In Newfoundland, it’s almost never bikini season. But it’s always a drysuit one! And with so much history to explore on the bottom of the ocean, it’s no wonder drysuits are never out of style.
If you own a drysuit and want it to serve you for many seasons, check out our guide on how to service it!
Below we’ll answer the 4 important questions:
- How to clean a drysuit?
- How to maintain a drysuit?
- How to store and fold a drysuit?
- Where to service your drysuit in St. John’s.
Ready? Let’s begin!
Photo: WW2 bomber Discovery in Gander Lake, Newfoundland, 2022.
How to clean a drysuit?
When you get home after diving, you need to clean your drysuit. Here’s how to do it:
– Clean the zipper and the valves.
Check the zipper for any imperfections or loose teeth that can damage it. Before you wash your suit, use a delicate brush or a sponge to clean off all the debris or dirt. And be sure to clean the corner area nicely, because that’s where all the dirt gets stuck. Make sure the valves are clean, finger tight and ready for the next dive.
– Wash the drysuit
Close the zipper, hang the suit in your shower, and wash it down. Be sure you clean it from all sides: back and front, all the seals, and boots.
– Let it dry.
Just leave it hanging in the shower for a while. When it’s dry enough, unzip it so it can start drying on the inside too. It will take a few days to dry completely, so hang it in a dry and warm place.
If you need it to dry quicker, you can get a drysuit hanger. It holds the suit around the ankles so that you can hang it upside down. There are also hangers with fans that help circulate the air and keep the inside of the suit dry and fresh.
Photo: WW2 bomber Discovery in Gander Lake, Newfoundland, 2022.
How to maintain a drysuit?
Zipper and seals are very fragile and are expensive to replace. But it takes just 10 minutes to take care of them. That’s what you can do:
– Wax the zipper
Open your zipper and apply a little zipper lubricant or wax to the beginning, the end, and somewhere in the middle of it. Zip and unzip, running it through all the way a few times.
If you have a metal zipper, use a zipper cleaner and make sure the corners are well taken care of. Zip and unzip a couple of times. Wipe the rest of the product off with a dry clean towel. Apply a lubricant afterward.
– Powder the seals
Powder the seals before storing or putting your suit on. If you don’t do that, you can accidentally rip them. The seals without powder will stick to everything: your skin, your hair. And it will be quite a pain to put the suit on.
Take talcum powder and rub it on your wrist and neck seals on both sides. Be careful not to have too much powder come inside the suit. This can damage the valves, and you want to keep the inside clean.
When you are done, tuck the seals on the inside, just to be sure the membrane is safe and you will not accidentally scratch it when storing.
Photo: WW2 bomber Discovery in Gander Lake, Newfoundland, 2022.
How to store and fold a drysuit?
The best option for storing your drysuit is to leave it hanging. But if you don’t have enough space for it, you can fold it.
There are a few ways to fold a drysuit. Some divers would start with the boots and roll the suit up. Some would fold it in a way similar to the one we’ll describe in a second.
Whatever you do, you should always think about your zipper. It’s the most easily broken and expensive part of your suit. Make sure you don’t bend it, because it can snap. And it will take a lot of time, money, and energy to replace it.
How to fold a drysuit for storage step-by-step
- Leave the metal zipper open. Close the plastic zipper.
- Make sure the seals are turned in.
- Spread the drysuit on the floor, zipper down.
- Start folding at the knee area. Bend the knees and place the boots nicely on the thigh area.
- Grab the folded part and fold it at the waist. Place it on the top of the chest.
- Now fold the arms, put them on top, and that’s it! You’re done!
Where to service a drysuit in St. John’s?
An easy way to tell the difference between an amateur and a professional: an amateur waits until something is wrong with their equipment to get it serviced. A professional has their gear serviced regularly to prevent things from going wrong.
Don’t wait until you have an issue this summer to get your gear checked. Gerry and Dustin at the service shop are ready to perform your regular servicing on regs, tanks, drysuits and more.
Drop your diving gear at our service shop at 📍 40 O’Leary Ave to get it ready for your next dive or reach out to us if you’ve got any questions: servicedept@oceanquestadventures.com.
What we’d like to hear from you?
Feel free to leave a comment!
- Do you have a drysuit? How long has it served you? Do you maintain it the same way we do?
- What do you love about drysuit diving?
- If you don’t have a drysuit, what stops you?
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