Proper Dry-suit Storage

[ERIC.K]

Just purchased a "hardly used" dry-suit, and I have questions. first, Do you service the valves and inflater of a dry suit, second , I've heard you roll a dry-suit for storage? or should you hang them up? mine currently is placed in a large rubbermaid container just folded over once...lastly are they really as fragile as some imply they are?....thanks Eric

 

[No Fish]

I don't hang mine up on a hanger. However I dry it out over a 2" plastic pipe and roll it as the instructions say. I don't think sealed up in a container would be too good. I put mine in a nylon bag. It is a Bare trilam commercial suit.

 

[No Fish]

I highly recommend taking a course for instruction in using your suit. It will answer your questions and you will be a lot better off. (assuming you have not done so already....) It is definitely different than caring for a wetsuit.

 

[kavka]

I hang mine boots up, with the zipper open.(4mm crushed neopren from Aqua3)

 

[spurtill]

You'll find dry suit manuals on the web telling you how to look after your suit. I think the Gates/Hunter on is online somewhere and the Northern Diver website has something about looking after your dry suit or at least it used to.

I hang mine by the boot until its dry. this allows any moisture to dribble down the suit and out the zip and neck seal. Hanging by the boots allows the air to flow through the suit and avoids trapping the air in the legs if you throw it over a line at the waist.

Once its dry, i roll it up loosely and put it in its bag. The legs are rolled first, then up to the chest. The two arms are wrapped around to the side opposite to the main zip, if you have a shoulder zip that is, This stops the zip kinking.

If the suits s being put away for the winter I'd run talc (perfume free) on the seals and wax the zip.

i think you can also get sachets you can throw in the bag to keep moisture away from the suit.

 

[Soggy]

I hang my suit from a big "drysuit" hanger (wide shoulders), zipper open.

 

[BOATS313]

As far as I know the only wrong way to store a drysuit are to leave the zippers closed or expose to heat and moisture. So don't close the zipper and leave it in the car in the summer while it's wet.

 

[loosebits]

BOATS313 once bubbled...
As far as I know the only wrong way to store a drysuit are to leave the zippers closed or expose to heat and moisture. So don't close the zipper and leave it in the car in the summer while it's wet.

Yep, drysuits are pretty tough, just because they're expensive doesn't mean they're fragile.

 

[Rick Inman]

I once left my drysuit on top of my car and drove off. Don't do that.

I dropped my drysuit off the dock with the zipper open. Don't do that.

I tried to dry out the flooded left boot with a hair dryer. Don't do that either (and don't ask).

 

[O-ring]

Rolled up in a black cordura bag, seals talc'ed, zipper waxed, in my closet away from sunlight, etc.