Buying a new wetsuit is indeed exciting. You start imagining all the stuff you’re going to do in it, all the people and personal bests you’re going to beat with its help, and, of course, how great it looks on you. That new triathlon wetsuit will be your best friend and companion, hopefully, for more than one triathlon season. However, to make it last, there are some things that you must keep in mind to ensure the wetsuit lives a long and healthy life.
In this guide, we’ll share how to store triathlon wetsuit effectively, along with some fool-proof wetsuit care tips and tricks.
What You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’ll need to get your triathlon wetsuit all set and ready for storage:
- Extra thick wetsuit hanger
- Baby powder
- A dry, cool place
- pH Neutral Soap
- Water
Before Storage
Before you store the triathlon wetsuit, it critical that you know how to properly clean and prep it for storage. To make sure your triathlon wetsuit stays fresh and lasts for the seasons to come, it’s best to follow some well-timed wetsuit care instructions. Remember, looking after a wetsuit as directed by the manufacturer would definitely make it last much longer. However, here’s how you can safely clean and prep your triathlon wetsuit for next use:
Duration: 10 minutes
Materials: pH-neutral soap and water
- Clean your triathlon wetsuit using fresh water to remove chlorine or any excess saltwater from it.
- Apply a tiny amount of pH-neutral soap to your wetsuit and gently scrub the wetsuit panels.
- Next, thoroughly rinse the wetsuit to remove any residual soap.
- Lastly, turn the triathlon wetsuit inside-out and hang it from the waist on a rail or extra thick wetsuit hanger for natural drying. Make sure that it isn’t exposed to direct sunlight or any other heat source to prevent UV and ozone damage to the wetsuit.
Keep in mind that modern triathlons wetsuits are highly sophisticated pieces of kit, entailing hi-tech neoprene designs and state-of-the-art technical features to maximize your swimming potential in the open water.
In addition, a triathlon wetsuit must never be put in a tumble dryer or washing machine and should never be pressed and washed with any bleach or detergent. Remember, for your triathlon wetsuit to consistently and unfailingly perform at its optimal, you must properly look after it.
How to Store a Triathlon Wetsuit
Once your triathlon wetsuit is thoroughly dry, you should store it in the best possible manner. You must know that the storage of your wetsuit depends heavily on when you plan on wearing it again. Based on some common scenarios, here are some guidelines to follow:
Wetsuit Storage Between Sessions
After every swim session, ensure that you take time out to rinse the triathlon wetsuit thoroughly with fresh, cold water. Warm tap water works equally well. Just ensure you do not use chemicals or bleach while rinsing the wetsuit. Moreover, don’t leave the wetsuit lying around soaked or wet in seawater in the back of your car. Once you’ve rinsed the wetsuit, allow it to drip and dry naturally. In order to do so, you can hang the wetsuit inside out on an extra thick wetsuit hanger or over a rail. This reduces the likelihood of the neoprene stretching and expanding due to its own weight when using a wire hanger. Next, when the inside of the wetsuit is totally dry, turn it again the right way round, this time to let the outsides dry the same way.
Wetsuit Storage for Few Days
If you plan on using the wetsuit in a few days, we recommend you to fold across the arms of your wetsuit at a ninety-degree angle or tuck them at a forty-five-degree angle. Once that’s out of the way, carefully lay the wetsuit on top of your swimming bag – all ready for your next dive.
Wetsuit Storage for the Season
Many people own more than one triathlon wetsuit in varying thicknesses for different seasons of the year. This means you’re storing a wetsuit for the season while using another. The best thing you can do for long-term triathlon wetsuit storage is hang your triathlon wetsuit appropriately instead of folding it up in a closet. Additionally, to prevent the neoprene from creasing over time, we recommend not storing the wetsuit inside out.
If you plan to use a hander, make sure it’s an extra thick wetsuit hanger with wide shoulders to ensure the neoprene doesn’t overstretch from the shoulder area. Moreover, avoid using thin metal wire hangers as they can damage the neoprene foam. In addition, you can even utilize a pants hanger – a horizontal rod hanger. It can allow you to fold the wetsuit in half over the waistline. Lastly, but most importantly, when storing your triathlon wetsuit, ensure it’s thoroughly dried (both inside and outside) to prevent mold and/or bad smell.
Additional Tips
Here are some other storage tips that can make your triathlon wetsuit last longer:
- The best way to store your triathlon wetsuit is to hang it at the waist as it avoids tension in the most sensitive areas, i.e., arms and shoulders.
- Triathlon wetsuits with high elasticity, for example, Alpha, Orca Predator, etc. it’s critical not to hand the wetsuit from its shoulders. Rather, correctly fold and keep it in the dark, dry, and cool place.
- To protect the SCS coating present on the triathlon wetsuit’s outside, we recommend you dust a trivial layer of baby powder if you plan to store it for longer periods in order to better preserve the coating.
Our Final Thoughts
Buying a new triathlon wetsuit is a huge investment. Thus, you need to ensure that you get the maximum performance from it for the lengthiest time. Knowing how to store a triathlon wetsuit correctly will prevent wrinkles on the neoprene, as well as keep the seams tension-free throughout the time. The simple guidelines provided above can make your triathlon wetsuit last for quite a while.
