Dive Right In Scuba's Ultimate Guide to Drysuits
Introduction
Diving into the world of drysuits can lead to hours of learning and decision-making, including a lot of questions that are tricky to get clear answers on. Sometimes searching ScubaBoard, reading diving blogs, and talking with your fellow divers isn’t enough.
Some common questions about drysuits include:
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How do I buy a drysuit?
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What kind of drysuit do I want?
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How do I take care of my drysuit?
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What happens if it leaks?
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What accessories should I buy?
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How do I pee in a drysuit?
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Why are these things so expensive?
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Are they worth it?
The goal of this guide is to provide you with these answers and much more. First, we’ll start with an overview of the format of this guide, and then we'll get right into why you might want to dive in a drysuit in the first place.
Why dive dry? That's a question we get asked a lot here at Dive Right In Scuba (DRIS). Our internal response is “Is that a joke? It's f$%&ing freezing on the lake!”. We mostly never say that part out loud (mostly). But it is true, the primary reason most divers decide to dive dry is the temperature of the water. This can be a bit tricky, as you will see divers in Mexico diving into cenotes with drysuits when people around them are jumping in for a swim with a pair of trunks or a bikini on. You’ll need to consider both time and temperature when choosing to dive dry. You can dive in 60-degree water in a 7mm wetsuit for 10-20 minutes, but if you’re in there for an hour, you can expect to develop a nice bit of hypothermia. Your internal temperature sits around 98.6 degrees, so sitting in 70-degree water for two hours is going to feel cold and very uncomfortable. With some exceptions for public safety divers, divers dive dry to stay warm no matter the temperature or time spent underwater.
Plus, there's no better look on your friend's face than when you tell them you're going diving and you won’t be getting wet… priceless.
As a special note, rescue and Public Safety Diver (PSD) teams often dive in contaminated water, and drysuits are the only type of suit that will keep them safe during those dives.
The benefits are pretty clear when it comes to diving dry; the most apparent one is that a drysuit makes some diving possible. For technical divers, it opens up worlds of diving opportunities. That being said, we need to be honest here. There are some downsides when diving dry. The initial cost is quite high, but, then again, so is everything in this hobby of ours. Drysuits are classically finicky and difficult to work with; zippers wear out, suits leak, seams degrade, seals break, and every time the suit goes in for repair, it's a pretty penny to get them back.
You also need to take an additional class if you want to dry suit dive. Luckily, multiple organizations offer drysuit certification courses, and we at DRIS highly recommend that you take a class. You may even find that some shops won’t rent you a drysuit without a drysuit card.
Let’s talk about the suit itself. It’s going to be another piece of equipment to keep track of on a dive. For example, you’ll need to take note of the additional buoyancy characteristics and this bubble of air that can shift around during the dive. And, let’s be honest, getting gas trapped in your feet is not something most people want to experience. If you want to learn the ins and outs of how to dive in a drysuit, you’ll need to take the drysuit class. (I was sternly told by our very scary legal team that I cannot go into any of that here.)
Base Drysuit Selection and Options
Deciding to dive dry will lead you to a seemingly never-ending series of decisions. Now, allow me to tell you about your options when it comes to acquiring your drysuit. That means we’re looking at everything from fabric to entry, to zippers, seals, valves, boots, and so on..
Drysuit Fabrics: There are a handful of options when it comes to drysuit fabric types.
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Trilaminate materials are the most common these days; lightweight, easy to use, and always sleek as hell. The specifics of the three layers that make up the trilaminate fabric vary depending on the manufacturer and model. These suits are typically the easiest to repair and work on, according to the expert drysuit techs here at DRIS.
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Bilamante fabrics are also common and follow the same general guidelines as the trilaminate fabrics. However, bilam is typically thicker and has a slightly different feel from trilam.
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Neoprene is the next most common option. This fabric provides the diver with some additional insulation along with the suit. They are most commonly used in arctic-type environments and for those divers who get cold easily. Neoprene suits are typically less expensive than tri or bilaminate drysuits. You’ll find that neoprene is less flexible and more rugged than the laminates.
