Talcum powder

[scoupland]

I am a new drysuit user. I recently dove with some other guys using drysuits and one of them used talcum powder and the other used Johnson's baby powder as lubricants for getting the head and wrists through the neck and wrists seals. The two were debating which type of powder was preferable. The one claimed that the scents and chemicals in the Johnson's product would cause the latex to deteriorate more quickly than pure talcum powder. The other disagreed. Can anyone weigh in on this and make a recommendation. Thanks.

[MichaelAngelo]

i use ky jelly as seal lube and wax the zipper regular
MA

[MengTze]

I have used both and not seen any faster seal deterioration between either. At this point in time I am using J&J baby powder.


PS where in Oviedo?

[Line Squirrel]

I have always been told that you want to use the type without any scents for the reason you gave.

That said, I live in an area (N FL) where the heat destroys wrist & neck seals faster than anything. I hang my suit outside 24X7 and I'm "pretty" careful not to hang it in direct sunlight but the heat, I'm told from Steve Gamble, is as bad as anything so I guess scented or unscented it wouldn't matter down here. If I get 18 months out of my seals I'm lucky.

[amphipod06]

I use USP talcum powder (the same stuff used as adjunct in pharmaceuticals), just because I had a great deal on a couple of pounds of it. I don't think Baby powder will deteriorate the seals fast enough to warrant its non-use if you are replacing the seals every two years or so. YMMV.

Additionally I store the suit inside (spare bedroom in climate controlled dwelling) to help with latex deterioration, living in North Florida, average seal life 2.5 years...those trips to DUI are killers....

To don the suit I use (as my cave instructor did many years back) a spray bottle with soap water (Joy=cheapest), works great and smells good and no skin oil to accelerate latex breakdown (technically).

Dive safe,

Celia

PS There are some silicone seal conditioners sold but their application makes seal replacement more difficult because the glue does not adhere well to the silicone treated surface....

[akcaver]

KY? Anyone else use that for their seals? Ive never heard of it being used on a drysuit...

[Line Squirrel]

Lee Ann on this board uses it too, swears by it.

[Jim Clark]

KY? Anyone else use that for their seals? Ive never heard of it being used on a drysuit...

I've been using KY jelly for a few years: a pea-sized drop wiped around the inside of the wrist seal makes it easy to put on. I also treat my neck and wrist latex seals with 303 Aerospace Protectant every 4-5 dives. Keep the seals out of direct sunlight, high heat and away from electrical motors (ozone). I get about two years, 100 dives/year average, out of my wrist seals, a little longer on my neck seal.

[newman_diver]

I used baby powder for a while but found that it caused my seals to blow off air more easily. It may be that my seals are almost too loose. Without baby powder I have no problems. I am pretty sure you can get unscented baby powder for the same price as the scented stuff. One guy I dove with used corn starch. I thought it was wierd but apparently it worked.

[chimie007]

I am pretty sure you can get unscented baby powder for the same price as the scented stuff. One guy I dove with used corn starch. I thought it was wierd but apparently it worked.

Some baby powder are 100 % corn starch. Most of them contain some corn starch, the rest being talc.