Custom wetsuit - Boggled by neoprene types sold by different custom wetsuit companies

[Thalassamania]

Yes, you could, that'd work well. I use a "wash bottle" from the chem lab, but not everybody can put their hands on one easily.

 

[fnfalman]

If you don't want to have to lug a lube bottle, then just use skin lotion. It will help with sliding in and out, not to mention it's something that you would already have in your dive pack for after dive skin treatment.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Aha, Thalassamania, that looks like a good idea. Luckily, I have a ready supply of those bottles at work

Say, one question, now that I know I will need to use some sort of lube: I thought I read in another thread somewhere that some of the lube was not good for the ecology of reefs. Maybe it was the hair conditioner? Can anyone comment on which product(s) would be the most or least problematic in that regard?

So far I've heard of the following options:

1) Soap/water
2) Hair conditioner/water
3) Sking moisturizing lotion
4) Commercial wetsuit lube
5) KY jelly/water

I realize I'm not going to be pouring whatever it is straight onto the reef, but since there is a choice of products I might as well use the least harmful. Also, it would be nice to know so that if people comment on it I at least know what I'm doing or not doing in terms of affecting the areas I'm diving in.

Also, can any of them be detrimental to the suit/Oceanliner itself? (Of course I'll be rinsing it later, but it will be in contact with the suit all day.)

Thanks!

B.

 

[Thalassamania]

Use one bottle for ear wash (search for Tektite Solution on SB) and one for lube.

 

[Scott L]

If one has to lube a custom made wetsuit in order to don and doff then a post purchase evaluation is probaly in order. My Wetwear G-231 custom made suit is lined with material to facilitate sliding into and out of. In addition, it was outfitted with longer sealed zippers to further aid in the effort especially when the boat is a rocking..

 

[noreastDIVER84]

Aha, Thalassamania, that looks like a good idea. Luckily, I have a ready supply of those bottles at work

Say, one question, now that I know I will need to use some sort of lube: I thought I read in another thread somewhere that some of the lube was not good for the ecology of reefs. Maybe it was the hair conditioner? Can anyone comment on which product(s) would be the most or least problematic in that regard?

So far I've heard of the following options:

1) Soap/water
2) Hair conditioner/water
3) Sking moisturizing lotion
4) Commercial wetsuit lube
5) KY jelly/water

I realize I'm not going to be pouring whatever it is straight onto the reef, but since there is a choice of products I might as well use the least harmful. Also, it would be nice to know so that if people comment on it I at least know what I'm doing or not doing in terms of affecting the areas I'm diving in.

Also, can any of them be detrimental to the suit/Oceanliner itself? (Of course I'll be rinsing it later, but it will be in contact with the suit all day.)

Thanks!

B.

Another solution for sliding the wetsuit on and off, is talc. I had been using it to get into my Henderson Insta Dry suit, which is just like the suit you are describing. I am now using it for the seals on my drysuit as well. I just get it unscented and the whole container is cheaper than the little pad that the dive shop sells and is the same thing.

 

[Scott L]

Another solution for sliding the wetsuit on and off, is talc. I had been using it to get into my Henderson Insta Dry suit, which is just like the suit you are describing. I am now using it for the seals on my drysuit as well. I just get it unscented and the whole container is cheaper than the little pad that the dive shop sells and is the same thing.

That makes alot more sence than lube IMO....

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Valhalla: I agree. If I had known that a lubricant was necessary I might have chosen something different (that said, at this point I don't know that this is true; neither the Aquaflite website (that I noticed) nor Ed mentioned it, so perhaps the suit is don and doffable without anything extra).

noreast: I'll have to check into the talc idea. I have this notion from boatbuilding that it's not something you want flying around in the air to breathe, but then this would be outside, and maybe it's a different type of talc (talc is also sometimes used as a thickener for epoxy resin). I'll do some checking. We wear respirators in a work setting when working with it.

[Okay, preliminary checking does show that breathing talc is probably not a good idea, so I'm going to try to find something else - still interested in how some of the other lubes might affect the reef (or not)]

Thalassamania: Up till now I've made my own ear solution - I keep it in a dropper bottle and use it anytime I've been swimming in the ocean. I got the "recipe" from a couple of different "medicine for cruisers" type books. There were variations; I chose 1/2 alcohol and 1/2 vinegar. IIRC some of the other ones called for hydrogen peroxide.

 

[Thalassamania]

Talc is a bit of a pain and a mess, I prefer the baby shampoo solution.

Your ear wash sounds fine, but it's very drying, so is mine. I strongly recommend to you a few drops of mineral oil in each ear prior to each dive, with a wash at the end of each diver. I like the wash bottle, because if you leave them out in the sun the ear solution gets nice and warm, mmmmmm.

 

[Scott L]

Valhalla: I agree. If I had known that a lubricant was necessary I might have chosen something different (that said, at this point I don't know that this is true; neither the Aquaflite website (that I noticed) nor Ed mentioned it, so perhaps the suit is don and doffable without anything extra).

noreast: I'll have to check into the talc idea. I have this notion from boatbuilding that it's not something you want flying around in the air to breathe, but then this would be outside, and maybe it's a different type of talc (talc is also sometimes used as a thickener for epoxy resin). I'll do some checking. We wear respirators in a work setting when working with it.

[Okay, preliminary checking does show that breathing talc is probably not a good idea, so I'm going to try to find something else - still interested in how some of the other lubes might affect the reef (or not)]

Thalassamania: Up till now I've made my own ear solution - I keep it in a dropper bottle and use it anytime I've been swimming in the ocean. I got the "recipe" from a couple of different "medicine for cruisers" type books. There were variations; I chose 1/2 alcohol and 1/2 vinegar. IIRC some of the other ones called for hydrogen peroxide.

I doubt any of this will be neccessary. The suit should fit fine otherwise send back for alterations.