5 tips to make your neoprene wetsuit last you longer

• Sebas R


• 12 Mar 2017

Do you want your neoprene wetsuit to last you longer? Read this article in which we give you some little tips to avoid damaging your wetsuit with bad actions that we all ever do.

We mistakenly think that a high-end wetsuit will last us longer than if we had bought a lower-end one. Well, it’s not like that, the high-end wetsuits have a greater elasticity than those of a lower range, so that it is more comfortable to put it on, remove it and for our movements in the water. Well, they are better in this sense, but as they have a neoprene with greater elasticity, they are even more fragile than wetsuits of lower ranges, and it is very important to take good care of them.

If you follow the tips that we explain below you will have no problem keeping your neoprene wetsuit for longer:

1. Do not let your wetsuit dry in the sun.

This is the most important advice to follow, the sun exposure of the neoprene causes it to dry out and lose its elasticity. Normally when we use it on the beach, we put it to dry in the sun, and it is a big mistake. If you are on the beach, put it in the shade or under your cover.

It is better to leave your wetsuit inside your car than to expose it to the sun, the better is storing it inside your house, for example in the bathroom, without any exposure to the sun, once rinsed with fresh water.

2. Do not let your wetsuit dry on a hanger.

When your wetsuit is wet, it weighs 2 to 3 times more than its original weight. If you let it dry on a hanger, you will damage the shoulder area, and the neoprene will become thinner in this area.

3. Be careful with your nails when putting on your wetsuit.

Pay attention to how you put on or take off your wetsuit, many times we have long nails and when we put the suit we put our fingers in it to pull hard, you can tear it without your nails. With smooth neoprene (seal skin type) you must take special care as they are even more sensitive to these small cuts.

You have to know that no neoprene brand will cover a wetsuit as guarantee if it is due to a cut in your suit, either caused by nails or by fins.

4. Do not change on an aggressive floor.

When we get out of the water we do not pay attention where we change ourself. If you change yourself in the parking ground you can easily damage your wetsuit. Try changing into a non-aggressive floor for your suit, such as, grass, or over the sand of the beach. Avoid hard floors such as asphalt, which can scratch the neoprene.

Another option is to use a change mat to avoid damaging or dirtying your wetsuit, you will find many change mat of different brands at very affordable prices in our shop, that will prevent from damaging your wetsuit.

5. Clean your suit with cold fresh water and no detergents.

To clean your neoprene suit you should not use warm water, even if it is winter and you are cold. Warm water makes your suit lose elasticity, you should always use cold fresh water.

We also do not recommend the use of detergents that can be corrosive to your wetsuit. If you think that your wetsuit smells bad or you want to wash it, use specialized products for it, like the Piss Off by Rip Curl. This product will make your suit smell good without being harmful for the neoprene, just mix it with fresh water and use the mixture to Rinse your wetsuit.

Follow these simple tips, and you will see how your wetsuit lasts longer in good condition.

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