Protect Your Passion

HOW DO I MAINTAIN THE ZIPPER ON MY DRYSUIT?

Before each dive lubricate the zipper, follow the instructions on the container of zipper lubricant supplied with your suit.

Open and close the zipper a few times after the lubricant is applied to the zipper chain. The friction caused by the slider traveling over the teeth heats the lubricant causing it to flow into the teeth.

Apply a small amount of silicone grease to the sealing surface of where the slider completes the closure of the zipper. This is called the docking end of the zipper. The rubber ridges that can be seen on the inside of the docking end are where the grease should be applied. Also make sure that this area is clean and free of any other materials that may affect the seal.

Note: Always inspect the zipper for any foreign material that may affect its ability to close and create a watertight seal.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO AFTER THE DIVE?

Close the zipper and rinse the outside of your drysuit with clean, fresh water. Rinse any of the inner surfaces that may have come in contact with salt water, such as the neck seal and wrist seals. Make sure that any sand, dirt, or gravel is washed away from the teeth of the zipper.

Open the zipper and hang the suit (if possible) over a piece of plastic pipe. A drysuit hanger can easily be made by passing a rope through a plastic pipe of about 3 to 4 inches in diameter and fastening both ends of the rope to an area where you can leave your suit to dry.

Note: Never leave your drysuit in direct sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun or florescent lighting will deteriorate neoprene and rubber materials (seals) very quickly. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will substantially lessen the life of all scuba equipment.

HOW SHOULD I STORE MY DRYSUIT?

The best way to store your drysuit is to leave it on its drying hanger in a cool, dry, dust-free area. If the suit must be stored otherwise; once it is completely dry inside and out, lay it on the floor with the zipper facing downward. Turn the boots inward and loosely rollup the legs and torso to the base of the neck seal. Bring the arms together over the top of the rolled suit so that the open zipper forms an arch as it does while you are wearing the suit. Slide the suit into its carrying bag and store it so that nothing else will be put on top of the bag.

Note: Both Neoprene and Butyl and Butyl Trilaminate materials can be damaged by exposure to petrochemical products such as gasoline/petrol, many industrial solvents, and cleaning solutions containing solvents. Avoid exposure to these chemicals during use of the drysuit and when cleaning.

Should the suit become heavily soiled, or exposed to grease, oil, etc., DO NOT CLEAN THE SUIT WITH SOLVENTS OR SOLVENT BASED CLEANERS OR DEGREASERS. You may use warm water and detergent based soaps to remove the stains. Be sure to rinse all the soap residue out with clean fresh water. Failure to follow these instruction can result in delamination and degradation of the materials.

WHAT DO I DO ABOUT A LEAK IN MY DRYSUIT?

There are many variables that must be investigated when dealing with leaks in a drysuit. Very often a leaking drysuit is not the fault of the suit itself. Usually, but not always, the cause of a leak can be determined when all of the events related to the doffing, donning, and diving with the drysuit are carefully and objectively reviewed.

For example, a diver may discover that her left foot is wet after a dive. The immediate and natural conclusion is that the suit is leaking in the left boot. The suit is checked for a leak in the left boot but no leak is found. The next time the suit is used the divers left foot stays dry. This is a very common occurrence. What often happens in this situation is that the undergarment, either a sock or an attached underwear booty is wet prior to putting it into the boot of the drysuit. During the dive the moisture eventually travels through the layers and appears as if it became wet during the dive.

The underwear boot could have become wet from being in contact with a wet piece of equipment during transport, or from stepping on wet ground prior to putting on the drysuit. Another possible cause could be water that entered the suit when it was rinsed after the last dive. Often a leak in a drysuit is clearly visible when the suit is tested, but sometimes other factors that may be determined from objective analysis are the cause.