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Rubber is the last option on our list today. It’s not as common with recreational or technical divers; it is often used in PSD settings.
Drysuit Entry: Let’s talk about how you enter your suit.
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Front entry is the most common; it has the advantage of being the most independent option as you don’t need your buddy to zip you closed before you gear up. The three options for zipper orientation are upper right to lower left across the chest, straight across the chest, and in a horseshoe shape, arcing from one shoulder to another. The horseshoe style requires the longest zipper and can only use a metal zipper, as plastic zippers will not bend correctly. Across the body, upper right to lower left is the most common and can be used with both plastic and metal zippers. It also has the benefit of complete self-donning while keeping a majority of your zipper out of the way of your harness and other equipment.
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Rear entry is common with neoprene drysuits. The zipper placement from shoulder to shoulder along the back requires the shortest length of zipper, reducing the cost of the zipper and thus the suit. Rear entry has the downside of needing a buddy to seal your zipper. So, if you don’t have any friends, stick with the front entry.
Zippers: Drysuit zippers come in two flavors, metal and plastic. Metal is the classic old school zipper that, back in the day, NASA used for spacesuit zippers. Metal is typically more durable, with some commercial suits transferring to HD metal zippers. Now that plastic zippers have become more common, some manufacturers have claimed that plastic lasts longer. However, we cannot make a definitive call on this debate as plastic zippers have not been out long enough. That being said, most manufacturers are moving to plastic zippers in all of their new suits.
Seals: While we’ll take a comprehensive look at neck and wrist systems later in this guide, we can go over the basics here. There are three types of seals: latex, silicone, and neoprene.
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Latex is the old classic, and prone to dry rot and stretching over time.
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Silicone seals are stickier to get into and cut more easily. Neoprene seals provide a warmer option, but they are not user-replaceable. They also need to be folded over to complete the seal. Talk with your local dive shop about all your options.
There are proper ways to take care of your seals, no matter the type. Silicone conditioner/lubricant is a common solution and helps preserve the seal. Baby powder or talc powder is still the king for latex seals.
Many suits will come with glued-in seals or systems. Technical divers will often prefer a glued-in latex neck seal and some kind of system for their gloves and wrist seals. A glued-in latex seal won’t be prone to a cut like silicone and won’t interfere with your backplate harness or dig into your shoulders like user-replaceable systems.
Exhaust Valves: Like everything in diving, you have options when it comes to exhaust valves. The most common being a low-profile exhaust valve placed on the left side, mid-tricep area. There are a few divers who like the exhaust by their wrist, but oftentimes that space will be reserved for computers and gauges. For PSD teams and other extreme diving, a contaminated water valve is vital during dangerous dives. The basic exhaust valve is another option, but it’s a little bulkier on the arm than the low profile. This may cause your backplate and harness to be more difficult to don and doff, which is why many prefer the low profile.
Inflator Valves: Will you be shocked to learn that, when it comes to inflator valves, you have options? I didn’t think so. Your decision will depend on how much you want to splurge on your undergarments. The basic inflator placement is dead center on your chest. However, in more recent years, with the popularity of chest-mounted rebreathers growing, you’ll find manufacturers are offering inflator valves down by the waistline on one side of your body to prevent trapping your inflator under your rebreather. You also have the option of a contaminated water inflator valve for those who require it. If you are going to be running a heated undergarment, there are specialty valves that have the heated suit ports.
Boots/Socks: One of the more impactful decisions when it comes to drysuits is your choice of footwear. There’s a big difference between opting for socks or boots. Socks provide you with more flexibility in size. You do, however, need to pair them with rockboots or other thin, fast-drying shoes with a sole that fits over the socks. Drysuit boots are either neoprene with rubber soles, partially vulcanized, or full vulcanized rubber boots. You have the option of latex socks, but they are far less common as they lack measurable insulating abilities and are prone to cuts and scrapes at dive sites. In particularly warm environments, some people even use latex ankle seals instead of any kind of boot or sock.
