Tzip issues On Bare Drysuits
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 3:29 pm
So , i wanted to share my issues with North west dive club so that If you have an Issue with a Tzip you can get it fixed and Help is there for you and your drysuit.... This board is about sharing and learning about diving , the gear we use , the places we go , and growing and gaining exp in the diving world. I have benefitted GREATLY here on NWDC from friends and divers.. and this Board is always a good place for reference . So with that said , lets begin
I own and purchased a Bare Tech Trilam .. custom fit to the Tune of $1250 .. purchased in 2015 .. I have 2 yrs on this suit and a Ton of dives.. I keep excellent care of my gear because it needs to last , and dive gear is EXPENSIVE.. What i have been experiencing the last few months is a slow weeping leak on my chest after diving. I thought it was my chest Inflator , but after i performed a pressure test , i found it was the zipper teeth..
my Zipper condition
Now i know its the Zipper .. So what do i do next , i did research on the net and read and looked at other forums and saw a Pattern .. Many other divers having Tzip Issues .. Not only with Bare but other brands.. these issues are 4 to 6 yrs ago.. Next step ..call Bare.. I spoke with a Rep from Bare he said zipper warranty is 2 yrs .. He did admit to me that they have had big issues with Tzips and that they dont USE them any more , They now Use YKK plastic drysuit zippers... the other Issues with BAre tzips are the glue seams coming apart and seam leaks.. Next call my local dive shop .. OUT of warranty.. they could Press the issue with Bare but no guarantees..
Next step for me ... I sent Out 3 emails ... 2 to Tzip .. and 1 to Bare ... I knew i had a slim chance to hear from Bare.. WHY ? because Bare isnt going to admit to us that they Have an Issue , that would mean a recall and that they Had a problem.. Bare wont admit it and own up to it .. BUT , Tzip replied to me and here is what the rep Said ..
Hi Chris,
I am sorry to hear about the trouble that you are having with the zipper in your dry suit.
As I am not a representative for BARE, I cannot speak on their behalf.
I will try and answer some of your questions regarding your experience with our MasterSeal10 zipper.
why is this zipper leaking and failing?
-without seeing your zipper first hand and having it evaluated by our R&D department its hard to pinpoint exactly what is the cause of the leaking. The most likely cause would be hydrolysis of the polyurethane compound that coats the zipper tape on either side of the zipper chain. Hydrolysis is a natural reaction of between the polymers within the coating and the oxygen and moisture present in the air. Essentially it is a form of oxidation. The most common symptoms of hydrolysis are splitting, cracking or peeling of the PU coating on the zipper tape. This could be the cause of the leaking but I cannot be positive.
was there a Bad batch of production zippers sent out and not caught by
quality control in the production assembly line ?
No. Every single TIZIP zipper is pressure tested before it is cleared for shipment. Every zipper is placed in a testing frame, face side down. The zipper is then pressurized on the face side and water is poured over the back side. If no bubbles are detected after 30 seconds then the zipper is cleared for shipment, dried and packaged.
what should the life expectancy be for a Tzip zipper , what is the
average time of use expected to get out of the zipper ? 2 yrs , 4 yrs
, 6 yrs , ?
The life expectancy of our zippers is hard to judge because there are so many outside factors that can play a role in their longevity. But with proper care and storage they should last for many years. High humidity and warm climates can accelerate the occurrence of hydrolysis. One more thing that I would recommend you add to your care regiment would be allowing your suit to dry completly between uses, both inside and out. Trapped moisture either inside the suit or underneath a protective zipper flap could also accelerate hydrolysis. Being that Seattle is a high humidity climate I also recommend that you allow your suit to dry/store in a room with a dehumidifier. This will ensure that your suit is kept as dry as possible in between uses.
my zipper looks brand new and i Have taken excellent care of it , and
done all the steps to Lube, clean and maintain it after every dive.
This is unfortunate that your zipper has failed after you have given it such good care. If you could measure the length of the zipper chain, from the top edge of the horseshoe shaped docking stop to the bottom edge of the square shaped bottom stop, in millimeters. Let me know what that length is and I will see if I have a sample length available here at my office in Reno. If I have something that will work I will send it to you as a replacement, free of charge.
TIZIP recently released a new model of the same zipper but with a hydrolysis resistant PU coating on the zipper tapes. If I have a length of this zipper available I would be glad to send it to you as well to try out in your suit if you like. I hope that you can get your suit fixed and continue to enjoy diving in your local waters.
