Drysuit Tips

Tips for donning and doffing (or putting on and taking off your drysuit)

Getting in to a Nova fitted suit with a right handed front zip (left shoulder to right hip)

Reverse for left handed suit

  • Remove jewellery including watches
  • Make sure you have the correct undersuit combination for the dive plan/water temperature
  • Check that the inflation and dump valves are tightly screwed down
  • Check that convenience zip is fully closed or pee valve is closed (if fitted)
  • Ensure dry zip and zip cover zip are fully open
  • Pull the braces out and untwist
  • Check the area where you are stood for sharp stones/glass
  • Stand on a mat if necessary to avoid getting your socks and the inside of the suit wet
  • If you use your rock boots make sure that they are nearby
  • Separate the Velcro on warm necks (if fitted)
  • Get into the suit up to the waist, pulling the crutch suit well up
  • Connect pee valve if one is being used
  • Put braces over shoulder and adjust the tension so that they hold the suit up comfortably
  • Put on your rock/zipped wetsuit boots if the suit has compressed neoprene socks fitted
  • Talc seals or apply an approved lubricant
  • Put your right arm in first, using the wrist loops on the undersuit to prevent its arms being pushed up
  • Gently push your hand through the wrist seal
  • Put your left arm in, again using the thumb loops and taking care when going through the seal
  • Note that neoprene wrist seals are designed not to be inverted (tucked back in)
  • Pull the base of the neck seal on to the top of your head by ducking down into it
  • Put you hands down the neck seal and, using your palms, ease the seal over your head
  • Pull out any hair stuck down in the seal
  • For latex seals, insert the index and middle finger of both hands down the seal and run them round your neck to get a good, flat, comfortable seal on to the skin of the neck
  • For neoprene necks, more effort is required to stretch  over your head (especially for some women with slim necks and lots of hair)
  • Make sure you pull the seal open with your whole hand and not just finger tips, which may cause your nails to damage the seals
  • When your head is through, start the process of tucking the seal inside
  • Try to get a good flat seal all around the neck with at least 50mm of neoprene tucked in and against the neck
  • Check by inserting a finger and running around, checking there are no tucks or folds hidden inside, as these may cause the seal to leak
  • Tuck in any clothing or braces ends inside the suit
  • When operating any dry zip, the way to avoid damaging them is to make sure that the elements are parallel as the slider moves along them
  • With your left hand, hold the two sides of the open zip together 30cm down from the top of the zip and pull downwards while dropping your left shoulder
  • This action allows the zip to start its closer with the least amount of stress
  • With your right hand, pull the zip closed
  • If you feel the zip sticking, check for obstructions or try to position the open zip section below it so it feeds in smoothly
  • Once the middle of the suit is passed, reposition your left hand behind the zip slider and pull the suit across in a way as to straighten the unclosed zip section
  • Ensure the zip is fully closed
  • Close zip cover (if fitted)
  • Stick your fingers down the neck to break the seal and squat down with arms squeezed in.
  • When excess air is pushed out of the suit, release the neck seal.
  • Stand up and check the fit, adjusting the crutch strap so there is enough tension in it to hold to the adjusting back section
  • When you have your rig on your back, connect the low pressure suit hose in the inlet valve
  • Activate the valve very briefly to check correct functioning
  • Adjust the suit under your wing/BCD straps to make sure your arms can move freely and the dump is in the correct position
  • Do up the Velcro on the warm neck once your hood is pulled on
  • If neoprene over cuffs are fitted, roll them back to put gloves on and then smooth back over the wrist of the glove
  • Do a full buddy check (very important)
  • Go and enjoy your dive!

Getting out

  • Disconnect low pressure suit inflation hose, remove rig, hood and gloves
  • Undo zip cover
  • Using your right hand, hold the suit at the base of the zip, then using your left open the zip in 20cm sections with your right hand moving behind pulling the zip straight
  • When 30cm from the top of the zip, swap hands
  • Dipping your left shoulder will help to keep the zip straight and unstressed as you open it
  • Undo the warm neck Velcro (if fitted)
  • For removing neoprene neck seals, this method usually works well – pull the inverted section out and using all your fingers tucked down the front of the seal pull it onto your chin, then using both hands tucked down the seal behind your ears pull the seal firmly up the back of your head using the part held on your chin as a pivot
  • Removing a latex neck is usually much easier but using your chin as a pivot point as above also works well
  • Put your hands behind your back and slide your left hand fingers up the right hand wrist seal and pull your hand back through the seal and try to release your elbow
  • Once the top of the suit is off it is safer and better for the suit to sit down
  • Remove rock boots (if fitted) and step on to a mat or flat surface
  • Once your feet are out of the boots/socks take care not to step on the suit as this action can easily puncture the membrane of your drysuit
  • Now follow the transportation, care, storage and maintenance instructions to keep your drysuit working at its best