Fusion Suits: These have seen a rise in popularity over the past few years. Fusion Suits are a combination of a loose bag-like drysuit that is then contained in a thin neoprene wetsuit skin with the valves and zipper peaking through the outer neoprene.
Advanced Drysuit Options
While the following drysuit options are not “mission critical,” they’re often add-ons to off-the-rack suits. When deciding what drysuit to get or if you want to go custom with a particular manufacturer, consider the following options:
Protective Pads: Whether it be with knee, elbow, or butt pads, it’s never a bad idea to keep your drysuit protected when you're using it. Often made of trilaminate or a kevlar-bilaminate, these pads protect the most common wear areas.
Zipper Covers: Pads aren’t just for your body parts; they’re also good for protecting your zippers! Some are plastic, non-waterproof zippers that run in the opposite direction of the drysuit zipper. Others are velcro flaps that you can secure in place either with another flap or on the other side of the zipper. That’s not all, you can also choose to install a simple, stiff flap that runs over and across the zipper. If you select a more budget-friendly suit, it might lack any kind of zipper protection.
P-Valves: For lots of us in the drysuit community, the p-valve is an essential part of the suit. We’ll cover catheter options below, but let’s begin with a brief expansion of p-valves and their installation. For long dives in particular, drysuit divers may feel the need to relieve themselves. And we cannot be more clear on this: Unlike a wetsuit, DO NOT pee in your drysuit. But if you gotta go, you gotta go, so the solution is a one-way valve with a tube leading up to a catheter. This means pee goes out rather than spending the rest of the dive with you and your drysuit. Some valves are balanced and allow the air from the suit to enter the tubing. This is critical, as if you do not have any balancing of the p-valve system, as you go deeper and deeper, the sealed tube will start to crush. Sit with that thought for a second. I’ll wait. The alternative to a balanced valve is a pee-through bolt valve that allows water into your tube to relieve the pressure. Oh, um, it’s going to be very cold water. The point being that we recommend a balanced P-valve. Keep in mind that if your suit does not come with a built-in p-valve, your dive shop will charge an installation fee to add it to your suit.
Relief Zipper: If you don’t want a p-valve, you have the option to install a relief zipper into a suit. These are more common with PSD divers than with recreational or technical divers. It will reduce the time you need to use the bathroom, but you still need to exit the water to relieve yourself.
Per the rest of our Ultimate Guides (Sidemount Diving and Backmount Diving), we won’t mention any products or companies as things are always changing. The goal of the system section is to teach you about the different available system styles and illustrate the pros and cons of each.
Neck Systems: Neck systems are rings that are sewn and/or glued into your suit. These allow the diver to easily replace their old neck seal with a new one at the dive site or at home. This has many advantages, as one can imagine, particularly if you’re diving remote sites for long periods, going on drysuit diving trips, or for those who don’t live close to a dive shop. The ability to remove and replace your neck seal yourself is a game-changer.
While advantageous, neck systems are not without their drawbacks. Some systems have a particularly large or bulky ring; the ring may interfere with a diver’s harness, causing either the shoulder straps to be too wide on the shoulders or to overlap with the ring, causing the weight of your tanks to pass from the straps to the ring and dig into your shoulders. This is why tech divers sometimes prefer a glued-in latex to a replaceable system.
Wrist Systems: While there are many forms and functions of wrist systems, we'll cover the big points here. Similar to neck systems, most wrist systems allow the diver to change out their wrist seals at the dive site or home. They are also available in multiple configurations. Some companies offer metal or plastic systems, some snap together to achieve their seal, while others twist on to secure the system into place. Wrist systems also typically have a glove system option. Make sure you review your system options carefully, as there are systems that only allow for either a wrist seal or a glove. But thankfully, most allow for both a wrist seal and a glove to be used simultaneously.
Dry Gloves: The cool blue old-school PVC gloves dubbed “Smurf Gloves” are still a very popular option amongst divers. Their more flexible, but slightly less insulating, orange younger brother is a good option as well. Some manufacturers have opted to create their own dry glove and system. The biggest thing is to make sure you get the proper glove size and are comfortable with the glove dexterity. Color is a good thing to think about as well. I can say from personal experience that as a diver who always wore black gloves on a black suit, when I made the switch to orange PVC gloves, my buddies were very pleased.
