Storing wetsuits & drysuits

[Aaron528]

I've read all past postings regarding this subject and it seems there are two camps; those who thinks it helps longevity to store suits in sealed bags and those who don't. It seems like a no-brainer to store a drysuit in a sealed bag because it helps to preserve latex seals, but neoprene seems to be less sensitive. For those of you reading this who've been diving for years, do you think it would make any difference in longevity for a wetsuit if it's stored in a sealed (ziplocked) bag when not being used for several months?

 

[tbone1004]

I leave mine folded on a shelf in my dive closet... It doesn't come out very much and it's been fine. As far as latex seals, I leave my drysuit on a drying rack and the seals are fine... Rack is inside so not near any ozone or UV anything, the wetsuit lives right behind it. No problems with either

 

[KeithG]

We leave our wet suits hanging from thick hangers (not the skinny wire ones). We used to fold them on a shelf, but found that a 7mm wetsuit would crease at the fold and crush permanently. So we stopped doing that. Did not notice any fold issues with skins.

As long as the suit is out of sunlight (no UV rays) you should be okay.

Placing it in a sealed bag should not have any beneficial effect - it may have the opposite if the suit is not totally dry when you bag it?

 

[scubamarketing]

I'd never heard of storing it in a fully sealed bag, I was instructed to keep my drysuit with latex seals in it's dark colored bag to prevent the UV rays from damaging the latex. I've stored a couple of older, specific use suits for over a year without use before, both dry with latex and wet, dry rolled up and bagged, wet on thick hangers with no problems at all. Clean and dry, I think that's what's most important when storing.