Cleaning drysuit underwear?

[Gombessa]

Hey all you knowledgeable drysuit divers,

How often do you wash your underwear? Never? After every few dives? Is there a general procedure for doing so or does it really vary by manufacturer/material?

Lastly, does it shrink in the dryer?

 

[dave4868]

I use my nose to tell when they need laundering....

How to launder depends on the undergarment, so I follow what it says on the label.

Dave C

 

[spectrum]

Generally the Thinsulate products want to be washed sparingly. I make it a point to keep my wicking layer fresh so that the actual garment does not pick up a lot of body oils and such.

 

[TSandM]

Fleece you can wash, and it doesn't shrink, but over time, it will pill and, in my experience, lose some of its insulating qualities.

Thinsulate you should wash as little as you possibly can, because any detergent interferes with the coating on the fibers. I rinse mine in the washing machine occasionally, when I've had a number of dives with bad leaks and the suit gets stiff with salt and crud. I run it through the dryer on a very low setting, although I think that's discouraged as well. But it takes forever to dry if you hang it.

 

[Gombessa]

Thanks for the replies. Regarding thinsulate, would rinsing (or running in the washing machine sans detergent) help clean it and preserve the material, especially if it's gotten a bit soaked with salt-water from a small leak?

 

[limeyx]

Fleece you can wash, and it doesn't shrink, but over time, it will pill and, in my experience, lose some of its insulating qualities.

Thinsulate you should wash as little as you possibly can, because any detergent interferes with the coating on the fibers. I rinse mine in the washing machine occasionally, when I've had a number of dives with bad leaks and the suit gets stiff with salt and crud. I run it through the dryer on a very low setting, although I think that's discouraged as well. But it takes forever to dry if you hang it.

I use white vinegar on the thinsulate when I absolutely have to wash it (on delicate in the washing machine then hang dry)

Supposed to be less harmful than detergent and kills some of the bacteria

 

[a_siren]

I have a Weezle Extreme and it can be laundered per manufacturer's directions. Thank <insert deity of choice> since it evidently was quite toasty and leaky inside my rental dry suit this weekend!

My understanding from my LDS was that if you launder a Thinsulate suit you ruin it and it loses it's insulating characteristics. That tidbit (true or not) was the deciding factor in me getting the Weezle instead.

 

[dannobee]

Woolite on my thinsulates, and hang it to dry, inside out. The Polartec one gets thrown in with the regular laundry. But no fabric softener with the thinsulate.

Five sets of drysuit underwear, been washing them about every other time I go diving and I've seen no difference in insulating properties. And I've been washing them all for a few years (maybe 350 dives or so?). Water temps here vary from about 54 degrees to 45 or so.

You guys must have some funky smelling unders. :11:

 

[tc_rain]

So turning it inside out doesn't mean you can wear it for another 100 dives?

 

[limeyx]

So turning it inside out doesn't mean you can wear it for another 100 dives?

It's when the P-valve leaks and you are wondering "crap, can I get away with this for 10 more dives or not?" that I start to doubt my sanity