Pockets: While some suits will come with a pocket or set of pockets, it's always good to know what's out there. Generally speaking, there are at least two interior attachment bungies inside the pocket that you clip your equipment to. Some pockets have a stiff flap on the interior that is good for keeping wet notes or shears, which keeps them away from other equipment. Some pockets will also feature a smaller, zipper pocket on their flap. I have found this smaller pocket is great for an action camera or other small items.
Suspenders and Crotch Straps: Depending on the material and quality of the suit, many come standard with a crotch strap to keep the top half of the suit from coming up too much during a dive. They will also have internal suspenders to allow the diver to keep the top half of the suit off when gearing up. This is a lifesaver in warmer weather. Tri and bilaminate suits will often come with suspenders and a crotch strap, while neoprene suits may not.
Undergarments
Understanding Undergarments: Like most choices in the world of drysuit diving, the type and level of undergarment you purchase will depend upon the diving you are planning on doing. Most manufacturers use similar materials, including wool, polyester, fleece, or Thinsulate. The rule of thumb is that the colder the dive, the thicker the undergarment. This is key when purchasing a new suit as well. We encourage our customers to try on suits with the thickest undergarments they plan on wearing. This way, you ensure the suit is still comfortable when you’re fully dressed and, more importantly, you can still fit into it. Diving with thinner undergarments is no problem. When deciding what thickness to buy for your diving, we recommend looking at manufacturer guidelines to learn the undergarment’s temperature rating.
There are one and two-piece undergarments. For particularly tall divers, two-piece undergarments are the way to go. Don’t forget to grab a pair of undergarment socks!
When it comes to undergarments, layering is your friend. This is because not all dive sites are at the same temperature. For example, if you’re diving in the frigid waters of the Great Lakes, they can easily drop to the upper 30s. Now, if you're diving in caves in Mexico that sit at a nice 75 degrees or so, that calls for a different undergarment strategy. Most manufacturers sell a variety of temperature-rated undergarments and will often have a layering guide for a variety of temperature ranges.
If you are like me, a broke college kid, or your budget is tight after you purchase a new suit, you can find some cost-saving solutions out there. For warmish waters, throw on a pair of wool socks, sweatpants, and a crew cut sweatshirt. Just stay away from anything with a hoodie or high neckline, as they can get in the way of a neck seal and also make the suit extremely uncomfortable to dive in.
Heated Undergarments: Heated undergarments are becoming more popular these days with manufacturers producing higher quality undersuits and gloves, and improving their battery technology. Keep in mind that to power the undergarments, you’ll need either a dedicated battery or a specialized light battery that can feed both the undergarment and your dive light. You’ll also need a specialized drysuit inflator to connect the battery to the suit.
Drysuit Accessories
Argon: For those who can get the gas, argon is a great boost for staying warm. Argon has a heavier atomic weight than oxygen, nitrogen, and especially helium. That atomic weighting means it slows down the heat that transfers from you to the suit, then to the water around you, and then back to you. This translates to you staying warmer while you’re underwater. If you opt for this method, you will need an independent argon tank and regulator. For trimix divers, an independent drysuit inflation is required, whether you dive argon or not.
Gaiters: Some divers who have issues with air getting into their boots will opt for a pair of gaiters. Gaiters are an elastic fabric that wraps around your calf and then Velcro together. This provides an added level of safety for the diver with a bit of mental comfort on the side.
Ankle Weights: Ankle weights provide a similar solution to gaiters. They’re often used to counteract buoyant legs or buoyant fins and keep the diver in trim when transitioning from a wetsuit to a drysuit.
Hoods: We’ve talked about drysuits, gloves, and boots, but we’ve neglected to mention anything about your hood. Keeping your head warm is pretty important…That's where dryhoods come in. And, while uncommon amongst sport divers, some use dryhoods in combination with full face masks. This practice of dryhood and full-face masks is common for PSD teams and other professional divers who dive in contaminated waters.
