How long to 'break in' a new wetsuit?

[Katdb]

Hi everyone!

I'm doing my first dives in Canada next weekend , and bought a 7mm full suit vs the shorty that I usually use in the Caribbean. I tried it out in my pool and I nearly shot out of the water I was so buoyant :11: It didn't seem to take long to break in my shorty, but I'm wondering how long full suits generally take?

Thanks so much!
Katdb

 

[seaducer]

7mm is alot of neoprene, however that may still be a bit too little for Canada this time of year. For example I just dove yesterday in 46 degree water in my 7mm farmer john. I got 2 30 minute dives with about 90 minutes on the surface interval. The second dive was cold right from the start.

That being said, the deeper the dives the quicker the "breakin" period. But while it makes it slightly easier to control your bouyancy (the experience will do 100 ties more than the compression) it also takes away from thermal protection.

So how long? I guess I noticed a difference after about 10 dives to 60ish feet, but it is slight. And the process doesn't really stop, but it is slow going.

Just a tip, if you can pre soak the suit before diving. It will lose alot of bouyancy that way, so you don't have to overweight yourself so much to get that intial descent started.

oh, and make sure you are good with your dump valve and ascent procedures, as with alot of air in your bcd to be nuetral at depth, you will start to rocket up on your ascent, so be ready!

 

[Katdb]

Hi seaducer!

Thanks so much for your reply! I will actually be diving with the 7mm full suit, core warmer, boots, gloves & hood so I think *hope* I'll be warm enough By the end of our first dive, I found it cold in Bermuda last May so I wanted to make sure that I would be warm enough up here in even colder water.

When you say presoak, for how long? I'm hoping to swim with my wetsuit as much as I can this week, but with it being 30 degrees celsius, wearing the whole getup gets very hot very quickly! If I could soak them in a tub, it might work out better...

Thanks again!
Katdb

 

[cudachaser]

Once you pee in it...consider it broken in

 

[matjo1]

Hi everyone!

I'm doing my first dives in Canada next weekend , and bought a 7mm full suit vs the shorty that I usually use in the Caribbean. I tried it out in my pool and I nearly shot out of the water I was so buoyant :11: It didn't seem to take long to break in my shorty, but I'm wondering how long full suits generally take?

Thanks so much!
Katdb

If I'm reading you right, and by "breaking it in" you mean loose it's buoyancy, you wan't this to happen as slowly as possible. Wetsuits are made of closed cell neoprene with thousands of micro air bubbles imbeded in the rubber-like material, and it's thickness (resulting in high buoyancy) is what keeps you warm. After a few hundred dives, the bubbles collapsing in your suit will render it less buoyant, making it "broken in to" but will need to be replaced because it will no longer give you the thermal properties you bought it for in the first place. Simple solution: wear more weights and enjoy your buoyant, warm wetsuit.
If by "break in" you meant pee in it, get in the shower with it and get it over with.
(Sorry, I could'nt help myself)

 

[seaducer]

Hi seaducer!

Thanks so much for your reply! I will actually be diving with the 7mm full suit, core warmer, boots, gloves & hood so I think *hope* I'll be warm enough By the end of our first dive, I found it cold in Bermuda last May so I wanted to make sure that I would be warm enough up here in even colder water.

When you say presoak, for how long? I'm hoping to swim with my wetsuit as much as I can this week, but with it being 30 degrees celsius, wearing the whole getup gets very hot very quickly! If I could soak them in a tub, it might work out better...

Thanks again!
Katdb

I don't know really. I have never had teh chance to presoak my 7, but I do know doing a repetative dive with it not only do I feel the water as much getting in but I am less positive on the surface.

At the aquarium I volunteer at we wear 5mm full suits, and are required to soak for 10 minutes in warm fresh water to kill any pathogens that might affect the SW fish. That seems to do the trick.

For dressing in 30c temps I might pour some cool water in the suit, and maybe soak my rash guard and bathing suit in cool water as well. It may help stay a little more comfy as you are gearing up. Just make sure you don't give yourself a chill before you get into cold water.
Also don't wait for your buddies to finish. If you are dressed and ready get in the water. As you are floating around staying comfortable, you are also soaking that suit to make it easier to descend.

 

[matjo1]

Once you pee in it...consider it broken in

Good job dude, you beat me to it.

 

[spectrum]

A 7mm suit with 2X on the core is the price of admission to cold water diving short of going dry. Yes it takes some extra weight to neutralize that neoprene but that buoyancy (trapped gas bubbles) is what will keep you warm. In terms of the buoyancy you should hope it never breaks in. Bubble crushing depth is the suits enemy. Many divers cite 200 -300 dives as when their suits have lost a noticeable amount of thermal protection. The weight may seem alarming to a diver with only warm water experience but you will quickly adapt and it vanishes in the water. Steel tanks are you best strategy to minimize the impact.

As for diving cold water wet be sure to bring some nice warm water in picnic jugs or plastic jugs in a cooler., not scalding but comfortably hot. Pour some down your collar and twist to flood your sleeves as well. Filling your boots 1/2 way before zipping works well. This will get water into the suit on your own terms before Mother Nature sends it in. With your suit primed like this your entry can be an amazing non event and you have evaded the first wave of body heat loss.

When the surface air temp makes all of this uncomfortably hot pour ambient temperature water into your suit instead. This will pull enough heat from your core to let you get into the water without heat stress and your suit will again be primed and ready.

If planning a second dive get out of the suit ASAP. At a bare minimum roll it down to the waist and get into some dry layers. Evaporative cooling is evil so get sheltered, in the sun or wear something like a dive parka.

Pete

 

[drbill]

Not sure I understand the concept of breaking in a wetsuit? I usually give mine about 300 dives to develop the holes and worn spots in all the right places, then I wear it for another 200-300 dives before the legs fall off and I can only use it for summer diving.

 

[BKP]

Not sure I understand the concept of breaking in a wetsuit? I usually give mine about 300 dives to develop the holes and worn spots in all the right places, then I wear it for another 200-300 dives before the legs fall off and I can only use it for summer diving.

Nothing like a broken in wetsuit...