Drysuit help to keep you dry while also they protect you from rocks and marine life. It is important to invest in a good quality drysuit. The prices for a good quality wetsuit can cost up to and more than $1,000. So, how long does a drysuit last?
In short, a good quality drysuit should last up to 10 years or more, this depends on a number of factors such as how often you use the suit and how well it is maintained and stored. A cheap wetsuit uses poor quality material in particularly the zippers therefore you shouldn’t expect it to last 10 years.
In today’s post, we will go through in more detail how long does a drysuit last, so let’s get started!
A good quality drysuit should last up to10 years or more, this depends on a number of factors such as how well it is maintained and how well it is stored. Again cheap wetsuit uses poor quality material such as the zippers and seals.
A drysuit is an expensive piece of gear so it is important to be aware of a few things when choosing to purchase your own drysuit. These are as follows.
There are a number of options when buying a drysuit when it comes to the materials used to make them. There are two main types of materials which are Neoprene and Trilaminate.
Trilaminate meaning in English is having three layers but does not provide much insulation. The drysuits that are made from the membrane are more durable but are generally looser fit on the body to allow you to add more insulation underneath.
Neoprene is thicker and has better insulating qualities than trilaminate-made suits so will keep you warmer. These suits are easier to move in but it is easier to damage.
The seal’s job is simply to keep your suit watertight. With that, there are two types of seals. These are neoprene and latex. The thing about latex seals is that it can cause allergies and so there is a trend towards more comfortable neoprene alternatives.
Drysuits have an inflator and an air dump. The inflator as the name suggests adds air into your suit to give you warmth and also for buoyancy control.
The dump air valve allows you to dump air in order to control buoyancy.
The zipper in the drysuit is very important and is the most expensive part of your suit to replace. On the drysuits, you will find front entry zips, and shoulder zips.
You need to maintain the zippers by washing with fresh water and keep them lubricated.
Drysuits are built to keep you dry and warm. It is important to clean, and store your drysuit properly in as to help extend the lifespan of your drysuit.
Cleaning your drysuit after your dive is important as to remove the saltwater or any dirt that might have been picked up doing the dive. Here are the steps to cleaning your drysuit.
To store your drysuit you firstly need to make sure that the drysuit is dry. That means completely dry. You don’t want there to be a funny damp smell when you return to use it again.
You should never put the drysuit in direct sunlight, as UV rays will damage the latex gaskets.
Store the drysuit in a dry and cool place. Then hang the drysuit up on a decent hanger, and if possible hang upside down by the legs or boots.
Keep the dry zipper open all the way during storage.
There are a few basic tips that will help to extend the lifespan of your drysuit. These are as follows.
Wetsuits help to keep you warm by trapping a thin layer of water while drysuits use a layer of air. Water conducts heat faster than air making the drysuit best for keeping you warm.
Drysuits are more expensive than wetsuits but drysuits can last longer if maintained properly. So in the long run they can prove to be better value.
Also, wetsuits have a skin-tight fit, this makes wetsuits typically easier to move and more comfortable underwater.
Finally, a good quality drysuit should last up to 10 years or more. This can depend on a number of factors such as how often you use it and how well you maintain the drysuit after using it. Drysuits are better at keeping divers warm over wetsuits.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on how long does a drysuit last has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.