How to Order a Drysuit
Custom Cut Suits: If you want to get the best fit possible, a custom-cut suit is the way to go. But this significantly increases the price of the suit. If you’re a diver who requires significant modifications to their drysuit or wants all the bells and whistles, we suggest buying a custom suit. The reason is that the cost may be lower if you get valves, pockets, pads, etc., installed by the manufacturer rather than waiting until you buy the suit and having a third party install them on a piece-by-piece basis. And, let’s face it, it’ll look way more aesthetically pleasing to have the manufacturer put the suit together, rather than a third-party technician. Unless you’re into that Frankenstein look.
A pro tip for you. When ordering a custom suit, know what undergarments you would like to use with it. Oftentimes, the manufacturer will ask for this information so they can add additional material as needed.
If you are going to order a custom suit, you’re going to need to break out the measuring tape. Our recommendation is to go to your local dive shop and have them measure you to ensure the measurements are exactly what the manufacturer is looking for. If you are too far for a trip to the shop, a good alternative is to find a tailor and bring the measuring instructions and sheet to fill out. Or grab a buddy to help you measure. Oftentimes, there are manufacturers' measurement videos that you can find online. Here at DRIS, when a customer is measuring for a drysuit at home, they can hop on a video chat with one of our experts who can guide them and a buddy through the measurements. When suggesting that you take your measurements three times and then take the average. It works out the best. Don’t guess on your measurements or send us your goal weight. Real data is key.
Off The Rack: Looking to dive right in…scuba? (Sorry!) Off the rack may be the better option for you. Wait times for a custom suit can be up to a year, not ideal if you have a dive trip before next Christmas. The great thing about buying stock is that you can dive into it right away. If your body is relatively proportional, oftentimes you can find a stock suit at your local dive shop! Depending on the manufacturer, some stock suits will include pockets, valves, replaceable seals, and even systems, depending on the manufacturer and model. Oftentimes, though, you’ll need to install them after you purchase the suit. (We’ll go into that more later in the guide).
Stock with Mod Policies: Some manufacturers offer a made-to-order service where you come into a shop, get measured, and then select a stock suit. Then the manufacturer allows for 3-5 modifications to the suit. Everything fits for a large suit, but you’re an avid hiker and have big calves? No worries. The manufacturer may cover that modification at no additional charge. Always talk to your local dive shop to see what your options are with different manufacturers.
Used Suits: Found a “Great Deal” on Facebook Marketplace? Or got a buddy who is buying a new suit and you're buying his old one for a fraction of the price? While there is nothing wrong with buying a used suit, it is good to know what you are buying and what to look for when buying pre-owned.
A couple of things to note when buying a used drysuit. Always ask the seller why they are selling the suit. Are they upgrading and don’t need the old one? Is it a lemon, and are they looking to unload it fast? Does the suit look to be in good condition? Are there wear marks that might leak? Is the zipper in good condition, or is it fraying? On trilaminate suits, is the seam tape peeling? For glued-in seals, do the seals have cracks? Are they going to need replacing?
Keep in mind that even if the suit visually looks good, it may still have leaks and need repairs. We highly recommend taking the suit to a repair shop and asking for a leak test before you take the suit on a dive to see if it requires repairs and how much it would cost to get the suit in working condition.
Post-Purchase Modifications
Replaceable seals, pockets, and p-valves are the most common post-purchase modifications we see coming through our drysuit repair department. Below is a little more about post-purchase modifications and what to expect.
System Installs: Starting with the most common modifications, installing a system is not particularly inexpensive, but if you want replaceable seals or to use dry gloves and your suit does not come stock with a system, it’s your only real option. Systems can range in price, and installation will include a charge for labor.
Depending on the wrist system, if it is significantly larger or smaller than the existing cuffs, a wedge or taper may be required for your suit. Technicians won’t always know this is going to need to be added when they start the modification. This may affect the price of the system installation. Keep in mind that when changing your system or putting one on, you may lose an inch or two as the techs cut out your old system. On the plus side, oftentimes the length of the glove will more than make up for this difference.
