Splav Oversuit - review

snebbit

snebbit

Active member
After my AV Titan fell apart after just a year of weekly use (although it was the most comfortable suit I've used) I reluctantly decided to try out a new wildcard suit in the hopes of discovering a hidden gem.

I ordered the Splav Speleosuit from RusArmyShop, hoping that Soviet engineering had produced a suit that could survive a thermonuclear bomb. Aside from the unconventional fluorescent orange and blue colour scheme, the PVC arm, arse and shin reinforcement looked promising, as well as ample internal pockets. The description also assured me it could be used 'with and without a gazebo' which would be useful as I rarely take a gazebo underground with me  :)

It took over a month to clear Russian customs, which forced me to use club gear during the wait  :(

Eventually it did get through, but after just 2 trips the front velcro began tearing off. After around 10 trips the above-arse seam unpicked itself and it now has a tear in the back. I wouldn't say a single one of those trips was gruelling, I'm a lazy man, so it's certainly not been exposed to exceptional conditions.

I have little hope of any sort of refund or replacement.

Lesson of the day: being an oversuit hipster is unlikely to pay off.

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Keris82

Keris82

Member
Thanks for posting a review of this. I've been thinking about other brands you don't normally get in the UK since my AV is falling apart. Maybe I'll have to consider a warmbac for abrasive resistance
 
M

mikem

Well-known member
Without leaving the country:
http://www.beaversports.co.uk/Catalogue/Category/156?cat=oversuits
 
M

mikem

Well-known member
I think the whole description deserves an outing:
Cordura? waterproof silicone cave diving suit, updated version.

DESCRIPTION
What is speleology? Are these dark bottomless vertical wells, narrow skins, diving in mud streams or bringing to a frenzy, leaving no room for inspiration waterfalls? Or is it the snow-white walls of the caves (not yet captured by our hands), clinking ?curtains? and ?organ pipes?, gnomes and dragons, bizarre incredibly symmetrical castles of stalactites and stalagmites, underground cities and rivers? In the "cultivated" caves illuminated by multi-colored bulbs, you will not feel this ...

Caving overalls - clothing for the initiates or those who are inevitably attracted by the abyss.

It will protect your clothes from all-pervasive dirt, sharp stones and splashes.

Note! The overalls do not protect against water flows and underground rivers, this is a matter of a wetsuit.

The Cordura? 500d fabric from which the speleo-overalls are made is a very strong material with high tensile and wear-resistant characteristics from the family of high-tech materials developed by INVISTA? (USA). The fabric does not have a PU coating on the inside, so it breathes, perfectly removes moisture from the body and dries quickly. Water-repellent properties are provided thanks to Teflon impregnation.

CHARACTERISTICS
Cordura? waterproof silicone cave diving suit, updated version.

The model is designed exclusively for climbing underground. For no other good! We recommend buying only to those who are sure of the need for this product in the wardrobe.

Croy does not constrain movements.

Well suited for vertical and horizontal caves and quarries.

Included is a lightweight inner strap with a Duraflex? buckle to keep the jumpsuit in shape.

Overalls can be used with and without a gazebo.

On the lower back, elbows and knees (to the bottom of the legs) reinforcement - PVC Fabric 650 g / m2.

Two pockets under the ribs. It is fastened with a 25 mm Velcro with a strap made of slings. The right pocket is external, with a vertical entrance., The left is internal. Pockets do not fall under speleobesku and support rabbit

The central fastener of overalls on 50 mm a flypaper, thanks to it the overalls are instantly put on and removed

The stand-up collar, the inner surface is trimmed with a thin soft microfleece. It is clasped on a convenient lenticular button

The sleeves and the lower part of the legs are pulled together with wide pats on 50 mm Velcro

All main seams are internal, double, for durability.

Differences of the new version of overalls:

Product material - fabric with silicone impregnation. Slippery, with low pollution.

External pocket with vertical entrance. Clings less in narrowness.

The reinforcements are sewn with internal seams.

Reflective strip on the chest.

Product Material:

Main material: Cordura? 500d, 100% nylon. Silicone double-sided impregnation.
Reinforcing material: PVC fabric 650 g / m2
Slings: 100% Nylon
Threads: Liberty? (Netherlands) bonded nylon filament
Hardware: Duraflex?
Velcro: Alfatex? (Belgium)
Click to expand...
 
Cantclimbtom

Cantclimbtom

Well-known member
If you own that caving jumpsuit, presumably you'd need other specialist equipment such as an "8-Ring Downer" that you can find on eBay and Amazon
 
Keris82

Keris82

Member
mikem said:
Without leaving the country:
http://www.beaversports.co.uk/Catalogue/Category/156?cat=oversuits
Click to expand...

What are beaver suits like? I can't find any reviews for them
 
PeteHall

PeteHall

Moderator
Keris82 said:
What are beaver suits like? I can't find any reviews for them
Click to expand...

I didn't realise that you could still buy them.

Assuming that they haven't changed the design in the last 15 years, they are lighter weight than a Warmbac, so not as warm or hard-wearing. I didn't like the cut either, but we used to buy them as club suits as they were cheap.

Fine for wandering around a mine, but worth spending the extra on something better in you are going to be crawling around in caves.
 
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