PSA: Check your drysuit zip lube before a deep dive, learned the hard way

I usually just grab whatever silicone spray is cheapest at the hardware store. Last month before a 120 foot wreck dive off the coast near San Pedro, I used a new can I found in my truck. Figured it was fine. Got down to about 80 feet and felt water trickling down my back. Had to abort the dive. Turns out that can was some kind of penetrating oil, not silicone. It ate through the zip seal gasket in about 20 minutes. Cost me $150 for a new seal and a ruined day of diving. Has anyone else had bad luck with a specific brand of lube or found one that actually holds up at depth?

2 comments

2 Comments

terry13d ago

Oh man that sucks. My buddy used WD-40 on his zip once and said the same thing happened halfway through a deep shore dive off Monterey.

miab163d ago

Heard similar stories about WD-40 on gear before, @terry1 always seems to backfire.