Hi, My name Is Martin, I’m from Argentina (southamerica).

I have a Pyro Pro since 2009. When I store it every end of winter season I keep it in a plastic bag with baby powder on the latex seals.

Few days ago when I was prepearing the dry suit for this winter season (starting this days), I found the neck like melted and one wrist too.

It was all summer in a bassement with out heat, in the pastic bag. Where I live the weather is dry.

Can anyone tell me what happened? How can I avoid it in the future?

This are the pictures of the neck´s latex seal.

Thanks

http://whitesdiving.com/forums/viewthread/51/ 

Read this forum

http://whitesdiving.com/forums/viewthread/51/

wash your suit after each use, and use unscented talc powder (NOT BABY POWDER) .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talc

Talc (derived from the Persian tālk (تالک ) via Arabic talk (تلك)) is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula H2Mg3(SiO3)4 or Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. In loose form, it is the widely-used substance known as talcum powder. It occurs as foliated to fibrous masses, its monoclinic crystals being so rare as to be almost unknown. It has a perfect basal cleavage, and the folia are non-elastic, although slightly flexible. It is the softest known mineral on the Mohs hardness; allowing it to be easily scratched by a fingernail. It is also sectile (can be cut with a knife). It has a specific gravity of 2.5–2.8, a clear or dusty luster, and is translucent to opaque. Talc is not soluble in water, but it is slightly soluble in dilute mineral acids. Its colour ranges from white to grey or green and it has a distinctly greasy feel. Its streak is white.

http://cgi.ebay.com/USP-Pure-Unscented-TALCUM-POWDER-Drysuit-TALC-5-70-lb-/270686805616?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo=LVI&itu=UCI&otn=4&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=8595343096769332263

I have purchased from this ebayer and it seems to be a good deal.
USP Pure Unscented TALCUM POWDER Drysuit TALC $5.70/lb

Wow, that’s a mess!
I have no insight into what may have caused that, but I’ve still got and use my Pyro from 2007 (?) and store it outside (garage) thrown on a shelf with harnesses and other stuff on top of it.  It goes through temps of -40C to plus 30C with no problems thus far!  Maybe don’t store it in a plastic / non breathing bag?

looks to me like it may have come into contact with some type of solvent which really didn’t agree with those seals.  i’ve always stored mine inside my house on a padded hanger and haven’t had any issues.

-wade.

I have a pyro pro and just pulled it out of storage for winter here in Bellingham and found the same problem on the wrist. My initial thought was that I had got something on it but its in a secure spot so not sure what has happened.

I am having the beginning of the same problem with my neck seal, and left wrist. The rubber seems to be loosing a bit of consistency, feels spongier and then it start sticking to itself. Probably age of the rubber is a component, my Dry suit is just entering the 3rd year, I only use it March-Apr and half of May but the seals are starting to disintegrate. I just ordered the talc to try to limit the damage and I am considering reinforcing the area

BTW: it is VERY expensive to change seals, a whole suit is $160, and based on my first job it would seem that actually needs more than the small amount of heat-activated tape that comes with the kit to really seal the new seal. I just changed the right side and I am already used all the tape ...

An update on the seals situation: my neck seal that was starting to show sign of deterioration in March completely melted while in storage during summer (in a nice dry closet at about 60-70F, with pure talc on it). It would be nice if Ocean Rodeo actually warned its costumers about the seals instead of claiming that they “last longer” due to some misterious compound. They do not. My wrist seals lasted 2 years and the neck 3. “Years”  really means about 8 months of use since I use the suit Feb to early May.  I am shelling out the stupid amount of money that OR charges for the seals but this is for sure the last dry suit I buy from OR. By the way: this is the “breathable” dry-suit, and the “breathable” material is peeling off the inside of the suit pretty much everywhere there is a seal or some movement (legs, arm). I had to tape whole sections with heat activated tape to try to limit the damage. No further comments on the quality of this item:  I wished I bought a Kokatat instead.

http://www.drysuit-repair.com/wp/
Amigos Drysuit repair is economical and does a fine job, he has replaced all the gaskets in my Ocean Rodeo Pyro Pro Drysuit.