Drying a wetsuit

[Dhboner]

If you set the dryer for "cool" can you tumble dry a wetsuit in a clothes dryer?

My sons have open water dives over two days (advanced course) and were trying to find a way to dry their wetsuits overnight.

I know that heat could cause damage but if the dryer is set to "cool" I can't see how this would be a problem.

Thoughts?

Thanks guys.

 

[spectrum]

I certainly would not use any heat.

Tumbling on cool should be harmless but may take a while. I would try to tuck the zipper lanyards in so they can't get wrapped around anything.

Just hanging overnight in a heated home at this time of the year should get them essentially dry especially coming in from freshwater use.

Good luck to your sons.

Pete

 

[fisheater]

Turn inside out and hang on wide hangers in a place with some air flow.

 

[highlandfarmwv]

I have found that if you weart a skin under your wetsuit, it doesn't feel so bad putting the wetsuit on wet.

 

[ps1mhd]

Try hanging inside out with a fan blowing on it.
I wouldn't try the dryer not sure how much damage the beating around
may do. They should get used to wet wetsuits anyway no way to dry them
between dives unless you only do one dive a day


Mike

 

[Dive Junky]

If you set the dryer for "cool" can you tumble dry a wetsuit in a clothes dryer?

My sons have open water dives over two days (advanced course) and were trying to find a way to dry their wetsuits overnight.

I know that heat could cause damage but if the dryer is set to "cool" I can't see how this would be a problem.

Thoughts?

Thanks guys.

Absolutely not!!! We have had 4 wetsuits returned to our dive shop damaged beyond repair. Two from a washing machine and two from a dryer.

 

[I Dive]

Dehumidifiers are a divers friend... If I can't get my gear dried off outside before it gets dark, I drag it all inside and set up the dehumidifier near it. It works wonderfully.

 

[elmer fudd]

I don't even worry about it. I wash off the important gear, (tanks, regs, BC), but as often as not my wetsuit just gets draped over something in my garage and then thrown in a plastic bin, (sometimes wet, sometimes dry).

You may as well put it on wet since it's going to be that way as soon as you enter the water anyway.

 

[Garrobo]

Most of my diving is done in the Keys where the wetsuit will most likely dry overnight. The OP's who I deal with will take care of your wetsuit till the next day's diving anyway. Like one of the posters previously pointed out that the suit will be wet as soon as you jump in the water so what's the use of drying it? I always dip mine before donning it so it will go on easier so it's wet right away. On the final day of diving I take the wetsuit to the motel and dry it in a clothes dryer with the heat on low. I've been doing this for about four years with various suits that I use with no problems at all.

 

[carrielsal]

WOW....a dryer? I have never seen that on a manufacturer's recommendations.
If wetsuits were $20 I might be tempted to try this, but wetsuits are not cheap. Why risk the damage when you can just hang them to try? You don't need to buy a "wetsuit" hanger. Just take 3 or 4 plastic hangs are duct tape them together.

Carrie