Neck systems don’t usually have this problem unless you are moving systems. This can be tricky, as a ring of fabric may need to be added to your suit before the new system can be installed. This adds to the total cost of repair.
Pockets: While not as expensive and generally less hassle than installing systems, the standard for pockets is one on the right and one on the left. They should be positioned so that when the diver is in the suit, their fingertips can reach the bottom of the pocket without having to crunch to the side.
If you are marking your pocket for a repair technician to install, we recommend having someone mark where you would like your pocket with chalk. Relax your arms at your side, place the pocket where you want it, and trace a box around your hand. This will allow the technician to place your pockets exactly where you want them.
If you are unsure what pockets you want or where exactly you want them placed, we highly recommend going into your local shop and asking for assistance on both selection and placement.
P-Valves: The standard placement for p-valves is about 45 degrees toward the inside from the front of your left thigh. Leg placement can depend on your personal preferences, but most of the time it is the opposite side from your dominant hand. Like with pockets, you will oftentimes need to purchase the p-valve separately and then pay for the installation itself.
Correcting Boot Size: On used or off-the-rack suits, you may need to change the boot size. Like all add-ons, you’ll need to select the kind of boot or sock you wish to install. Here at DRIS, we like to have customers try on boots with the same undergarment sock they will be using to dive.
Other Notes: If your suit needs other arrangements, including alterations, re-seaming, zipper replacements, patch work, or anything else, some shops may be able to help you out. A reputable dive shop will send you a quote before starting any work to give you an idea of what the cost will be. It's important to keep two things in mind: first, take a look at the cost of the quote; if the cost to repair is over half the cost of a new suit, it may be time to think about investing in a new suit. Secondly, if you are leaking or are getting work done, the repair team will conduct a major leak test. Over the course of the test, the technicians may find additional leaks or discover that your suit needs a re-seam. This will significantly increase the cost of repair.
Potential Purchases Associated with a New Suit
We here at DRIS like to let you know everything associated with buying a new suit. If you're not careful when looking into a new drysuit or you have not completed your drysuit class, you may not know everything you need to purchase, such as undergarments. This can lead to a surprisingly significant increase in your final purchase price. So when planning your drysuit purchase, keep these other potential purchases in mind:
Undergarments: As talked about above, you may need to purchase a set or two, depending on the dives you are planning to do. Don’t forget to include undergarment socks and gloves (if you’re using dry gloves). Compare all of your options; you don’t need to immediately spring for the most expensive, fancy undergarments. You’d be surprised how far you can get with just a merino wool top, bottom, and gloves.
New Fins: With all the talk of undergarments and boots, don’t forget that those boots need to fit into your fins. We recommend that you bring your fins in when you are trying on boots or drysuits to confirm everything fits as it should. You can also call ahead and ask if they have the fins at the shop to try when you get there.
Gauge Straps and Bungee Cords: This isn’t usually a problem if you have bungee or long straps, but every once in a while, we see a diver come back in to buy the longer wrist strap for their drysuit. Many divers will move to a bungee mount instead of buying a new strap. This happens most often when divers use wristwatch-style computers.
Weights: When moving from a wetsuit to a drysuit, your buoyancy characteristics in the water are going to change. Getting properly weighted will be covered in your drysuit class. Even if you are dialed in with your exact weight in a wetsuit, you may need to purchase weights to compensate for your drysuit's buoyancy.
Drysuit Inflators: Depending on how you buy your suit, you may need to purchase a drysuit inflator hose. You’ll also want to buy one if you are planning to purchase an argon tank and regulator setup. Not all hose lengths are created equal, and you’ll need a different size depending on how you’ll be diving. A diver using an argon tank or doubles, where the first stage is offset from the centerline, will need a relatively short hose. On the other hand, a single tank diver may need a longer hose to reach his inflator. And a sidemount diver who butt-mounts his argon will need a relatively long hose to reach his inflator.
