Drysuit Storage?

Advice
#1

For those who have drysuits or drytops with latex gaskets, how and where (hung, bagged, cool, warm?)do you store them in between use?



I saw this addressed on a whitewater board and wanted to get some Beta from this group. I beat my boat all to hell, and the thought of replaceing the boat does not phase me, but I baby my suit.



Currently, I rinse the suit and hang it to dry, then I hang it on big fat suit hanger in a cool stairwell to my basement. About every other month I give the gaskets a coat of 303.



Only fresh water paddling here.



Thanks,

Jay

#2

I hand mine on a fat plastic hanger
then I drape the legs over another plastic hanger so there is not a lot of weight on the hanger in the neck. Of course as you I treat it with 303.

#3

Kokatat says
to zip the zippers about 1", so they are not all the way open. I think they also say to do the 303 once a month…



Alan

#4

Yup

– Last Updated: Dec-14-06 12:32 AM EST –

303 the gaskets more like every week when in heavy use, once a month is I think OK in a period of no use. And use zipper wax, leave it mostly unzipped.

#5

and where
do we get the zipper wax?

#6

Ours (two piece ones)
stay as tight as we can get them in a dry bag.

We have kept them like that for four years now and they are like new.

The only reason they are like new is we hate the dam things and never wear them.

We do open the dry bag up a couple of times a year, shake them out and check them over.

Even though we don’t wear them, they are our spare clothes in case of a misshap during the winter paddling season and we don’t leave home with out them.



cheers,

JackL

#7

McNett Zip Tech Zipper Wax
From NRS or any other decent paddling gear place. I suppose you could take a wax candle from home as well, but this stuff works better.

#8

Here’s Kokatat’s …
… general care instructions:

http://www.kokatat.com/customer_service_care.asp





This from a Kokatat document regarding drysuit storage:



“Keep the garment clean, rinsed as needed, and hang dry. If the suit will be stored in a clean environment, the ziper should be left open. This will help alleviate pressure on the sealing elements. In dusty or dirty environments, store

with hte zipper closed. Store either hanging or loosely rolled.

Do not store dry suits or tops in the same room with gas appliances or other combustion exhaust. Do not store dry suits or tops in excessively hot and/or humid locations or where latex gaskets are in direct sunlight. High heat and humidity, extreme dryness, exhaust fumes from cars or gas

appliances and exposure to UV and ozone can destroy or shorten the life of gaskets.”





I seem to recall another mfr. recommending their drytops be stored tightly rolled and placed inside (but not sealed) a nylon stuff sack, to minimize contact with ozone-laden air, which is detrimental to the latex gaskets.

#9

Excellant…Thank You
Thanks to those who responded. When i got this suit, it had these Kokatat instructions with it, but i had lost them. This is great.



Thanks again,

Jay

#10

Chap Stick
A lot of people use chap stick for their zippers.

#11

Palm Classic storage
Here’s the reply I got from a Palm rep regarding the storage of the Palm Classic drysuit with TIZIP zipper:



“Between uses, the suit should be rinsed well and hung up to full dry with the entry zipper FULLY CLOSED.”