Carpal tunnel aka bony wrist

[DeafCol1]

Hi All,
Here's a challenge.....I have been suffering from wet lower arms in several drysuits I've tried. Done all the usual tests, including grey tracksuit underneath. Then an observant buddy spotted slight bubbles coming from my wrist that was reeling the line on the ascent.
Further detailed discussion and in-depth observations resulted in "you've got a bony wrist". Sure enough, this is where it's coming from, and its known as your carpal tunnel.
Now, before I go changing my suit/seals/wrists, does anyone know of a definitive solution for how to seal this area?
I've had suggestions like: don't change to neoprene seals, stick to latex seals but pull them further up the arm, turn about 1/2 inch of the seal inside, wrap gaffer tape round them.......!

Helpful suggestions really appreciated as I'm off to Scapa soon.

Thanks.

[bythesea]

Don't turn the seals in, moving them up, maybe, you can get thick elastic bands called greys that are designed for situations like this or a decent pair of gloves that come high on the wrist can work, it did for my wife, she used to get leakage, I bought her some fourth element gloves for crimbo and she has not had a wet arm since.

You could put a good smear of lambing gel on the inside of the seal. Stick wit latex for sure. Get tighter seals...any all or none of the above may or may not work.....

elimination is the way...start with the cheap options and work your way through the list

[John_C]

Hi All,
Here's a challenge.....I have been suffering from wet lower arms in several drysuits I've tried. Done all the usual tests, including grey tracksuit underneath. Then an observant buddy spotted slight bubbles coming from my wrist that was reeling the line on the ascent.
Further detailed discussion and in-depth observations resulted in "you've got a bony wrist". Sure enough, this is where it's coming from, and its known as your carpal tunnel.
Now, before I go changing my suit/seals/wrists, does anyone know of a definitive solution for how to seal this area?
I've had suggestions like: don't change to neoprene seals, stick to latex seals but pull them further up the arm, turn about 1/2 inch of the seal inside, wrap gaffer tape round them.......!

Helpful suggestions really appreciated as I'm off to Scapa soon.

Thanks.

What type of latex wrist seals are you using now? cone or bottle? IF its cone try fitting a pair of these bottle wrist seals. The longer wrist on them provide more area to make seal with the wrist. You could just but a set and wear them under you current suit seal?
http://www.seaskin.co.uk/acatalog/Drysuit_Spare_Parts.html

Or you could try the bio wrist seal like these

http://www.divernet.com/Diving_Gear/diver_tests/158354/apollo_bio_seals.html

HTH

[Nigel Hewitt]

What type of latex wrist seals are you using now? cone or bottle? IF its cone try fitting a pair of these bottle wrist seals. The longer wrist on them provide more area to make seal with the wrist.
I have the same problem (my ligaments stick out like guitar strings) and bottle seals are more faf getting them to lie flat than cones but they do seal even over my wrists.

[Oliver T]

I've been having the same problem, being built like the proverbial racing snake.
I've found that pulling the seal a bit further up my arm helps a lot.
Bottle seals under the suit sounds a bit overkill, but it's something I'd think about trying for sure. Plenty of talc required I'd imagine.

[DeafCol1]

Hi All,
Thanks for the useful replies and constructive tips. Its good to know that a) i'm not alone, and b) i'd got all the basic stuff right!

I'm using good quality latex bottle seals that are a good snug fit (interesting to note one of the links talks of heavy-duty seals being a bit less effective at complete sealing - quite obvious when you think about it) and have tried pulling them up the arm further.

Good thing about all the suggested things to buy is that none would be a waste of money. I'm tempted to try the bio-seals even though they're 50 quid.

Thanks again.

[iainmsmith]

Hi All,
Thanks for the useful replies and constructive tips. Its good to know that a) i'm not alone, and b) i'd got all the basic stuff right!

I'm using good quality latex bottle seals that are a good snug fit (interesting to note one of the links talks of heavy-duty seals being a bit less effective at complete sealing - quite obvious when you think about it) and have tried pulling them up the arm further.

Good thing about all the suggested things to buy is that none would be a waste of money. I'm tempted to try the bio-seals even though they're 50 quid.

Thanks again.

1) It's not your carpal tunnel (which is part of your hand, not your wrist, and is found roughly at the level of the ball of your thumb, but more towards the midline of the hand. It is beneath the skin and underlying flexor retinaculum, which is suspended from scaphoid, trapezium, hamate and pisciform). Anatomy lesson aside...

2) Don't use bioseals. They eat latex. The product material that comes with them (but doesn't appear on their website) states: "Bio Seal will react when in contact with Latex, causing it to break down a little quicker than usual". My experience was that "a little quicker" meant about a month before my neck seal fell to bits.

3) Even better than bottle or cone seals are manchette seals - which are significantly longer and give much more contact area. See: http://www.seaskin.co.uk/acatalog/Drysuit_Spare_Parts.html

Iain

[Roz]

I don't know when they are coming onto the market, but it might be worth checking out Silicone Seals. I know that Waterproof launched them at DEMA last year. From memory they're quite a long seal that goes conical. I guess that they are roughly the length of the manchette seals Iain mentioned earlier, so this should help stop the seepage. They're megga stretchy - I practically managed to get a wrist seal around my head. And they're far more robust than latex.

[micromouse]

They're megga stretchy - I practically managed to get a wrist seal around my head..

I have to ask.... why were you trying to get it around your head?????

MM

[Roz]

They're megga stretchy - I practically managed to get a wrist seal around my head.
I have to ask.... why were you trying to get it around your head?????
I wanted a measurable frame of reference to see how stretchy the wrist seal was. Just stretching it in my hand did demo to me it was exceptionally stretchy, but that didn't give me a visual reference I could easily explain. The fact that I could almost get it around my head gives you a rough idea of how big you can stretch the seal, if you really wanted to.

[UWE Philip]

Apollo Bio seals work really well. Not cheap but excellent at solving this problem. I know from past experience

[bythesea]

The fact that I could almost get it around my head gives you a rough idea of how big you can stretch the seal,


Or how small your head is?!?!?