Wetsuit Dryer...worth it

[JeffRSpicoli]

I diligently searched the board, for all of five seconds, and didn't see anything on this topic.

After a gnarly case of folliculitis post surf session, went on a hunt to improve my wetsuit clean protocols, which have been good, but I think the issue I had was on the "get the suit dry side of the equation."

Just got this on amazon: Kinetics HangAir Hanger w/Built in Fan

I have used it twice, and so far it is great, I think I have been using it in optimal conditions = low humidity, but man the suit gets dry in roughly 12 hours: used it on a hooded 5/4 and a 4/3, both chest zips - the corner where the zipper starts still is a bit damp.

I then thought to add a boot dryer (REI $60), which in the end does not seem necessary, but helps and I figure in winter I will warm my suit up prior to surfing.

Obviously can't speak to longevity, and it is not quiet. I have a garage I can just let it run, so not an issue for me.

There are some other more expensive options out there, mostly not in stock and they mainly seem to come in European voltage....this one comes with multiple outlets, one of which is 120volt.

Here is the full set up in action yesterday, suit is dry, and ready to go for today...worth the $75 IMO.

 

[mundus]

Have one, would bang.

 

[VaB]

used one for years. Definitely worth it.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

You can do the same thing with a box fan for 1/4 of the price and not wear out the shoulders in the process.

 

[000]

 

[menobrah]

12hrs? Air drying in my house takes about that long to dry...would hope for something a bit faster

 

[Autoprax]

There is this thing called the sun.

 

[Pico]

You can do the same thing with a box fan for 1/4 of the price and not wear out the shoulders in the process.

Yeah but can you dance with it?

 

[Truth]

wetsuits

 

[_____]

Maybe put a head on it so it'd be like having a mannequin in the house. Put it in the front window and weird out the neighbors. Maybe get a bunch of different heads and put them into rotation - Slater, Laird, Occy, Richard Simmons, Cher, George Bush, etc.

 

[sdsrfr]

anyone ever try a blacklight to disinfect a stinky suit? I guess at a certain point it would hurt the neoprene.

boot dryer mentioned above made me think of mine, which has black lights that seem to help with boot funk - or they’re just drying faster so they don’t build up funk.

 

[mundus]

For me, it cuts drying time about 50%. Hate wet wetsuits, especially during EC winter.

 

[_____]

I spearfished in my surf suit all summer and it doesn't have a loading pad and my sternum was pretty sore. So one session I wadded up my chonies and shoved them into the chest. Bam, good loading pad. What I didn't realize is when you pi$s in your suit it mostly flushes out, but the chonies soaked it up and the pi$s marinated in there for several hours, leeching out into my suit time release stylee. Wetsuit, boots, hood, gloves, worst most disgusting pi$s smell, even from a distance. I had to soak it in Mr Clean and soapy water for hours and rinse.

 

[Lance Mannion]

All the cool kids hang their suits off of the driver side rear-view mirror. Apparently, chicks dig it.

It's ingenious, dry your wetsuit and pull chicks!

 

[casa_mugrienta]

All the cool kids hang their suits off of the driver side rear-view mirror. Apparently, chicks dig it.

It's ingenious, dry your wetsuit and pull chicks!

It’s so kooky.

 

[toowalled]

All the cool kids hang their suits off of the driver side rear-view mirror. Apparently, chicks dig it.

It's ingenious, dry your wetsuit and pull chicks!

They are just asking to have it stolen off the mirror putting on the traffic side. I have a high velocity 4” inline fan for the winter just need to build a 2” adapter for the booties.

 

[hammies]

When I lived on the Central Coast there was a laundromat that had dryers that were 8 minutes for a dime.

Rinse it out, give it a dime on low, and you were good to go for a second sesh.