Wetsuit in pool

[northernone]

Here's one data point:

I have a suit that has ~600 public pool dives on it. (I dislike pool dives but it extends the program dive season) Just dried after without rinse.

Still looks like new, a little less rebound when stretched. Not left in the sun it seems the damage is quite slow.

It's been worn by people between 160lbs and 245lbs... so maybe that also explains the stretch wearing out.

I've seen sundrying quickly kill a wetsuit though.

(Not saying this is typical or the proper care... it isn't.)

Cameron

 

[JackD342]

I suppose fading is neither uniform across all products, nor guaranteed to happen. The outer fabric layer on yours may be different, with different properties, than the ones that I have seen fade over time. I actually usually now wear my Lavacore for pool work, and I don't notice any fading at all on that material. But I do rinse religiously, so I don't have a Lavacore product as a "control" for testing the effect of chlorine.

 

[Photo Girl]

I've seen sundrying quickly kill a wetsuit though.

Agree, sundrying is not a good thing for wetsuits. I should have said that I lay it out on the patio furniture in the shade under my lanai.
But I will put the boots in the sun so the inside dries out.

 

[kelemvor]

I always rinse my gear in a pool after a dive trip. After 5 years, my wetsuit hasn't faded significantly. I like the chlorine because it sanitizes the gear.

 

[dmaziuk]

Swim trunks exposed to ~90-minute lap sessions ~3 times a week:

- lycra: broken rubber threads and translucent "bubbles" in the stretch areas after 6 to 8 weeks,
- beach shorts: 4-10 weeks, dep. on the fabric, before the fabric starts to feel like fiberglass,
- speedo endurance+: 6 months until black thread bleaches to light brown, 12 months until the material stretches noticeably, 16-18 months until they get too lose for swimming and are downgraded to wetsuit underwear.

Mostly it's about stretching and pulling, though. I expect one doesn't do much of that on a typical pool dive, so a wetsuit should last a while. 600 dives doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[boulderjohn]

Everyone seems to be assuming the pool uses Chlorine. There are other options that are less damaging. Jsut be sure to rinse carefully when done.