My drysuit zipper blew out 60ft down off the coast of Oregon last month

I was working a salmon farm net pen job up near Astoria, about 45 minutes into a repair dive, when I felt that cold trickle run down my back. My zipper just let go. Not a slow leak, I mean it split right open. I had to do an emergency ascent, which is sketchy enough solo, but I popped up right under a feed barge and nearly got clocked. The tender hauled me in quick but I was soaked through in like 30 seconds flat. The suit was a DUI that I've had for about 5 years, never had an issue before. I got it patched up at a shop in Portland but the whole thing cost me $200 to fix. Has anyone else had a main zipper fail in cold water like that? What do you do to spot corrosion or wear before it goes?

2 comments

2 Comments

reeseanderson2d ago

Same thing happens with boots and zippers these days. Nothing lasts like it used to.

morgan.cameron3d ago

60 feet down when that zipper blew? That's wild, I can't believe the timing with the feed barge too. You got lucky the tender saw you pop up. I'd be checking that zipper like a hawk before every single dive from now on.