Experience gained over 40+ years has helped to develop and influence O’Three’s own guarantee and the support we can offer you, the end user.
Inevitably this support is governed by the type of dry zip you choose and the amount of care and maintenance you apply to the most important component of your suit.
All information relating to “Dry Zips” contained within our website and owners manual is there to help you to make an informed decision based on those 40+ years.
The Reality
BDM ProSeal Metal Dry Zip.
Most things can be broken from new. Dry zips are no exception.
However, based on our 40+ years of experience, if maintained and handled correctly, a BDM dry zip used by a recreational diver, diving approximately 4 times a week, can and should last 3 years or more.
We have customers who dive through-out the year, with BDM zips that are more than 6 years old.
O’Three could guarantee the adhesion of the BDM zip to the dry suit material for 20 years, but this is not where “issues” arise. It is the tape between the teeth, the teeth and slider where problems occur.
Handled wrong, a dry zip will snap. For this reason, the manufacturer of these dry zips does not offer us, the manufacturer of your dry suit a guarantee should a zip fail, irrespective of its age.
Plastic Dry Zip.
Most things can be broken from new. Dry zips are no exception.
However, based on the experience gained so far with plastic zips, if maintained and handled correctly, a plastic dry zip used by a recreational diver, diving approximately 4 times a week, can and should last 2 years or more.
We have customers who dive through-out the year, with plastic zips that are more than 4 years old.
Plastic Zips have been a welcome development with-in the water-sport industry, but these zips have their limitations.
Plastic Zips, used in certain products have a place. However, in our experience, modern construction methods and materials used in the manufacture of these zips, are not as durable and reliable as the BDM metal Dry Zip that we have been fitting to suits for more than 40 years.
Plastic Zips are not recommended for use by commercial divers and unfortunately will not be supported by any O’Three guarantee.