Dive Parka

[32juan]

My Truwest parka's zipper bit the dust yesterday coming home from Avalon. So I'm in the market for a new parka. I've heard nothing but good things about surf-fur, but I'm unsure about the buttons vs a zipper. And the water proof capacity of the buttons. I will be wearing it coming into the afternoon wind chop, and being completely waterproof is a must.

Both the Truwest and surf-fur are similar in price, and both made in the USA.

Any recommendations I should know about?

Thanks!

[Bamz]

maybe replace the zipper?

[castronova]

I understand you all have different needs than me but this is what we use here in the winter. They aren't as long as the Parkas so it only covers to the waist but maybe someone will find this useful. This jacket is extremely warm and the outside is 2mm neoprene with insulation inside. Completely waterproof and windproof.

http://hyperflexusa.com/categories/mens-jackets/

[32juan]

maybe replace the zipper?

Good idea! The parka is a bit tired, so I will probably buy a new one anyways. I'll look for a place in San Pedro that might be able to do it

[Red Tide]

I would stick with the Truewest. I am on my third one and could not be happier. It fits perfect over my wetsuit, and when running the boat that is a big deal in the winter time. When it is not that cold I also wear my West Marine Foul Wether Suit. It works well most of the time, but when it is really cold I like my True West.

[John Hughes]

maybe replace the zipper?

Good idea! The parka is a bit tired, so I will probably buy a new one anyways. I'll look for a place in San Pedro that might be able to do it

Don't by one of those cheap Pacific Wilderness parkas Juan. Those things suck and you will regret not spending the extra $30 next year when it breaks or you're freezing your but off on the channel crossing.

[phil herranen]

I love my surfer , since the fabric overlaps with buttons wind isn't really a issue . I'm always cold and use mine up here where it's actually cold and have never noticed any wind leaking in

[chris oak]

Juan let me know how much the zipper replacement runs, I need to get one for a giant dive bag thats brand new but the zipper bit the dust.

I've got a swim parka and a surfur. The swim parka has zippers and what I notice is overtime all zippers get stretched out where they don't lay flat anymore and eventually fail. The surfur has buttons which make it less likely to fail but on mine the buttons corroded from all the saltwater and a couple of them froze and busted off. I have since coated them with a bit of grease and that seems to help out a lot.

The surfurs are really warm, they definitely make a cold seabass day more bearable. I also wear a mask/hood snowboarding top to keep my face warm.

[32juan]

I haven't gotten a chance to get it repaired, and am still looking for somewhere local (to San Pedro) to get the zipper replaced.

Anybody got a good read on a place to get it done? Thanks!

P.S. I will also be buying a new dive parka as well. It's nice to have a spare for passengers. Decided to go with another truwest. I will update the thread when I get it

[AJP]

Hey Juan. Maybe check with one of those shops that makes canvas/polycarbonate boat enclosures. They work with a lot of zippers.

[rhyne]

Most tailors should be able to replace a zipper for ya. or you can probably find someone on craigslist too... or there's gotta be someone with a sewing machine on the island. shoe repair place could possibly help ya out as well, as they often have industrial strength sewing machines. cost shouldn't be too outrageous anywhere... removing and sewing a zipper in place is pretty simple stuff.

[32juan]

I went to Port Town Cleaners in San Pedro. They had to special order the zipper, which cost $10, and the seamstress said $30 for the labor. Not bad! They said it would take a couple of weeks due to the special order, but if I had the right zipper on hand, they said about a week turnaround time. They're on 6th St. in San Pedro. Very nice people.

[John Hughes]

I went to Port Town Cleaners in San Pedro. They had to special order the zipper, which cost $10, and the seamstress said $30 for the labor. Not bad! They said it would take a couple of weeks due to the special order, but if I had the right zipper on hand, they said about a week turnaround time. They're on 6th St. in San Pedro. Very nice people.

that's good info Juan and close to my house. Thanks

glad it worked out for you

[RichT]

The best dive parka I've ever owned (by far) was made about 25 years ago out of wetsuit neoprene with a fleece lining. It was the warmest driest thing Ive ever owned and every single person who ever came on the boat wanted one and several people offered my money to buy it.
In fact I still have it...
Its been washed so many times that the fleece is almost gone but it's still just as warm/dry as the 4 others parkas Ive owned or currently own. The zipper still works on it too!
Seems most manufacturers use different types of nylon with fleece inserts and cheap zippers that last only a season or two and they really aren't that warm to begin with.

[chris oak]

I went to Port Town Cleaners in San Pedro. They had to special order the zipper, which cost $10, and the seamstress said $30 for the labor. Not bad! They said it would take a couple of weeks due to the special order, but if I had the right zipper on hand, they said about a week turnaround time. They're on 6th St. in San Pedro. Very nice people.

Let us know how that zipper works out juan, a lot of the ones I've seen fail after a few seasons where they start to misalign.

[32juan]

I just got the parka back from the cleaners. Their seamstress got sick, and they weren't able to work on it until just recently.

The zipper is just like the original, and works perfectly. The seamstress did an incredible job, it looks like I'll be rocking this parka for years to come.

I'm still planning on buying a second parka for the boat.