Charles Pezeshki wrote:

Hi Folks,

This one has been bugging me for a while. My drysuit seals always become
extra-dried-out over the winter. I remedy this with judicious care and
spraying heavy amounts of Armor-All to get them flexible again. However,
I'd like to figure out a way so that they didn't get so stiff in the first
place.

Suggestions? Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

In Summary

To extend the life of dry suit seals:

- Take your bottle of Armorall to the nearest trash can and deposit it
there. It's worthless junk that damages more materials than it
preserves, including your car.

- Treat your seals on the outside with 303 Protectant, for protection
against UV.

- Treat the seals on the inside with talcum powder, to make them easier
to put on. That dramatically reduces the stress on them when you don
your dry suit.

- Keep sunscreen off your seals as much as possible. Most will degrade
latex. This is difficult to do with the neck seal, so you can figure on
replacing it every three years or so.

- Rinse your suit after using it in salt water.

- Store your suit in a cool, dry place away from anything that generates
ozone (electric motors, in particular).

Regardless of the level of care you give them, if you use your dry suit
a lot, you can expect to replace the seals every 3-4 years. It's easy to
do and there are repair services if you're not the DIY type.