DRY SUITS FAQ

 

F.A.Q. Dry Suits by Fabrizio Pirrello

I thought I'd update the FAQ list. on dry suits to answer a series of customer questions regarding maintenance and dedicated accessories.

The list is obviously not exhaustive and may be periodically updated to bring together on a single page the answers to questions that may not be found in previously published articles.

1) How to fold the drysuit before storing it in its bag.

First of all, the drysuit should absolutely not be stored hanging to avoid subjecting it to a process of aging/deterioration. Early.

Before storing your drysuit, wash it in fresh water and only lubricate the cuffs, collar, and zipper when dry. It is absolutely essential to avoid storing your dry suit if it is not perfectly dry (in addition to smelling indescribably, it will also cause mold).

The dry suit should be stored folded by rolling it up.

Dry suit with shoulder-to-shoulder zip: lay the suit flat with The open zipper faces the floor; starting from the boots, roll up the suit and fold the arms to close it.

Front-zip drysuit:Lay the suit flat with the open zipper faces the floor; Starting from the boots, roll up the suit and finally fold the arms to close it.

The dry zipper should not be subjected to excessive creases during folding, which is why the dry suit should always be rolled up with the zipper facing outward.

2) How should the waterproof zipper be maintained?

Dry suits must be stored in their own storage bag and transported strictlyWith the dry zipper in the open position. Lubricating the zipper before storing the drysuit is even better.

3) What lubricant should I use for dry zipper maintenance?

If the dry zipper is metal, solid paraffin (usually sold in blocks) is used. Solid paraffin should be applied to the external metal chain, rubbing lightly so as to target the metal teeth and not the soft part (rubber or PU) of the backing fabric. The internal parts should also be lubricated with solid paraffin. If impurities are visible on the zipper chain, clean it using the appropriate oil and a soft brush.

If the waterproof zipper is made of plastic, use the grease supplied with the zipper. The amount of grease to be applied is always a thin film once the zipper is clean of any type of impurity.

Silicone sprays are strictly prohibited.

4) How to wash your dry suit.

The dry suit should be washed under running water after each dive and left to dry away from the sun and heat sources.

Obviously, before washing, be sure to close the waterproof zipper so as not to flood the inside. Once the wash is complete, open the drysuit zipper to ventilate the inside of the suit.

Do not use detergents when washing (decontaminating the drysuit after diving in contaminated water is not for sports use and falls under special applications that require specific materials and training).

The drysuit should absolutely not be washed in the washing machine, but simply rinsed with cold running water (the heat serves to activate the adhesives).

The spin cycle and the impacts in the washing machine drum would be harmful to the inlet and outlet valves as well as the waterproof zipper.

The dry suit should not be washed inside except in exceptional cases, as the inside of the suit does not get dirty considering that an undergarment is always worn (that, however, should be sanitized periodically).

5) Should I wash the inside of my dry suit?

Those who are particularly careful about cleanliness have asked us whether it wouldn't be better to wash the inside of their dry suit as well. We advise against this practice for two reasons: it's unnecessary to stress the internal seals of the suit, and it takes a long time to dry the dry suit after washing.

However, the dry suit can be periodically sanitized with special antibacterial products (hot and humid environments are ideal places for bacterial cultures to proliferate) and disinfectants. The process is simple and involves filling a tub with cold, clean, fresh water and adding food-grade disinfectant (the suit is then rinsed with water).(we wear) and leaving everything to soak for 10 minutes. Next, let the suit dry, making sure all parts are perfectly dry before lubricating it and storing it in a special bag.

6) Can I use talcum powder on latex?

Using talcum powder to lubricate the latex of your suit is absolutely essential. It is watertight because the flavorings (the ones that make talcum powder smell) are extremely harmful to the latex itself. Only MINERAL TALC should be used for maintenance and can be easily purchased at hardware stores.

7) Should I store my dry suit hanging to prevent it from creasing?

