Originally posted by Darian Dunn
How long does a dry suit last?
This is assumed that it is just hung in the closet and not used.
How long do they last if you use them?
I'm thinkin' there is an *n't* missing somewhere there...
But I will give it a go:
Depends ~
How are you using it - what kind of diving do you do and what kind of diver are you?
Do you dive in fresh or salt, clean or contaminated, soft bottom/no current or rough bottom/lotsa current, sand or urchins, ect or ect?
Are you a trimmed out kinda diver or a bounce off the bottom kinda diver, a sport diver or working diver, a reef diver or a wreck diver, ect or ect?
How are you taking care of it - how are you cleaning and storing it?
Do you rinse in fresh? Inside rinse as well? Hang to dry well ventilated? Fold and store with zipper closed or hang with zipper open? Hang with standard hanger through neck seal, hang with extra large hanger through neck seal or hang folded in half over pvc pipe rack? Do you store seals with fresh talc, silicone spray or dry? Do you store near electric motors, in sunlight or in a dark room?
I still have my first drysuit... it has hundreds of patchs (literally) and shoe-goo dabbed all over it... it not longer holds water. I keep it because... shoot I don't know why I keep it... I'm gonna go throw the thing away!
I have seen a brand new drysuit stored improperly for a year without being used need new seals. I have seen suits used every day and not rinsed last and last.
My present ultralight trilam is one year old and apart from the barnacle wound (and patch) is perfect. My old gates rubber suit that I had used for 7+ years and sold to a friend who has used it for a year is still perfect. He hardly uses it... I used it hardly
Shane's three year old DUI CF200 is perfect and he not only uses it diving with me but also geoducking.
It all depends.
