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Drysuit Manual

DISCLAIMER

This manual is meant only as a guide and not a substitute for diving instruction and safe diving practices.

Download a printable booklet of this drysuit manual. For best results, print double sided. Fold each page down the center, then staple twice down the crease in the middle of the booklet.


General Information

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Abyss suit. Your suit has been manufactured according to our precise specifications and attention to detail and designed with maximum comfort and durability in mind. Abyss suits are used by working divers in all aspects of commercial diving work and will keep you warm and dry for years to come.

Periodically the suit will require maintenance. Zippers, seals and valves etc. may need replacement or attention. If you suspect that your suit requires maintenance or is not performing as it should, you should immediately discontinue its use and contact our service department for assessment. For your own safety and for the warranty to remain valid, maintenance, servicing and repairs must be carried out by our service department.

Please read through this information to familiarize yourself with proper care of your suit and the warranty it carries.

If you sell or loan your Abyss suit please ensure that this manual accompanies the dry suit and is read and understood by the buyer/lender before using the equipment. If you have any questions about the use or basic maintenance of your dry suits please contact us.

WARNING

Failure to follow all warnings and instructions for use and maintenance may result in serious injury or, in extreme situations, death.

Improper use or misuse of this dry suit could result in the loss of buoyancy control, including uncontrolled descents and uncontrolled rapid ascents, resulting in drowning, decompression sickness, or air embolism.

Improper use or misuse of this dry suit could result in exposure to thermal hazards, including rapid body overheating or cooling, resulting in stroke or seizure.

Do not use this dry suit as a liftbag. If you use the dry suit as a lift bag and lose the grip on the object, you may become excessively buoyant. This may result in rapid ascent.

Rapid ascent is dangerous and may cause air embolism or decompression sickness, either of which can result in serious injury or death.


Critical Safety Precautions

This is not a diving instruction manual and does not eliminate the absolute necessity of obtaining professional instruction in the use of your dry suit.

  • Complete a dry suit diving course from an instructor and stay current.
  • Always wear a buoyancy compensation device while diving in your dry suit.
  • Know your equipment and emergency procedures.
  • Practice your dry suit diving skills under controlled conditions until they become second nature.
  • Dive with a buddy who understands your dry suit system.
  • Use the correct amount of insulation for the water temperature you are diving in and your exercise rate.
  • Don’t weight yourself heavier than neutral buoyancy with an empty tank.
  • Inspect your valves, zipper and seals for proper performance and condition before each dive.
  • Follow our basic care and maintenance instructions and if you have any problems with your suit, have it serviced by a qualified individual.
  • Know your limitations and do not exceed them.

Pre-Dive Check

Check the general condition of the suit, paying special attention to the zipper. Make sure the chain is not broke, the slider slides freely, that the inside of the teeth locking system is free of particles, ie. Sand, grit, under suit fibers etc. and that the two sealing surfaces are clean and not cracked.

Closely inspect the seals for cuts, crack and tears.

Check that the low pressure inflator hose is correctly fitted to your regulator, checking to ensure it is in good condition and free of cuts and holes, particularly at the crimped ends. Check that the quick connect coupling is free to sand and grit and the spring mechanism is working freely.

Inlet and Exhaust Valves – Check that they are fastened as tight as possible onto the suit with the base plate on the inside of the suit. Over time, neoprene will compress naturally and the valves on your dry suit could loosen.


Basic Care and Maintenance

Close the zipper and rinse the outside of the suit with clean, fresh water. Mild dish soap can be used. Rinse any of the inner surfaces that may have come in contact with salt water such as the neck seal and wrist seals. If your seals are latex make sure you wash all skin oils off and apply talc powder when they are dry. Make sure that any sand, dirt or gravel is washed away from the zipper. Flush the valves with lots of water. For very cold weather, make sure valves are completely dry to prevent freezing. (see attached Sitech valve guide)

Open the zipper and hang the suit by the boots possible to dry completely inside and out. The best way to store it is hanging by the boots. If you must roll it up, keep the zipper open. Lay the suit face up, and loosely roll up the legs and torso to the base of the neck seal. Bring the arms together over the top of the rolled suit and slide it into the bag. Do not put anything on top of the suit.

Never leave the suit in direct sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation will deteriorate neoprene and rubber materials very quickly. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will substantially lessen the life of all scuba equipment.

Zipper maintenance – see attached tag from BDM. Rinse with clean water after use. Lubricate with Zipcare fluid and ZipTech to ensure smooth operation. Store with zipper open.

Warranty

All Abyss Dry suits are made to our highest standards and are sold new with the following warranty. The warranty period starts from invoice date and all suits returned must be accompanied by original purchase invoice. Abyss Diving Suits warrants all dry suits to be free of defects in material and workmanship from invoice date to one year. All seams are guaranteed for the life of the suit excluding the Sport LT which carried a warranty of one year.

Any product determined by Abyss to be defective in materials or workmanship will be repaired or replaced, at the option of Abyss.

This warranty does not cover: normal wear and tear, exposure to harsh chemicals or petroleum products, customer abuse, rental use, improper modification or unauthorized repairs. We reserve the right to refuse repairs to any suit that has been abused beyond repair or deteriorated because of age.

Abyss Diving Suits reserves the right to use the most economical mode of transportation for warranty returns, consistent with good service.