Wetsuit Durability/Longevity?

1Deepcat · Jan 29, 2007

How long (i.e. how many dives) should a high quality, well maintained/cared for wetsuit last for? How long should it retain its performance characteristics (i.e. insulating properties, shape, water transport/sealing, abrasion point protection [knees, shoulders, waist/hip])

diveprof · Jan 29, 2007

I find that wetsuits generally maintain reasonable insulating properties for about 250 -300 dives (for me this means +-2 years). After that, even though the suit may still look OK, it has substantially less warmth than a new suit. At that point it is worth it to me to replace it.

spectrum · Jan 29, 2007

1Deepcat:
How long (i.e. how many dives) should a high quality, well maintained/cared for wetsuit last for? How long should it retain its performance characteristics (i.e. insulating properties, shape, water transport/sealing, abrasion point protection [knees, shoulders, waist/hip])

200 dives is a common number that I have seen. This probably assumes moderate depths. If used mainly on shallow shore dives more can be expected. If you frequently go deep it will loose thermal properties sooner. I have a few suits that still seem like new with about 150 dives each, some were skin-dives.

Beyond that how you dive and care for the suit along with initial quality are all factors.

Pete

MarkUK · Jan 30, 2007

It does depend on what brand of suit you get, as I have gone through many suits over the years and some last longer than others.

I have a GUL 3mm fullsuit from the UK that has done over 400 dives and still works almost as well as it did when I got it. The same goes for my Waterproof 3mm fullsuit - this did nearly 300 dives before it died, but right up until it ripped at the bottom of the zip, it was as good as when I first got it.

However, a Scubapro 3mm suit I had lasted just seven months (160 plus dives) before all the stitching came out on the wrists and ankles and it ripped near the neck seal.

Currently I am using a Ralf Tech Shield Power 2/3mm fullsuit and have just gone on to my second one. The zipper broke on my first, but that did over 300 dives no problem, so I have high hopes of this one.

I reckon you could look on 200-250 dives as a good average before most suits start to wear or lose thermal properties, but get a good suit and it will last longer.

Mark

Diving Doc · Jan 30, 2007

200'ish dives for me. Having said that, mine gets regularly trashed in the pool with students. I think chlorine seriously messes about with the suits

Charlie99 · Jan 30, 2007

The consensus of 200-300 dives seems kind of low to me. I doubt that most DMs doing 10+ dives per week replace their wetsuits twice a year.

Next time I'm out on a boat here in Maui I'll do a little mini-survey and bring back the results.

almitywife · Jan 30, 2007

down here the almitees dive in Seatec semidry suits (great suits!)

gets on average about 500-600 divers per suit - at least 2 dives per week if not 4 or 6 dives

my suit is 7yrs old and now starting to show wear

drbill · Jan 30, 2007

I have had suits last 500 dives and still be warm (a custom M&B) and ones that started to fail after just 25 dives (a Seaquest X-Flex). I try to get at least 300-400 dives out of mine before they fall off... er, I mean I replace them. That's a year to 16 months of diving for me.

I should add that I'm not always good to my wetsuits... I hang them in direct sunlight to dry (assuming they do dry before the next dive).

ams511 · Jan 30, 2007

I would assume that besides quality, fit should matter also. If the suit is too small or in the wrong proportions you will be stressing it more which would decrease the life.

I wash mine after a dive and then shampoo it when I get home and rinse it off again. I also hang it up for storage. I never had that funky smell people complain about.

almitywife · Jan 30, 2007

ams511:
......If the suit is too small .....

i find that mine shrinks during winter :shakehead

Wetsuit Durability/Longevity?

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