to dry the thing in the changing room with a space heater. Has anyone else had a preference between suits that bit them in the butt on a long job?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_kim19d agoMost Upvoted

Dude read an article saying crushed neoprene is a nightmare for long jobs in cold water because it loses insulation when wet, @maxl93 brought up a good point about checking gaskets too though.

maxl9319d ago

Wait, did you check the gaskets too or just for pinholes? I'd take a beating on the drying time every time over being soaked in the North Sea.

felixlane19d ago

...and what's funny is this is the same kind of thing I see play out in a lot of different situations, not just diving gear. @gavin_kim mentioned that article and it got me thinking. People go with what a buddy swears by without really matching it to the actual conditions of the job. I've watched guys pick a favorite tool or a brand of work boot for one good experience and then force it into a situation it's not designed for. The real trick is figuring out what's best for the longest part of your work, not just the first couple of days when everything's still dry.