BCD/Wing: Depending on the diving you were doing before you started your drysuit journey, particularly for those with light 20 lb travel wings or BCDs, you may need to upgrade to a larger wing or BCD to compensate for the additional weight that comes from your drysuit. Remember, you still need to be able to use your wing to ascend to the surface in a controlled manner if your drysuit floods. For those diving single tank in a drysuit, we here at DRIS recommend a buoyancy force of 30 lbs or greater, with a 35 lb wing being the sweet spot.
Care and Maintenance
Now that you’ve purchased your drysuit, got all the bells and whistles installed, and are ready to become the drysuit diver you were born to be, we’ve got one more thing to share with you: How to care for your suit. Below are some of the most common care-related questions and guidelines for your drysuit. We know everyone will tell you something different, but these are our recommendations, pulled together from manufacturers, dive experts, and our own experiences.
For General Storage: Always let your suit dry completely before any long or short-term storage. For short-term storage, keep the drysuit in a temperature-controlled environment out of direct sunlight. For long-term storage, ensure your suit has remained dry for at least 72 hours, then place it in a sealed container to prevent any unwanted guests from destroying your suit while it awaits next year’s dive season. Keep the container in a cool, dry environment and out of direct sunlight. When folding your suit (if you fold) for storage, it is important to fold the suit in such a way that there is minimal folding of the zipper. This prevents extended pressure on the zipper, which could lead to issues.
Zipper Care: For metal zippers, while there is such a thing as overwaxing, it is far more likely they are being underwaxed. We see this as a leading culprit in all sorts of zipper repairs and replacements. We’ve seen underwaxed zippers require replacement after only a few years, while on the other side, we've seen divers that wax their zippers before every or every other dive have them last 20 years or so before needing to be replaced. (That's impressive!) For the best care, wax your zipper often, every dive or so, and, when putting your suit away, leave the metal zipper unzipped and ensure the suit is completely dry.
For plastic zippers, use a plastic zipper lubricant when needed and when the suit is completely dry. Place a very small amount of lubricant on the horseshoe end of the zipper, just enough to fill the small divots in the zipper and have a glossy finish to the end of the zipper. When you are ready for storage, zip the zipper a little more than three-fourths of the way up to close and carefully fold your suit.
Cleaning: For cleaning the outside of your drysuit, we recommend a light soap like Dawn. Water it down in a spray bottle, and use a cloth or a very light brush. When washing the inside, gently scrub with a hand cloth and the soap/water mixture. After cleaning, always make sure that your suit is completely dry before putting it away in storage.
Washing undergarments can get tricky as well. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Typically, undergarments are dryclean only, or you can sometimes wash them in cold water with a little bit of liquid detergent and no fabric softener, then hang them to dry. Keep them out of the dryer; it will not end well.
We’re going to sound like a broken record, but when it comes to cleaning undergarments, follow the manufacturer's recommendations; they know their product better than anyone.
Seal Replacement Guidelines: For both latex and silicone seals, manufacturers recommend that you replace seals every year. We typically recommend replacement every two to three years, or when you start to see signs of fraying, stretching, dry rot, cracking, or other deterioration. If your seals are user-replaceable, you can simply order replacements and do it yourself. If you have glue-in latex seals, you may need to send your suit into a repair shop (like DRIS…Hint Hint).
Leak Testing: If your suit is leaking and you can’t figure out where it's coming from, we can help you out! Or if you prefer the do-it-yourself approach, you can attempt to find the leak yourself. Gather together two plastic cups and a smooth inflatable ball. Plug the wrist seals with the cups or your gloves. Flip your inflator valve inside out. Turn your suit inside out, put the ball in your neck seal, and seal your zipper shut! Inflate the suit using your quick disconnect on your reg set and some air from a tank. Take a spray bottle with soapy water and spray away. Any leaks should present themselves as bubbles on the suit’s surface. Take clear pictures or otherwise mark their areas that need patching. Dry thoroughly and get to patching!
