Is it bad to pee in a wetsuit?

[durian]

Will peeing in a wetsuit harm it in anyway? Is there anyting in urine that may compromise the reliability of a wetsuit?

 

[Kim]

I've heard it said on this board that anyone who claims they never peed in a wetsuit was a liar! I agree with that. I also heard once that a lot of experienced divers would pee in their wetsuits just before entering cold water - it lessens the cold shock. Sounds like a good idea to me. I can't see how pee is going to be any worse than salt water - and anyway - you DO rinse it out in fresh water afterwards don't you?

 

[Iruka]

I never wear a wetsuit here in Guam, but one piece of advice....do your best to "rinse" the wetsuit before you get back on the boat. Basically try to get some fresh water flowing through it by pulling it away from your body a few times....otherwise, once you get back on the boat, whatever's dripping out of your wetsuit isn't anything people want to be walking through. Some people take care of it before or after the actual dive...so they maybe have the wetsuit only half way, and no other gear...makes it a lot easier to rinse.

 

[ninjamuzo]

No problem at all. In a dry suit without a relief valve is a whole other story.

 

[miketsp]

Given the popularity of this custom(?) I was quite surprised to see a manufacturer's table showing Neoprene + Urine = "Not recommended, severe effects imminent".

See:
http://www.sentranllc.com/pdfs/tb_chem.pdf
page 11/12.

I can only assume that the contact period is short due to immediate rinsing..

 

[Kim]

Given the popularity of this custom(?) I was quite surprised to see a manufacturer's table showing Neoprene + Urine = "Not recommended, severe effects imminent".

See:
http://www.sentranllc.com/pdfs/tb_chem.pdf
page 11/12.

I can only assume that the contact period is short due to immediate rinsing..

That's an interesting chart - so basically PVC would make a better wetsuit!

 

[fgray1]

90% of divers pee in their wet suit.
The other 10% lie about not peeing in their wet suit.

Fred

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It is only ok if it is YOUR wet suit. Peeing in a rental wet suit is considered very bad form.

And I agree that you need to rinse things thoroughly before you get back on the boat, especially if it is MY boat.

 

[miketsp]

That's an interesting chart - so basically PVC would make a better wetsuit!

I don't know about that but you saw that neoprene is not affected by Soy Sauce so if you want to take some down for a Sushi, no problem.

 

[Scuba_John]

Some time ago DAN had a report on just this function. I agree if it is your wet suit have at it and it is bad form in a rental. With that said there is another factor to look at. The DAN report was not looking at it in the way you are asking they looked at it from a physical aspect. The adverse affects of holding it in can cause problems with the UT and while this is most common in women divers it can affect Men as well. In short as I always tell divers "if you not peeing you not drinking enough water" which would result in the need to do what fish do all day long