Get into Ultra back zip drysuits

  • Remove jewellery including watches
  • Make sure you have the correct undersuit combination for the dive plan/water temperature
  • Check that the inflation and dump valves are tightly screwed down
  • Check that convenience zip is fully closed or pee valve is closed (if fitted)
  • Ensure dry zip and zip cover zip are fully open
  • Pull the braces out and untwist
  • Check the area where you are stood for sharp stones/glass
  • Stand on a mat if necessary to avoid getting your socks and the inside of the suit wet
  • If you use your rock boots make sure that they are nearby
  • Separate the Velcro on warm necks (if fitted)
  • Get into the suit up to the waist, pulling the crutch suit well up
  • Connect pee valve if one is being used
  • Put braces over shoulder and adjust the tension so that they hold the suit up comfortably
  • Put on your rock/zipped wetsuit boots if the suit has compressed neoprene socks fitted
  • Talc seals or apply an approved lubricant
  • Put your right arm in first, using the wrist loops on the undersuit to prevent its arms being pushed up
  • Gently push your hand through the wrist seal
  • Put your left arm in, again using the thumb loops and taking care when going through the seal
  • Note that neoprene wrist seals are designed not to be inverted (tucked back in)
  • Pull the base of the neck seal on to the top of your head by ducking down into it
  • Put you hands down the neck seal and, using your palms, ease the seal over your head
  • Pull out any hair stuck down in the seal
  • For latex seals, insert the index and middle finger of both hands down the seal and run them round your neck to get a good, flat, comfortable seal on to the skin of the neck
  • For neoprene necks, more effort is required to stretch  over your head (especially for some women with slim necks and lots of hair)
  • Make sure you pull the seal open with your whole hand and not just finger tips, which may cause your nails to damage the seals
  • When your head is through, start the process of tucking the seal inside
  • Try to get a good flat seal all around the neck with at least 50mm of neoprene tucked in and against the neck
  • Check by inserting a finger and running around, checking there are no tucks or folds hidden inside, as these may cause the seal to leak
  • At this point you will need assistance of your buddy or at least someone that is experienced in drysuit use
  • You should stand with your arms out stretched is if describing the size of a massive fish you saw on your last dive the idea is to pull the zip into its flattest position
  • Ensure that they tuck in any folds of undersuit and that the neoprene zip flap is out of the way.
  • They then should hold the zip in their right hand and with their left hand start pulling the slider using the loop provided and working in 15 cm sections slide the zip closed
  • A great tip is use your thumb in the loop and use the rest of the hand inside the zip to push and obstructions out of the way as you work along. Make sure they close the zip all of the way
  • Tuck in any clothing or braces ends inside the suit
  • When operating any dry zip, the way to avoid damaging them is to make sure that the elements are parallel as the slider moves along them
  • With your left hand, hold the two sides of the open zip together 30cm down from the top of the zip and pull downwards while dropping your left shoulder
  • This action allows the zip to start its closer with the least amount of stress
  • With your right hand, pull the zip closed
  • If you feel the zip sticking, check for obstructions or try to position the open zip section below it so it feeds in smoothly
  • Once the middle of the suit is passed, reposition your left hand behind the zip slider and pull the suit across in a way as to straighten the unclosed zip section
  • Ensure the zip is fully closed
  • Close zip cover (if fitted)
  • Stick your fingers down the neck to break the seal and squat down with arms squeezed in.
  • When excess air is pushed out of the suit, release the neck seal.
  • Stand up and check the fit, adjusting the crutch strap so there is enough tension in it to hold to the adjusting back section
  • When you have your rig on your back, connect the low pressure suit hose in the inlet valve
  • Activate the valve very briefly to check correct functioning
  • Adjust the suit under your wing/BCD straps to make sure your arms can move freely and the dump is in the correct position
  • Do up the Velcro on the warm neck once your hood is pulled on
  • If neoprene over cuffs are fitted, roll them back to put gloves on and then smooth back over the wrist of the glove
  • Do a full buddy check (very important)
  • Go and enjoy your dive!

Getting out

  • Disconnect low pressure suit inflation hose, remove rig, hood and gloves
  • Assume the position
  • Get your buddy to undo the dry zip holding the loop in their right hand and pulling it taught behind the slider with their left hand
  • Using your right hand, hold the suit at the base of the zip, then using your left open the zip in 20cm sections with your right hand moving behind pulling the zip straight
  • When 30cm from the top of the zip, swap hands
  • Dipping your left shoulder will help to keep the zip straight and unstressed as you open it
  • Undo the warm neck Velcro (if fitted)
  • For removing neoprene neck seals, this method usually works well – pull the inverted section out and using all your fingers tucked down the front of the seal pull it onto your chin, then using both hands tucked down the seal behind your ears pull the seal firmly up the back of your head using the part held on your chin as a pivot
  • Removing a latex neck is usually much easier but using your chin as a pivot point as above also works well
  • To make getting out the top half of the suit a good tip is to try to push the suit down at the hips to lower the crutch of the suit
  • Put your hands behind your back and slide your left hand fingers up the right hand wrist seal and pull your hand back through the seal and try to release your elbow
  • Once the top of the suit is off it is safer and better for the suit to sit down
  • Remove rock boots (if fitted) and step on to a mat or flat surface
  • Once your feet are out of the boots/socks take care not to step on the suit as this action can easily puncture the neoprene of your drysuit
  • Now follow the transportation, care, storage and maintenance instructions to keep your drysuit working at its best

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