Spent $45 on a really good neck dam and it saved my whole dive day in Alaska

I was working on a bridge pier in Ketchikan last October and the water was just brutal cold (you know, like 38 degrees). I kept getting water trickling down my suit no matter how tight I sealed things up. A guy I trust from the union hall told me to try a silicone neck dam from Commercial Diving Supply instead of the cheap rubber ones. It cost me $45 which felt like a lot for a piece of silicone but I figured what the heck. First dive with it and not a single drop got down my back. I could actually focus on the job instead of shivering my way through each bottom time. Has anyone else found a random piece of gear that made that big a difference for not much money?

3 comments

3 Comments

fiona_carr264d ago

$45 is practically a bargain compared to the $200 I spent on a fancy drysuit that still finds creative ways to soak my socks! That little silicone ring sounds like a total lifesaver compared to my usual strategy of just shivering faster.

nina_taylor4d ago

$45 for dry dives? That's a steal. Worth every penny for not shivering on the job.

green.iris4d ago

Fiona, you mentioned shivering faster as your usual strategy and that honestly made me laugh because I've been there. But here's what I'm wondering - when you say your fancy drysuit finds creative ways to soak your socks, is it seeping in through the neck seal or is it more of a wrist issue? Because I hear a lot of guys in the shop blaming their drysuit but it turns out they just never replaced the neck seal from the factory rubber one. Have you looked at exactly where the water is coming from?