Just ran the numbers on my drysuit repair costs over 5 years

I pulled my invoices last week for the Moby drysuit I bought in 2019 for the Gulf coast oil platform work. Turns out I have spent $2,400 on latex seal replacements and zipper fixes alone. That is more than half what I paid for the suit new which was $4,200. The kicker is the cheapest fix was a neck seal for $80 at a shop in Morgan City but the big one was a whole zipper job for $900 after a pinch failure at 60 feet. I honestly thought I was maintaining it well but these numbers show I could have bought a second suit by now. Anyone else tracking their gear costs and getting surprised by the totals?

3 comments

3 Comments

spencer_owens581mo ago

Used to think drysuits were buy once cry once gear. But your numbers changed my mind honestly. That $900 zipper job at 60 feet is brutal, a pinch failure is something most guys don't think about until it happens. The seal replacements add up faster than people realize too, especially if you're in saltwater or doing frequent dives. Really makes me wonder if buying a cheaper suit every couple years is smarter than getting one high end rig patched up over and over.

avery_flores171mo ago

Ever had a zipper blow mid dive yourself?

taylor.reese1mo ago

Buddy of mine on the shrimp boats went cheap with a $1,200 suit and had the crotch seam blow out on his second dive. Paid $300 to get it patched but the thing never felt right again. Ended up buying a whole new suit six months later anyway.