Best Way To Dry A Wetsuit

There is nothing worse than putting on a wet, cold wetsuit. Especially when it’s already wet and cold outside. Which in Scotland is pretty much all year round. Except for that that one week every year. We call it summer. It’s our favourite week! Now, how to get your wetsuits nice and dry for the next day? There are few voodoo tricks you can use.

First of all make sure you rinse your suit with fresh water after every session. Even if this was one of the “I’m not pissing in my wetsuit” ones (at least that’s what you tell everyone!). Salt will quickly destroy your wetsuit if you won’t do this every time. So put some heart into it when you get home. It will also help with The Smell.

1. The Sqeezy-Squeezy

Make sure the wetsuit is turned inside-out. Hang the wetsuit indoors or if you can’t than hang in the shade and avoid direct sunlight. Make sure you use a solid, wide, plastic hanger. Narrow hangers can make permanent marks on the shoulders. Wait about 20 minutes for the water to start congregating at the end of arms and legs and squeeze it out from top to bottom. Keep doing this every 20 mins and leave it for the night or mix it up with the tips below.

2. The Boiler Room

If you’ve got a separate boiler room then it’s a good place to hang your suit there with a bucket underneath. Make sure to air the room nicely and that the temperature inside the room isn’t too high. Works the treat. Remember about airing?

3. The Dehumidifier

If you’ve got one it really speeds up the process. Even better if you’ve got a small storage room where you can hang your wetsuit, put the dehumidifier on the max setting and make sure you’ve got a drip bucket underneath. Again, make sure the room has an access to fresh air. Pro tip: keep the doors ajar.

4. The Towels

Seems like a no-brainer but laying the suit on a towel and putting one on top and rolling the suit speeds up the process nicely. Just make sure you wash them yourself as your other half will go mental. Tried. Tested. Our ouch is waaaay too small to sleep on. Learn from the mistakes made by others.

5. Emergency Car Dryer

If you’ve just figured out that your suit is still damp on the way to the beach set your heating to warm-ish (not hot!), direct the airflow to the floor and place your suit on top of a towel. It won’t dry it entirely but will help with the shock. It will still suck a bit though.

6. The Perfect Solution

Get a second wetsuit. Yep – that’s it. This stuff isn’t cheap but think about it – you will use each of the suits less and so they will live longer. Your motivation to get riding will be boosted in those freezing yet sick conditions.

What not to do with your wetsuit?
– Never hang your wetsuit on a radiator – it’s the fastest way to destroy it.
– Never hang your wetsuit in a direct sunlight – UV will help to disintegrate your hundreds of pounds in no time.
– Never tumble dry your suit! It goes without saying but everyone knows someone capable of pulling this off!
– Don’t get into a hot shower in your suit. It’s fine to take it off in the shower but before you put it on hot blast rinse yourself with mildly warm water, put the wetsuit aside and then indulge yourself in warmth.

Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments below!