So you have a drysuit and now you need to service it after the dive. The goal of course is to take good care of the suit and have it clean and dry for the next dive. With input from other divers and shops I have arrived at a method that works for me. We're diving mainly DUI TLS-350 suits but this is equally applicable to my trusty back zip neoprene suit.
First off there are a few considerations that factor into this plan. Salt is nasty, grit is death to zipper teeth, each zipper cycle is wear & tear and the zipper wants to be stored unzipped so the sealing faces will not lose the softness that allows them to seal.
This assumes you are already using the method so read it full circle and it should make sense.
- Pack your drysuit hanger and bring it to the dive site along with the rest of your gear!
- After your dive remain in your suit and expose the zipper and rinse it with ½ liter or more of fresh water. A buddy may be helpful if you have a back zip. This can be optional in fresh water. Tend to your gear while this dries up a bit.
- Get out of your suit then insert the hanger and zip it up. We handle the suits in dedicated totes so there's no packing crushing or abuse.
- When it's time to clean the gear we have a trapeze covered with large pool noodles that holds 2 suits (~7') long. The noodle makes for a large gentle radius and lets us rinse in between. The suits go over the noodle, zipper up and with everything off of the ground.
- Thoroughly hose the suits, paying attention to the folds and exhaust valve. Spray downward to avoid getting water up inside the seals
- Let it drip dry for a few minutes
- Carry the suit into the dive locker and hang it from a ring that keeps the feet a few inches from the floor. Remember the hanger is already in there from the dive-site.
- Wax the zipper
- Open the zipper
- Service the relief valve if so equipped. (That will be another page!)
- Insert a blower hose down each leg and start blower. Leave the suit overnight or until you get back to it. This will get the inside nice and dry.
- Take suit down to talc the seals for easy donning and preservation.
- Gently fold it down into a tote and it's ready to go to the next site.
Using this method the zipper saw 2 cycles and was closed when there was risk of grit from used gear and then stored open to let the seals rebound.
If we're not going to be home with all of the facilities I will try to turn the suits inside out at the dive site and let the inside surfaces dry while we have lunch, chat or otherwise pack-up.
If we're away camping we bring this portable drying rack that lets us do all of the external cleaning just like home.
