Can vaseline be good lubricant for drysuit seals/zipper?

[magicfx]

Many manufactures recommend talcum powder/water based lubricant e.g. Ky as lubricant for drysuit seals/ thick neoprene gloves. Since vaseline is cheap and versatile, could I use it for drysuit seal?

 

[Russjstewart]

Isn’t Vaseline petroleum based. I would not let it near any latex seals on my dry suit. KY is water based. If you use talc I believe unscented is the way to go. I use French chalk from out door shops, the same stuff mountain climbers use on their hands, to help get the dry suit on, as well as protect the latex in storage. Neoprene seals are not as sensitive to hydrocarbons as latex is, but.....

 

[happy-diver]

Stick your finger in a jar and see what you think

 

[Searcaigh]

Isn’t Vaseline petroleum based

It is.

I use Durex lube on my seals when getting into my drysuit, certainly a conversation starter

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

I prefer to use a supermarket discreet water based at one tenth the price not from the chemist lubricant discreetly

 

[lermontov]

id imagine vaseline would pick up a lot of grit

 

[Storker]

id imagine vaseline would pick up a lot of grit

Yep.

For brass DS zippers, I use wax. Re-lubricate every three to five dives, when the zipper gets dry.
For plastic zippers I dab a little bit of silicone grease on the slider docking area to prevent leaks. No prize for guessing how I learned that that was a good thing!

 

[happy-diver]

I use Molykote 111 it's thicker than most, doesn't run
I also use it throughout my loops, but there's a bit of
pooh pahing amongst current model fresh RB divers
About a pound in some of my older dsvs or I'd never get a happy pos or neg test
and on the external threads of my pure o2 regulators

 

[Zef]

Many manufactures recommend talcum powder/water based lubricant e.g. Ky as lubricant for drysuit seals/ thick neoprene gloves. Since vaseline is cheap and versatile, could I use it for drysuit seal?

It is your drysuit, so you "could" use whatever you want for your seals and zipper.

Personally I would not recommend it, especially with latex seals for the same reason it is not recommended as a sexual lubricant...it breaks down latex condoms and stuff sticks to it making it more difficult to clean up and increasing the risk of problems.

Other reasons why I would not use vaseline (petroleum jelly) are:
1. It is difficult to impossible to remove from fabric, so any of it that gets on the fabric of your suit will absorb and stain the material.

2. Even with good cleaning/surface preparation, it could prevent good bonding of adhesives if/when seals need or zipper needs to be repaired or replaced.

3. It is tenacious and dirt/debris such as sand will cling to the film which can cause deterioration of seals and zipper, can lead to the zipper not sealing properly, and/or irritate your skin if the dirt/debris gets on the surface of your seals that lays against your skin.

Talcum powder/baby powder provided a decent lubricant when donning a suit but does not work when removing the suit when it is wet after a dive. Water-based lubricant can be smeared under the seals after a dive to help slide hands through. It is believed by some that dusting seals with talcum powder/baby powder once the suit is dry creates a barrier that reduces deterioration by ozone.

For zippers there are specific products made by companies like McNett, but they can be expensive. Beeswax and paraffin wax have been the go to products for drysuit wearers in both diving and whitewater kayaking for quite some time. No need to spend lots of money on specialty product unless you want to, as one can just grab a candle or a small chunk of canning wax (paraffin) and gently crayon it into the zipper teeth.

But again, it is your suit, you could use whatever you want.

-Z

 

[OTF]

Vaseline will destroy latex seals. Do not use it. Latex is chemically fragile and lots of things will set off the degradation process, especially petroleum grease. It is important to keep latex seals away from any oily petroleum products and also store them away from ozone sources (eg. printers) as well. If you get any kind of petroleum oil or grease on a drysuit seal, wash it off quickly with soap. Even skin oils can degrade latex.

Silicone seals are much more chemically resistant. I'd still avoid vaseline around drysuits in general. Silicone/water based lubes are ok.