How to Make Your Wetsuit Last Longer

Neoprene is a nifty material. It's a petroleum-based rubbery goo full of bubbles sandwiched between layers of stretchy synthetic fabric which are pretty much melted together. That technically makes it a variety of grilled goo sandwich - however I do not recommend eating it. That would be gross.

That grilled goo sandwich helps keep you warm and cozy when you dive. They're also expensive. Here are some ways you can keep your wetsuits in better shape, and have them last as long as possible.

DON'T BUY A CRAP WETSUIT

Seriously. If you go for the cheapest, crappiest wetsuit out there - don't expect it to last forever. You get what you pay for. Look for a well-made suit with properly glued seams, reinforced high-stress areas, metal zipper pulls (a HUGE pet peeve of mine is plastic pulls - UGH!), and good stitching. Reinforced knee pads are pretty much a must. It'll be more expensive, but it'll be worth it.

PS - seams that are glued, blindstitched AND sealed are sexy. And durable.

BE GENTLE PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF YOUR SUIT

When putting your suit on, think of it as a set of very expensive pantyhose. Get your foot in the leg, and roll the suit up. Pull the suit all the way up to your crotch before putting your arms through the sleeves. Something that REALLY helps put on your suit is a set of Super Socks - tacky lycra socks that make your feet slide through the suit like butter. Makes things WAY easier to put on (and available at your favorite local Dive Shop!).

If you have long nails, be EXTRA careful. I'm a girly girl, true story, and I have super sparkly long nails - and I have totally punched a hole in a wetsuit with my nails. Just be conscious of your claws, and no one gets hurt.

When it comes time to take your suit off, gently peel it off - let it turn inside out! Who cares! Don't grab onto the sleeves and ankles and pull like mad to take it off. You will weaken the poor neoprene and set yourself up for a tear. Please don't have your buddy rip your suit off you, that just makes me cringe.

ZIPPERS NEED TENDER LOVE AND AFFECTION

Not really. But be gentle with your zippers! One of the most common places for wetsuits to tear is at the base of the zipper. Try to hold the bottom of the zipper with one hand while you zip up if possible. Even better, con your buddy into doing it for you. That way, you'll reduce the stress on the stitching at the bottom of the zipper, and you hopefully won't end up with a drafty butt (I've done this to a few suits. It's not much fun).

IT'S A WETSUIT. NOT A YOGA BODYSUIT.

Use your wetsuit as it was intended to be used - as exposure protection. Don't work out in it, don't roll down a hill in it. Just because you're bendy enough to put your legs behind your head - doesn't mean you should prove you can while wearing a wetsuit. That creates additional strain on the suit that it was SO not designed to take! Get your stretching and calisthenics out of the way before putting your suit on.

POST-DIVE MAINTENANCE IS IMPORTANT, DUH

Once you're done diving for the day, rinse your suit! It's not hard to do! If you're feeling extra lazy, get in the shower with your suit on, and peel it off in the shower - boom! Rinsed! Hang it up to dry inside-out first (especially if you're diving again the next day - cold, damp wetsuits are even tougher to put on), then flip it right-side out to dry the rest of the way. Hang it on a thick hanger - not a wimpy little plastic thing (it could leave permanent indentations in your suit shoulders, which we will forever make fun of you for), and hang it to dry away from direct sunlight or direct heat.

DUDE - NO WASHING MACHINES

Can't believe I have to even mention this. So many divers put their wetsuits in the washer, and that's their prerogative. If you're gonna do that - fine, just don't expect it to last as long. You should absolutely NEVER put a wetsuit in a washer with an agitator. It's not a matter of if - it's a matter of when - it will eventually rip your suit to shreds. Front-load on a gentle cycle is the worst you should ever do if you decide to use a washing machine. But really, please just don't. The spin cycle can stretch and warp the neoprene (especially if it has molded panels), zipper pull strings can get tangled, the pulling action can pull stitches and glue - just not fun.

Unless you're looking for an excuse to buy a new suit... "I don't know what happened honey, the machine just shredded my poor suit! I guess I'll have to buy a new one! Oh woe is me!"

DRYERS, HAIR DRYERS, HEAT SOURCES, FIRE - NO!!!

A neat thing happens to Neoprene when it's heated to high temperatures. It starts to melt a wee bit, then it cools to a slightly harder version of its former self. The problem is that as it melts, those lovely little air bubbles in the material goop together, then cool that way. Bye bye insulating bubbles, bye bye material stretch, bye bye laminated tricot layers, bye bye wetsuit. I had someone ask me about 'unshrinking' their wetsuit because they were sure it shrank when they washed it. Upon further poking and prodding, turns out they had washed it in their washer on a hot setting twice (because it smelled funny - probably pee), then thrown it in the dryer. It was the saddest thing I've ever seen as far as wetsuits go. The poor thing was so brittle the neoprene pretty much cracked when you bent it. Don't dry your suit by the fire. Don't throw it in the dryer. Just let it air dry. Be kind.

PEEING IN YOUR WETSUIT IS MORE THAN GROSS

They say there are two types of divers: Those who pee in their wetsuits, and those who lie about peeing in their wetsuits. They didn't anticipate the third type of diver: The fashion major who is also a huge textiles geek and knows what urea does to fibers. Your urine is lovely and sterile, and also quite acidic (for most people). Over time, you will bleach out the crotchal region of your wetsuit (so when you dry your suit EVERYONE will know you pee in there), delaminate the tricot (as in the fabric will start to peel off the gooey bubble layer), and begin to break down the neoprene in that area. Don't think it's a big deal? Fair enough. Just remember - if you have a crotch tear mid-dive because you pee in your wetsuit, eels and fish really like chomping on hot-dog shaped objects.

PREVENTATIVE GLUING

If you see a seam start to come unstitched, just get yourself a little bottle of Seal Cement (the black stuff, not the clear stuff - available at your favorite local Dive Shop!), and put some glue on it to prevent it from coming undone any further. If you see a seam start to peel apart, glue it right away. If you see an area showing signs of stress that you suspect might tear - patch it. It's cheaper to get preventative maintenance like this done than it is to repair enormous tears down the road. Also, Seal Cement is like pure black magic - it's a wetsuit's best buddy.

A bit of love, attention and care will help your wetsuits stay as new as possible, as long as possible. Plus, it'll save you a ton of money on suits in the long run! Plus, neoprene is a petroleum product - the longer you can keep it out of our landfills, the better for everyone. When your wetsuit does inevitably bite the dust, chop it up and keep it around for spare parts when you have to patch your next suit, or drop it off at your local Dive Shop - they'll do the same thing with it, which is pretty cool.

Happy diving!

(And don't pee in your wetsuit! GROSS!)