How to store Dry Suit with neck ring and silicone seals?

[LauraPro]

Hello,

I've a new dry suit that I really like with neck ring and silicon seals...however my problem is now how to store it.

The dive shop say to hang it up and to close the zipper for the half so it has not tension (or less tension), however the instructions say not to close the zipper (it's a metal zipper).
Internet says to roll the suit and but it not the bag (above all for longterm storing), but with the neck ring I'm struggling to roll the suit up without bending the zipper....

what do you suggest?

Thanks
BR
Laura

 

[OTF]

Best way to store a drysuit is wet and crumpled in a gear bag because there isn't enough time between dives to store it any better.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

I have both the stiff and the flex neck rings and hang on these with the suspenders taking the weight
zipper closed or open

 

[Zef]

We have 2 drysuits in my household (mine and my wifes)....both have neck rings with silicone seals.

Mine is an Aqualung Fusion Bullet, I have the Si-Tech Neck-Tite ring system and also have the Fusion boots....The boots attach via some tenacious velcro which is strong enough to use one of the hangers that allows for the suit to hang upside down. For long-term storage I hang the suit by the boot ankles with the zipper open....The ceiling in my garage is high enough that the suit hangs without toughing the ground.

My wife's suit is a custom made hyper compressed neoprene suit with attached boots. She hangs her suit from a the boots upside down as well. The suit zipper is kept open for long term storage.

Here is a picture of the type of hangers we use:

When traveling to from/dive sites the following is recommended:
1. Lay suit with zipper closed, front side down, on a clean surface.
2. Begin loosely rolling the suit commencing with the feet/boots of the suit.
3. The zipper should be on the outside of the rolled garment (relatively speaking) when rolled.
4. fold the arms of the suit over the top of the rolled suit.
5. Place suit is storage sack, or whatever bag/bin used to transport suit.


Here is a picture of the type of bag I use for my suit...it is a repurposed military flight bag. The bag is big enough that I do not need to roll my suit, I just loosely accordian fold my suit into the bag before and after diving, with the zipper area and the arms of the suit with my wrist rings on top....nothing gets put on top of my drysuit bag in transit so I don't have to worry too much about things getting crushed:

Here is a picture of the type of bag that came with my wife's suit...it is a "carpet bag" design and unzips to lay flat as giant rectangle...she just rolls or folds her suit up like in the list above with the zipper on the outside and lays it on one side of the rectangle and the other side is folded over and it is then zipped shut to contain her suit, hood, and glove system.

-Z

 

[lexvil]

Back or front zip?
Never store a metal zip closed, they seal by compressing opposing rubber pieced together and long term will take a set and start leaking.

If there is an over zip just close that.

If there are suspenders (braces) cross those over the top of the hanger and hang.

If you roll it make sure it’s 100% dry, roll from the feet so the zip doesn’t make any sharp bends, let the arms “hug” the suit.

 

[broncobowsher]

Hang by the feet to dry.
Once dry lay it on the floor on its back, arms spread out.
Start at the feet and roll up toward the head. Once the suit is rolled to the point it is at the shoulders (pretty much on top of the neck seal) you fold the arms over the suit. Lift up the arms and you can carry it or set it in the drysuit bag.

 

[Degenerate]

I never understood the thought behind hanging a suit by the feet to dry.
The warm moist air while drying tend to travel up, but there is no way for it to escape if it travels up to the boots of the suit....
I fold my drysuit over a clothes rack after dives, torso over one side and the bottom part over the other, the highest point of the suit is the opening across the chest where the zipper is which allows the moist air to escape with ease.
You also don't need 2,5m height clearance with this method, something that comes in handy when you live in an apartment and your only place to dry stuff is your balcony

For storing, I do exactly how broncobowsher describes above.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Once dry I do not hang mine up. I have always been told to not leave it zipped, and store it away from UV light which will deteriorate the seals.

 

[broncobowsher]

The inverted is useful if you have any water drops that can roll out.
Warm moist air? Unless you are wearing there is no heat source. I find the inverted helps keep the suit open so natural air circulation will dry it. A drying stand based on a PC fan also does wonders. We could start a whole thread on drying and how dry is dry enough before storing.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

My drysuit has socks rather than rock boots so I can turn it completely inside out for drying. I have had rock boots on dry suits in the past, never again.