NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => General Talk => Topic started by: ScottV on September 18, 2017, 03:54:11 PM

Title: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: ScottV on September 18, 2017, 03:54:11 PM
So I finally got my first dry suit, but the neck gasket is to tight and to long. So I am going to trim it.

Any tips or suggestions, I need to cut off about 2 inches.

Thanks
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: FishingAddict on September 18, 2017, 03:59:45 PM
What drysuit brand and model do you have?
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: Tote on September 18, 2017, 05:26:45 PM
Rubber or neoprene gasket?
You can stretch it out with a volleyball or the like then see how tight it is before you trim it.
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: NowhereMan on September 18, 2017, 07:29:10 PM
If it's neoprene, would seem a bad idea to trim it...
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: ScottV on September 18, 2017, 09:10:31 PM
It's a kokatat hydrus 3.0 meridian. Rubber gasket, and stretching won't help with it being to long.  They are meant to be trimmed per manufacturer. Just looking for anyone who has done it and if they had any advice. I will stretch later, but length is the main issue right now.
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: Tote on September 18, 2017, 09:12:01 PM
It's a kokatat hydrus 3.0 meridian. Rubber gasket, and stretching won't help with it being to long.  They are meant to be trimmed per manufacturer. Just looking for anyone who has done it and if they had any advice. I will stretch later, but length is the main issue right now.

Stretching it will make it more comfortable and you won't end up trimming more of than you need trying to make it comfortable.
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: Dannarchy on September 19, 2017, 07:59:48 AM
So I finally got my first dry suit, but the neck gasket is to tight and to long. So I am going to trim it.

Any tips or suggestions, I need to cut off about 2 inches.

Thanks

I had the same issue. I turned mine inside out and found trim guide rings that I followed. I used a small pair of scissors and just took my time. I would take off a couple of rings at a time then try it on until it was where I wanted it.
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: eelkram on September 19, 2017, 10:47:44 AM
My advice is to take your time, use the sharpest scissors you can find, and try to keep the cut as clean as possible.  Sometimes when you start/stop the cuts with scissors, you can leave little mini cuts where the shears move and start a new track.  The mini-cuts are where the tears will happen when you stretch the rubber.   
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: ScottV on September 19, 2017, 02:29:23 PM
Thanks guys, I found the rings on the inside.  I'll stretch first, and if that is not enough, then trim at the ring lines.
Title: Re: Trimming dry suit neck gasket
Post by: Scurvy on September 19, 2017, 02:57:20 PM
You can get a preliminary idea of where to cut by putting it on, and taking note of where on the tunnel it starts engaging your neck.  Then I would go up at least a couple more inches from there and start the ring-by-ring trimming.  Be careful, that conical shape means there will come a point where it seems too snug, but going just one more line is quite possibly too much.  My experience is that the gaskets loosen over time as they get worn more and more.  If it's neoprene, I've had perfect fitting wet/dry suits that got put away for several months and almost choked me when I wore them for the first spring session, but after 3 or 4 wears, they were stretched back out.