SILICONE ZIPSEALS
Silicone ZipSeals™ Features- Silicone is UV and ozone resistant so they will last longer in most conditions
- Softer and more comfortable to wear
- Excellent for people with latex allergies
- Great for divers with prominent wrist tendons creating a drier dive when flexing hands
- Easy to put on and take off due to excellent stretch and slick coating applied to the inside of the seal
- The DUI Silicone Neck ZipSeal can be worn with all DUI drysuits fitted with a neck ZipRing
- The DUI Silicone Wrist ZipSeals can be worn with all DUI drysuits fitted with the Generation 2 Wrist ZipRings*
LATEX OR SILICONE? WHAT’S THE BEST DUI ZIPSEAL FOR ME?
| General Characteristics | Natural Rubber (Latex) | Silicone |
| Durometer Range (Shore) aka hardness | 20 – 100 | 30 - 90 |
| Tensile Range | 500 - 3500 | 200 - 1500 |
| Elongation (Max %) | 700 | 700 |
| Compression Set | Excellent | Good |
| Resilience – Rebound | Excellent | Good |
| Abrasion Resistance | Excellent | Fair to Poor |
| Tear Resistance | Excellent | Poor |
| Solvent Resistance | Poor | Poor |
| Oil Resistance | Poor | Fair to Poor |
| Low Temperature Usage (Fº) | -20º - 60º | -20º - 60º |
| High Temperature Usage (Fº) | to 175º | to 350º |
| Aging Weather – Sunlight | Poor | Excellent |
| Adhesion to Metals | Excellent | Good |
Great question! With the innovation of using silicone for drysuit seals and now DUI ZipSeals, many might think this is the ultimate seal for them. What’s the difference?
The greatest plus for silicone is the impressive resistance to UV and ozone attack. Divers diving DUI Silicone ZipSeals report them to be more comfortable overall and for many provide a dryer seal on the wrist. Silicone is also ideal for people with latex allergies. The downside to silicone is that they can be more prone to tearing and punctures so care should be used when handling. The outside of the seals tend to gather more dirt as well.
The greatest benefit to latex seals is that they are more durable overall. If you do not live in a high UV or ozone climate, latex might be the best option for you.
NATURAL RUBBER has many good characteristics. It has high resilience, good compression set, food roll building behavior, and molding properties, very good friction surface, but not a fine smooth surface when ground, high tear strength, low crack growth, usable for ketones and alcohol, and good low temperature properties.
SILICONE RUBBER has a great many variations and can be compounded to meet any number of applications. Silicone can be compounded to have tensile in the area of 1500 psi and tear up to 200 lbs ; low compression set and good resilience, moderate solvent resistance; excellent heat resistance; good release characteristics; extreme low temperature properties; and can be highly resistant to oxidation and ozone attack.
*Information is provided by The Rubber Group / General Characteristics of Common Polymers
DUI Silicone ZipSeals Q & A
Q. Are all silicone seals the same?
A. No – DUI uses a proprietary blend and diver tests demonstrate that DUI Silicone ZipSeals are more durable than other silicone seals on the market.
Q. Can I use DUI’s new Silicone ZipSeals on my DUI drysuit?
A. Yes – mostly
- YES : All DUI drysuits currently fit with a neck ZipRing
- YES: All DUI drysuits fit with a Generation 2 wrist ZipRing – these are suits from mid 2009 and newer. The ring does NOT have a seam in the center.
- NO: All DUI drysuits fit with a Generation 1 wrist ZipRing – these are suits from mid 2009 and older. The ring has a small seam in the center.
Q. Can I use DUI Silicone ZipSeals on my other brand of drysuit?
A. No – DUI Silicone ZipSeals can only be used on DUI drysuits fitted with DUI ZipRings
Q. Do I trim the DUI Silicone ZipSeals the same as I trim the latex ZipSeals?
A. No – we added more trim lines. Please use the DUI Silicone Seal Trimming Guide below. The more rings you have on the seal, the tighter it will be. Start counting at the base of the seal. The largest ring will be 1.
Q. Silicone seals seem to attract dirt more easily. How can I clean them?
A. The silicone is softer making the seals easier to get dirty. Use a mild soap and water mixture and wipe them with a soft cloth.
Q. Can I use my glove ring system with silicone ZipSeals?
A. No. DUI does not recommend using any glove ring system as it will tear the seals.