Local Zipper replacement

[Norris]

So are there any local shops that anyone would recommend for zipper replacement?
Would like to have it stay local as if they just ship them out, I can do that.

Santi Elite is the suit.

If no I will most likely ship it out this week.

[Linedog]

I have always had good luck with Tacoma Scuba, but UWS does a good job also.

[ScubaJess]

I also need to get my zipper fixed, not sure if I can get it done before my trip on the 14th to the Channel Islands? It's a whites essence fusion back zip. Any ideas?
Such bad timing for a bad zipper.

[Penopolypants]

Both Tacoma Scuba and UWS send their zippers out, unless something has changed in the past couple of years. Although TS used to send them to Diving Concepts. Not sure who they send it to now.

[Norris]

That's what I figured. Santi charges 350+ for zipper so I am going to give DiveRightInScuba a run

[ScubaJess]

I just called Express Dry Suit repair in Beaverton OR, they can fix zippers in a few days for about $225-$250. I think I will mail mine down there

http://www.expressdrysuitrepair.com/

[McGlencoe]

Another local source is Hoodsport N Dive. They did my boots to socks conversion and when I was in there, they had a few suits they were doing zipper repairs on for the commercial divers.

[bradmond]

Jeff at TL Sea in Des Moines can do it to.

[ScubaJess]

I called Hoodsport & Dive and they are booked up for 3-4 weeks.

Do you guys recommend the new plastic zipper? Or is the metal kind better?

[bradmond]

I liked the plastic one in my Bare.

[Jeff Pack]

I called Hoodsport & Dive and they are booked up for 3-4 weeks.

Do you guys recommend the new plastic zipper? Or is the metal kind better?

Metal is less flexible, plastic is more flexible and can take greater bends.

[Snidely]

I think the SCUBA Shoppe in Auburn does zipper replacements.

[Norris]

Yeah I am going with TIzip

[fmerkel]

So what HAVE been people's experiences with the plastic TiZip both short and especially longer term? It's a relatively new product so lots of people have no experience or pretty short term.
I've seen people run a metal zip 500+ dives and others need them replaced in less than 100. To get a good idea of the 'average' we need more than a couple inputs.

For instance I've found the metal zip is subject to fabric fraying, loose threads, and teeth breaking.
I've found the TiZip in general seems to start leaking at the closure end. At first a simple open/close cycle fixes it....for the time being. Good lubrication certainly helps. But inevitably it becomes more progressive over time until it's intolerable. I have not found the main zipper itself to go 'bad'.

[ljjames]

First off, DUI does repairs on all sorts of suits now and their turn around on my CLX for zipper replacement was excellent.

Ti-Zip vs. Metal... Here is what Faith from DUI told me when I was debating... "If you have been happy with your metal zipper, gotten lots of dives out of it, then there is no reason to change" if you are the kind of person who goes through a zipper in a year because you have a tendency to be hard on them (not rinsing, bending a lot, folding in your gear bag, zip design/placement etc...) you might get benefit from ti-zip, but keeping in mind the Ti-Zip requires more attentive lubrication (regular maintenance) to prevent issues such as Fritz describes.

Zippers, like drysuit undergarments and seals are consumables. You can expect to be replacing them every 2-3 years if you dive a lot, that's just life. Front zip suits, depending on the style and placement tend to put more strain in the zipper. The classic zip in a DUI has a tendency to wear at the closure end when it bends 'open' along the lower portion of the zipper, the newer 'quick zip' design addressed that issue and has the terminating end of the zipper wrapping around so that the strain from having it open whilst wearing is not on the sealing portion of the zipper. I have gotten 3-5 out of quick zip style (ok, so i nursed it along that last year) and gone through classic zip on my CF200 in a couple years.

I know, lots of words... but to bring it all together, I kept the CLX450 with Quick zip style a standard metal zip, and when i replace the CF200's zipper next time around I'll likely go with a Ti-Zip, to see if it makes a difference.

[Norris]

Agreed on the TIzip is imperative that you keep it lubed. I had one on my Nexgen and it was great

[GearHead]

I've got a TiZip on my Bare drysuit. It's been essentially leak and practically maintenance free. I roll the suit somewhat carefully for transport before diving, but tend to just toss it in the back of my truck at the end. I lube the docking end of the zip about once every other month, don't really keep track. Once or twice I've noticed a little seepage, and that was just the zipper's way of reminding me to lube again.
Going on about 300 dives with this suit. I replaced the seals earlier this year, but the zip is going strong.

[Norris]

Great to hear. Just got the suit back the other day and dived it. The zipper looks real nice. Thanks for the responses