Drysuit Storage

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Graeme Tolton

Contributor
Messages
577
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Location
Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
# of dives
500 - 999
I have recently bought a new Bare drysuit. I have used it several times so far and love it! I have noticed that i get fairly damp from condensation as I dive almost primarily in cold water. Has anyone ever tried to place desiccant bags (like the ones that come in a new pair of shoes or electronics, but larger) in their drysuit to absorb some of this moisture? I would think that this would help me to keep warmer longer.

Also, I don't really have a suitable place to hang up my suit. I was wondering if it is okay to keep it in a sealed bag, with desiccant packs along with it. I just don't know if these packs would cause any type of undesirable effects on the latex seals.
 
I have recently bought a new Bare drysuit. I have used it several times so far and love it! I have noticed that i get fairly damp from condensation as I dive almost primarily in cold water. Has anyone ever tried to place desiccant bags (like the ones that come in a new pair of shoes or electronics, but larger) in their drysuit to absorb some of this moisture? I would think that this would help me to keep warmer longer.

Also, I don't really have a suitable place to hang up my suit. I was wondering if it is okay to keep it in a sealed bag, with desiccant packs along with it. I just don't know if these packs would cause any type of undesirable effects on the latex seals.

You're right, reducing that dampness will help make your insulation warmer, but using desiccants inside the suit while diving would be impractical (they don't remove that much moisture and they do it too slowly).

I find my undergarments stayer drier and warmer if I use a good wicking layer, avoid cotton, use more air in the suit, and avoid sweating up the undergarments unnecessarily.

Before storing, you're going to need to find a place for your drysuit to dry completely. (Don't you have a couch or shower curtain rod or a bed?) :D

After diving, I turn my shell suit inside out for the ride home and the inside's dry two hours later when I get home. Then, after rinsing the outside, I hang it for a day or two which dries it thoroughly. In really humid weather, a fan can speed up the drying.

Once it's completely dry, inside and out, it goes into a nylon bag or plastic garbage bag.

Desiccants aren't going to hurt your latex, but they're just not going to effective when the suit is rolled up in a storage bag. Besides, they would have to be rejuvenated regularly, etc, etc.... :shakehead:

By the way, if your undergarments still are getting too damp and cold after trying a few of those suggestions, try adding a little more insulation....it may get sweatier, but it'll be warmer! :D

Good luck!

Dave C
 
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I wouldn't store your drysuit in a sealed bag unless you want to cultivate mold, and the packets aren't going to work unless you use hundreds of them. To stay warmer while diving just invest in a good undersuit: most will keep you warm even if their outer surfaces are damp.

I lie my suit out flat on the top shelf of a wardrobe or under the bed. There are also drysuit hangers with thick arms that won't damage the shoulders of your suit (or you can make your own with pcv pipe). Or hang them upside down with the zip open.

I dry mine for a day or two before putting it away. Newpaper in the foot pockets helps dry these areas. A good dose of talk afterwards seems to help as well.

Someone once posted the plans for a homemade drysuit dryer that involved heated air from a fan being ducted along pcv pipes - but I can't seem to find it.

Cheers,
Rohan.
 
I

I dry mine for a day or two before putting it away. Newpaper in the foot pockets helps dry these areas. A good dose of talk afterwards seems to help as well.

I like to talk dirty to mine! :D
 
sheessshh. Everyone has to be a comedian, don't they? :D

That’s a good dose of talc, not talk, for those of you who may be chatting up your dry suit at this very moment, and wondering why it's still wet...

I love my drysuit, but not that much....
 
Also, I don't really have a suitable place to hang up my suit. I was wondering if it is okay to keep it in a sealed bag, with desiccant packs along with it.
Better read your manual. I have a Bare XCD2 Tech drysuit and the manual says that for storage, you should keep it loosely rolled up in the bag it comes on, not hung up!

I can't imagine dessicants could hurt the seals. But on that note, my manual suggests using some talc on the latex seals before storing it.

I love my Bare :)
 
sheessshh. Everyone has to be a comedian, don't they? :D

That’s a good dose of talc, not talk, for those of you who may be chatting up your dry suit at this very moment, and wondering why it's still wet...

I love my drysuit, but not that much....

Sorry but I had to..really I did.

One thing to make sure is that you don't bend the zipper too tight. When I stow mine for travel I zip only the outer zipper and leave the inner undone. I think many have posted on other threads that it isn't a good idea to zip the inner and store it for a long time. Basically it crushes the seal and then it won't seal right.
 
Have an XCD2 and it dries in a day or two in my garage when hung up on a 4" poly pipe. But when I want it dry in a couple hours I purchased the fan hanger from UK and my suit is dry in 2-3hrs. Paid $50 for it and haven't looked back. Once dry I loosely roll it up with talc on the latex seals inner zipper open and outer one closed then put it back in the bag it came in. Never had any problems with mold. I agree that it would take a lot of bags to dry it out as well. Just my opinion.
 
One thing to make sure is that you don't bend the zipper too tight..

or twist the zipper which is commonly done when people turn their suits inside out for drying
 
I have used those 40 dollar fan hangers. They work really well for a pretty small investment.
 

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