Storing my dry suit hanging should absolutely be avoided, as the materials it is made of are subject to aging due to UV rays and oxidation. The drysuit bag is designed specifically to prevent the drysuit from being exposed to light, air, and dust when not in use. Bags that allow the drysuit to be kept almost vacuum-packed are preferable, as this technique greatly increases the resistance to premature aging of materials, especially elastic ones. The dry suit should be stored rolled up in its bag in a cool, dry place.

8) Maintenance of the dry suit's inlet and outlet valves.

Please note that valve servicing should be performed by a specialized maintenance center equipped with the appropriate tools to open and close the valves without causing damage. The owner of the dry suit must take care to rinse the valves with fresh, running water with a minimum of care and check, before diving, that they are in perfect working order. Applying silicone spray to the valves should be strictly avoided because it would create an ideal environment for dust and debris to settle, which would hinder the proper functioning of the valves.

9) Turn up the drysuit boots.

There is no practical need. to carry out this operation during normal maintenance operations. Fully foldable boots are sock-style (soft boots), while those with a sole or reinforcements applied to the heel and upper, while flexible enough to be folded, do not appreciate the stress of this maneuver.

10) Let the inside of the drysuit dry.

It's completely normal for the inside of your dry suit to have traces of moisture at the end of a dive, as this is related to normal body perspiration. Moisture from sweat dries very quickly and leaves no traces of salt crystallization. Simply air out the suit by hanging it (not on a hanger to avoid marking the neck) with the zipper open for the time necessary to allow the inside to air out; there's no need to turn it inside out.

11) Kit of dry gloves to be applied to the dry suit.

12) Quick cuff and collar change systems on dry suits.

Conceptually, they would represent a solution for those who are unable to repair/replace the sealing elements of their drysuit in the field with glues and sealants. The possibility of using a clamp system that does not require glue could represent, always with the right manual skill, the difference between making the dive or skipping it. Up to this point, these are all advantages. Let's now look at the other side of the coin. To use a wrist and neck change system in the field with the interlocking system, we will need to have permanently installed on our drysuit rings made of more or less flexible material depending on the model, which however offer bulk (particularly annoying in the case of the neck on the smaller sizes of wetsuits). According to the provisions of EN 14225-2, however, the sealing systems (therefore wrists and neck) on a drysuit must be solidly connected to the body of the suit itself and, in the writer's opinion, only stitching and gluing meet the reference standard. The possibility, however remote, of the joint disconnecting certainly exists and would entail the risk of a sudden loss of seal and trim of the drysuit. Weighing the pros and cons of this solution, everyone can make their own assessment.

13) Systems to allow urination while diving with a dry suit.

There are valves on the market that allow you to urinate while underwater by conveying urine outside the suit. These valves (Pee Valve or She Pee) are applied to the dry suit by making a hole in it. Except in the case of particularly long dives, therefore real needs, the writer does not consider the use of these systems particularly useful given the disadvantage of having an additional waterway and the considerable inconvenience of donning the systems (wearing a condom during the wetsuit donning phase for men or fiddling with creams and suction cups for women). In the case of frequent need to urinate, the writer suggests a specialist medical visit to try to identify the source of the problem, as this would be the case in the case of sport dives whose duration does not exceed 60 minutes in total. There is always the incontinent diaper which is an extremely more practical and economical solution to successfully deal with the same problem. problem.

14) Anklets with dry suit.

Less frequently than a few years ago does it happen toWitnessing the use of ankle weights with a drysuit. I'd like to highlight a technical point: the volume of air that the drysuit boot and leg can hold certainly displaces more water than the negative buoyancy of a 500g ankle weight can counteract (Archimedes' Principle). This simple point makes it clear how pointless wearing ankle weights is. Simply paying attention to the correct fit of your drysuit and purchasing a garment that fits properly, rather than like a bag of potatoes, would solve the problem of excessive air movement inside the drysuit.

Some people like to use the integrated drysuit booties for the convenience and speed of donning, but wouldn't it be the same as wearing separate boots that would make the drysuit foot perfectly snuge and not wearing anklets (the donning time is very similar)? Fortunately, calf gaiters on trilaminate drysuits, which, according to those who suggested their use, served the same purpose as anklets, have disappeared from circulation.