Catheters: You probably remember that I mentioned catheters briefly during the p-valve section. Well, diver, you are going to need some if you would like to pee in your drysuit without actually peeing in your drysuit…
For the gentlemen, put that pride aside and print out the sizing guide, measure away, and just order the right size the first time. No need to lie, this isn’t your dating profile. Here’s the thing: if you order the wrong size (too big), you’re going to get a bad seal and end up spending the rest of your dive with pee in your drysuit. You’ll use prep and after-use wetpads that allow for easier adhesion and cleanup.
For the ladies, the name brand product out there at the time of writing is the She-P. The She-P is a reusable soft-silicone channel that adheres to the skin. You’ll use a skin-safe glue to keep it in place, and then connect it to your p-valve. You can use tape or your underwear to help keep it securely in place as well. Because this is a reusable product, make sure that you clean and disinfect the She-P after every dive. For additional information on the product itself, we encourage you to visit the She-P website [LINK].
Tips and Tricks from Divers
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! If you retain even a fraction of the information laid out in this guide the first time you read it, you’re light years ahead of most new drysuit divers. We’ve laid out a lot of information here, and given you a list of decisions you’ll need to make. And let’s be honest. Everyone who reads this article is at a different stage of their diving career, so whether you’re interested in buying your first drysuit, thinking of replacing a worn out suit, just completed your drysuit course (congrats!), or you got bored doomscrolling on your phone and need something to read, we present you with some tips and tricks of drysuit diving that may not have been covered in your class or talked about with your buddies.
Glove & Wrist Seal Break Tricks: Have you wondered how your gloves take in and release air? A lot of divers who dive in cold environments often use a glove system that allows for both the use of a wrist seal and gloves. This is a great way to ensure redundancy; if your glove tears or leaks, you simply rely on our wrist seal to keep the rest of your body dry. However, if your wrist seal is well sealed, how do your gloves allow any air to flow? Well, you just break the seal, right?! Well, yes, but you don't want to just start pulling and damage your wrist seal because that defeats the point! What you need is an actual seal breaker. We have seen a couple of different seal breaker variations… Some use bungees, others use a strand of caveline, some buy a special tube, you’ve got options as long as you ensure that it won’t damage the seal. The trick comes in when you have a glove leak. When inserting your seal breaker, ensure that it is long enough to break your seal and stick an inch or so out of the seal, but not much longer than that. Then, if your glove breaks, quickly remove your glove, pull the seal breaker out, and then reattach the now-wet glove. While your glove is no longer dry, the complete seal that your glove makes with the suit ensures a good, wet glove.
Exhaust Valve Settings: Operation of your exhaust valve should be covered in your drysuit class. But how open or closed should your exhaust valve be? Well, the best setting is the one you need… Good answer, right?... Right, ok, but seriously, there are some factors to consider, and then the rest comes down to some trial and error as you work to remain comfortable and stable in the water. If you are just starting, we recommend having less air in your suit rather than more. Moving a pocket of air around in your suit can get tricky and can lead to complications if it gets in your legs. The goal is to ensure you are comfortable. If your valve is all the way open, the suit may stick to you like a vacuum seal bag. This is not only uncomfortable, but it can also hinder movement and reduce your insulation capabilities. In open water, with good trim, I tend to keep some excess air in my shoulders to keep me warm. I’m no Michelin Man, but I’ve got enough to be able to easily reach my valves and stay warm. If I’m planning on some wreck penetration, I may release some of that gas and add a little to my wing. This allows me to worry less about awkward angles and large gas pockets moving around my suit while I’m moving carefully within a wreck.
Conclusion
You've navigated the drysuit universe, you magnificent human. From deciphering fabrics and entry systems to mastering care, leak testing, and even the finer points of p-valves and heated undergarments, this guide has armed you with the knowledge to conquer the cold. Our aim was simple: to answer your drysuit questions, demystify the tech, and help you ditch the shivers for good. Because let's be honest, being warm and comfortable underwater doesn't just make dives more enjoyable; it unlocks a whole new world of exploration. Go forth, stay dry, and dive happy!
