I finally tried a different way to clean my drysuit zipper after a job in Seattle

For years I just used fresh water and a brush, but last month I started using a silicone spray lube (the kind made for drysuits, not the hardware store stuff) after every rinse. The difference is huge. The old way, my zipper would start to feel rough and sticky after maybe 20 dives. With the spray, it's still smooth as new after 40 dives on the same job. It takes an extra 30 seconds, but it saves so much fight getting the suit sealed. Has anyone else found a small step that made a big difference in gear care?

3 comments

3 Comments

patjones2d ago

Honestly, "40 dives on the same job" has me stuck. Tbh I can't even picture what kind of work has you doing that many dives in one spot. That's a crazy amount of time in the water.

victorb742d ago

I worked on a bridge inspection in Florida that took 32 dives. Each pier column needed a full survey for marine growth and concrete damage. We'd do two or three dives a day just to cover a single section properly. It adds up fast when you're mapping every inch.

wyattrobinson2d ago

Wow, that actually makes perfect sense to me. I've seen inspection plans for big bridge foundations that are just massive. You're not just looking at one spot, you're doing a full photo and video survey of every single surface. If there's heavy growth, you might be cleaning a section just to see the concrete underneath. Thirty two dives to document every column carefully sounds right for a major structure.