Regards,
Bradford LaRiviere
TIZIP USA
Reno, NV
P: 775-376-8108
blr@Tizip.com
b.lariv@icloud.com
Skype: bradford.lariviere
So Tzip will fix their zippers and any Issues with them ... I am sending my drysuit Off to Mike at Dive rite in Scuba .. He is going to instal a new zipper for me Free Of charge...
https://www.diverightinscuba.com
the Other thing i want to share with you is How to take care of your Tzip and Proper Lubing it ... I did not know this at all
http://www.tizip.com/s-reinigung.php?lang=en&pos=2|2
I hope this help in the future if you Have a Tzip Issue and that there is Help for you
I own and purchased a Bare Tech Trilam .. custom fit to the Tune of $1250 .. purchased in 2015 .. I have 2 yrs on this suit and a Ton of dives.. I keep excellent care of my gear because it needs to last , and dive gear is EXPENSIVE.. What i have been experiencing the last few months is a slow weeping leak on my chest after diving. I thought it was my chest Inflator , but after i performed a pressure test , i found it was the zipper teeth..
my Zipper condition
Now i know its the Zipper .. So what do i do next , i did research on the net and read and looked at other forums and saw a Pattern .. Many other divers having Tzip Issues .. Not only with Bare but other brands.. these issues are 4 to 6 yrs ago.. Next step ..call Bare.. I spoke with a Rep from Bare he said zipper warranty is 2 yrs .. He did admit to me that they have had big issues with Tzips and that they dont USE them any more , They now Use YKK plastic drysuit zippers... the other Issues with BAre tzips are the glue seams coming apart and seam leaks.. Next call my local dive shop .. OUT of warranty.. they could Press the issue with Bare but no guarantees..
Next step for me ... I sent Out 3 emails ... 2 to Tzip .. and 1 to Bare ... I knew i had a slim chance to hear from Bare.. WHY ? because Bare isnt going to admit to us that they Have an Issue , that would mean a recall and that they Had a problem.. Bare wont admit it and own up to it .. BUT , Tzip replied to me and here is what the rep Said ..
Hi Chris,
I am sorry to hear about the trouble that you are having with the zipper in your dry suit.
As I am not a representative for BARE, I cannot speak on their behalf.
I will try and answer some of your questions regarding your experience with our MasterSeal10 zipper.
why is this zipper leaking and failing?
-without seeing your zipper first hand and having it evaluated by our R&D department its hard to pinpoint exactly what is the cause of the leaking. The most likely cause would be hydrolysis of the polyurethane compound that coats the zipper tape on either side of the zipper chain. Hydrolysis is a natural reaction of between the polymers within the coating and the oxygen and moisture present in the air. Essentially it is a form of oxidation. The most common symptoms of hydrolysis are splitting, cracking or peeling of the PU coating on the zipper tape. This could be the cause of the leaking but I cannot be positive.
was there a Bad batch of production zippers sent out and not caught by
quality control in the production assembly line ?
No. Every single TIZIP zipper is pressure tested before it is cleared for shipment. Every zipper is placed in a testing frame, face side down. The zipper is then pressurized on the face side and water is poured over the back side. If no bubbles are detected after 30 seconds then the zipper is cleared for shipment, dried and packaged.
what should the life expectancy be for a Tzip zipper , what is the
average time of use expected to get out of the zipper ? 2 yrs , 4 yrs
, 6 yrs , ?
The life expectancy of our zippers is hard to judge because there are so many outside factors that can play a role in their longevity. But with proper care and storage they should last for many years. High humidity and warm climates can accelerate the occurrence of hydrolysis. One more thing that I would recommend you add to your care regiment would be allowing your suit to dry completly between uses, both inside and out. Trapped moisture either inside the suit or underneath a protective zipper flap could also accelerate hydrolysis. Being that Seattle is a high humidity climate I also recommend that you allow your suit to dry/store in a room with a dehumidifier. This will ensure that your suit is kept as dry as possible in between uses.
my zipper looks brand new and i Have taken excellent care of it , and
done all the steps to Lube, clean and maintain it after every dive.
This is unfortunate that your zipper has failed after you have given it such good care. If you could measure the length of the zipper chain, from the top edge of the horseshoe shaped docking stop to the bottom edge of the square shaped bottom stop, in millimeters. Let me know what that length is and I will see if I have a sample length available here at my office in Reno. If I have something that will work I will send it to you as a replacement, free of charge.
TIZIP recently released a new model of the same zipper but with a hydrolysis resistant PU coating on the zipper tapes. If I have a length of this zipper available I would be glad to send it to you as well to try out in your suit if you like. I hope that you can get your suit fixed and continue to enjoy diving in your local waters.
Regards,
Bradford LaRiviere
TIZIP USA
Reno, NV
P: 775-376-8108
blr@Tizip.com
b.lariv@icloud.com
Skype: bradford.lariviere
So Tzip will fix their zippers and any Issues with them ... I am sending my drysuit Off to Mike at Dive rite in Scuba .. He is going to instal a new zipper for me Free Of charge...
https://www.diverightinscuba.com
the Other thing i want to share with you is How to take care of your Tzip and Proper Lubing it ... I did not know this at all
http://www.tizip.com/s-reinigung.php?lang=en&pos=2|2
I hope this help in the future if you Have a Tzip Issue and that there is Help for you