HOW TO STORE A WETSUIT

How to store your wetsuit? There are multiple ways of storing a wetsuit properly. However, to ensure your wetsuit lasts long and stays fresh, it’s best to follow these basic instructions. Taking care of your wetsuit as instructed by the manufacturer will make your wetsuit last much longer. A few things to consider: Rinse your wetsuit after use, don’t use chemicals, don’t dry your wetsuit in direct sunlight to avoid ozone and UV damage to the neoprene. Don’t machine wash, iron or tumble dry. Avoid chlorine and store your wetsuit on a suitable wide-shouldered hanger, or folded in half while drying. Read more about how to wash your wetsuit here.

HOW TO STORE A WETSUIT BETWEEN SESSIONS

After each session, take the time to rinse your wetsuit thoroughly with cold, fresh water. Lukewarm shower water is fine too, just make sure not to use chemicals when rinsing your wetsuit. Don’t leave your wetsuit lying around wet or soaked in a bucket of seawater in the boot of your car. After you’ve rinsed your wetsuit, allow your wetsuit to drip dry. Firstly, hang your wetsuit inside out over a rail or on a wide shoulder hanger. This eliminates the possibility for the neoprene stretching out under its own weight when using a wire hanger. Secondly, when the inside is completely dry, turn the wetsuit the right way around and let the outside dry the same way.

HOW TO STORE A WETSUIT FOR THE SEASON

You will most likely own more than one wetsuit in different thicknesses for different seasons. This means you are storing one wetsuit for the season, while you’re using your other one. The best thing for long term wetsuit storage is to hang your wetsuit correctly, rather than folding it up in a cupboard. To avoid the neoprene creasing over time, don’t store your wetsuit inside out. If you use a hanger, make sure it’s a thick hanger with wide shoulders, so the wetsuit neoprene doesn’t overstretch in the shoulder area. Avoid thin metal wire hangers as these will damage the neoprene foam. Instead, you can also use a pants hanger, a hanger with a horizontal rod, that allows you to fold your wetsuit in half over the waistline. When storing your wetsuit, make sure it is completely dry on both inside and outside to avoid mould or bad smell.