Is there a procedure to condition a new 5mm wetsuit prior to use to avoid having to play the weight game? Last fall, with a new 3mm wetsuit, I started with 18lbs on my first dive and was down to 12lbs by my 10th dive. It would be nice if I could eliminate some of the extra inital buoyancy of the new 5mm wetsuit prior to actual use.
Conditioning a new 5mm wetsuit prior to use?
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I have never before heard of an “initial extra buoyancy of a new suit.”
A suit that is dry and being used for the first time that day or week will seem a little more buoyant until all dry fabric is saturated, and all the nooks and crannies of air space between you and the suit get filled in. Also, if you haven’t been diving for a while or a lot the first dive or two may need a little more weight until you relax and find your groove.
That is short term. Long term, wetsuits do tend to lose some buoyancy and warmth over time and use, but not in just 10 dives.
A suit that is dry and being used for the first time that day or week will seem a little more buoyant until all dry fabric is saturated, and all the nooks and crannies of air space between you and the suit get filled in. Also, if you haven’t been diving for a while or a lot the first dive or two may need a little more weight until you relax and find your groove.
That is short term. Long term, wetsuits do tend to lose some buoyancy and warmth over time and use, but not in just 10 dives.
Loan it to someone for a few dives?
On a serious note, I have never considered whether wetsuit buoyancy loss, i.e., permanent compression, over time is linear or non-linear. The idea that a new wetsuit would benefit on later dives from "conditioning" suggests it is non-linear, and that after the initial conditioning the wetsuit doesn't lose buoyancy as rapidly over further dives. Is that really the case?
On a serious note, I have never considered whether wetsuit buoyancy loss, i.e., permanent compression, over time is linear or non-linear. The idea that a new wetsuit would benefit on later dives from "conditioning" suggests it is non-linear, and that after the initial conditioning the wetsuit doesn't lose buoyancy as rapidly over further dives. Is that really the case?
Maybe I worded it wrong. I was under the impression that a brand new wetsuit requires additional weight compared to one that has been used a bit due to compression of the suit material. I thought this was the case with my brand new 3mm suit last fall. Even with 18lbs I had trouble descending. After a dive or two I was able to start sheding weight.
I wouldn’t think permanent compression would be most noticeable after only one or two dives. But I buy wetsuits so infrequently I don’t recall my experience.
I have limited experience in this area, but a 6lb. difference over 10 dives seems like a lot to me, especially with such a thin suit. I've done most of my diving in 7mm wetsuits, first a bunch of rentals and finally my own, and I've found a bouyancy difference of about 2lb. max between a brand-new and a worn-out, peeling at the knees suit-- and that was different suits, different brands, which introduces other possible variables. I'm more than 10 dives in with my new suit and haven't found a bouyancy change at all so far.
My initial 18lbs of weight was an estimate based on internet research. Maybe it was too much to begin with but again it was somewhat difficult to descend. I was on a liveaboard and did not want to too light. Thanks for all the input.
JulieM
Contributor
When my wetsuit is dry, I put in the water prior to putting it on. That usually helps not jumping in with a totally dry wetsuit.
Justin Bove
Contributor
I understand what you are talking about. When the wetsuit is brand new it doesn't form perfectly to your body shape. This leaves extra pockets of air inside the suit on your first dive. I've found two ways to get rid of that. One being get in the water with wetsuit on, open your wetsuit and let lots of water in and then close it, then get out of water and squeeze the water out till it fits like a second skin. Second method is what I have done with all my wetsuits. Fill my bathtub with warm water and wetsuit shampoo. Submerge the new wetsuit in the bathtub and let it sit for an hour or so. Drain the water, put the wetsuit on and take a shower. After that I hang it in the shower to dry out. Gets rig of the new neoprene/latex/rubber smell and gets rid of any creases from the packaging. Seems to fit nice and snug and contour my body better. This might be all in my head about fitting better, but it definitely gets rig of the new neoprene smell.
grantwiscour
Contributor
+1 to soak new wetsuit in bathtub.
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