How can I tell an old wet suit is too old? I know that UV light and chemicals will make neoprene age faster, but how old can neoprene get when taken good care of, without deterioration? And most important - how can I tell in what shape it is? Does it get "dry", inflexible or what happens to it?
neoprene ageing
- Thread starter Ray D Oh
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Don Burke
Contributor
The one wetsuit I have killed got stiff and started ripping at the seams. Loss of buoyancy comes pretty early in the process. I had quite a bit of suit life left after that.Ray D Oh:
Booties and gloves rip at the seams if I have not just worn right through them.
Hoods get stiff and start ripping.
Loss of buoyancy = loss of insulation value. It's all about the trapped bubbles.
Most of us grow too "muscular" to be able to fit into an old suit before it loses its value as an insulator. If it keeps you comfortable and is not falling apart, then everything is OK.
theskull
Most of us grow too "muscular" to be able to fit into an old suit before it loses its value as an insulator. If it keeps you comfortable and is not falling apart, then everything is OK.
theskull
miketsp
Contributor
My Spirotechnique wet suit from 1970 is still in perfect condition, which is more than can be said for me. It just seems to have shrunk a little. 
I did have to change the zipper a few years ago - it was metal and just turned into dust.
It also compressed a little - it was 5mm, now seems to be about 4.
I always soaked it after use for a couple of hours in fresh water and left it to hang and dry thoroughly before hanging it in the closet.
I did have to change the zipper a few years ago - it was metal and just turned into dust.
It also compressed a little - it was 5mm, now seems to be about 4.
I always soaked it after use for a couple of hours in fresh water and left it to hang and dry thoroughly before hanging it in the closet.
Bob3
Contributor
Pool water (chlorine) and sunlight are the 2 biggest enemies wetsuits have, followed by ozone (electric motors) and petroleum & other oils.
They'll last for a looong time if maintained, stored, & handled properly.
If a suit is junk, you'll probably be able to tell it right away.
We still haven't figured out why they like to shrink over the winter.
They'll last for a looong time if maintained, stored, & handled properly.
If a suit is junk, you'll probably be able to tell it right away.
We still haven't figured out why they like to shrink over the winter.
ChrisA
Contributor
Ray D Oh:
I have a 20 year old suit and a four month old suit. I think the older suits might be longer lived then the new ones. The old suits tended to be made with a rather heavy, less flexible material which was more durable. I think the trend now is to add more air to the neoprene. This makes it lighter and more stretchy (because there is less rubber) But I think the features that make the new suits nicer to use are counter to what is needed for long service life.
I think the new suits are cheaper. As I remember I think prices are about the same now as 20 years ago but my $120 suit was a _lot_ of money in 1984 but in 2004 but I thnk the $125 suit I just bought was a good deal.
rcontrera
Contributor
Chris really hit the nail on the head! The life expectancy of your suit, even if cared for meticulously, depends on the material that it was originally made of.
The old Rubatex material from the 70s and 80s that was affectionately dubbed "iron ware" by many dive shop owners, was stiff but extremely durable. With these suits, custom was almost mandatory. I still see some of these old wetsuits used in rentals that were made with the stuff way back in the early 80s.
With the advent of the "soft stretch" materials in the mid 80s came a drastic life expectancy decrease.
Neoprene is comprised of thousands of tiny bubbles of some gas. The old iron wear used inert nitrogen so it did nothing to damage the rubber itself. The only damage came from the repeated compressions and decompressions of diving. Because each tiny bubble was filled with nitrogen, they didn't break down as easily.
Soft stretch, on the other hand, was/is chemically blown. That means that the chemical process can still be going on to some extent on a suit that is already in use weakening the bubble walls. When those tiny bubbles are compressed, a certain percentage of them will stick together and remain collapsed while some others will burst. You can end up with a suit that looks great still, but has no insulation/bouyancy value.
Old iron wear will get you probably in excess of 500 dives before it is worn out while the newer materials will only get you about 150-175 dives to get to the same state.
Just my $.02
--
Ray
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
http://www.rayzplace.com
The old Rubatex material from the 70s and 80s that was affectionately dubbed "iron ware" by many dive shop owners, was stiff but extremely durable. With these suits, custom was almost mandatory. I still see some of these old wetsuits used in rentals that were made with the stuff way back in the early 80s.
With the advent of the "soft stretch" materials in the mid 80s came a drastic life expectancy decrease.
Neoprene is comprised of thousands of tiny bubbles of some gas. The old iron wear used inert nitrogen so it did nothing to damage the rubber itself. The only damage came from the repeated compressions and decompressions of diving. Because each tiny bubble was filled with nitrogen, they didn't break down as easily.
Soft stretch, on the other hand, was/is chemically blown. That means that the chemical process can still be going on to some extent on a suit that is already in use weakening the bubble walls. When those tiny bubbles are compressed, a certain percentage of them will stick together and remain collapsed while some others will burst. You can end up with a suit that looks great still, but has no insulation/bouyancy value.
Old iron wear will get you probably in excess of 500 dives before it is worn out while the newer materials will only get you about 150-175 dives to get to the same state.
Just my $.02
--
Ray
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
http://www.rayzplace.com
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