With proper storage and regular maintance you dry-suit will last many years (see the Drysuit manual for all the details). You may find after 2 or 3 seasons it’s time to replace the latex seals but, under normal use, the suit itself can go on and on!

All seals must be “snap” tight to keep out the water, however not so tight that they cut off circulation to your feet, hands or head. If your neck seal is choking you it’s too tight!
To make a seal larger simply trim the latex down with a pair of sharp scissors. (See the Drysuit manual before attempting this!) Before trimming a seal, you can also stretch it over a larger diameter circular object, such as an ice cream tub, and leave it for 24 hrs. This can make the seal slightly larger.

In the unlikely event of major rip occurring on your dry suit you will not be dragged to the bottom. Water is neutrally buoyant in water, so there is no “weight” to pull you down. Also, the outer skin layer places external pressure on the dry core bladder minimizing the amount of water that could enter through a rip.
Note: In big surf wearing a dry-suit or a wetsuit, it is always advisable to wear additional Floatation (Floatation / Impact vest).

A tear in the Drycore can be easily repaired in a few minutes. Repair patches (included with suit ) are heat activated by a hair dryer or heat gun, so no gluing is required. See the Dry-suit manual for all the details.

During a wipeout excess air may be forced out of the suit by the external water pressure. As this air leaves your neck seal a small amount of water may squirt in resulting in a damp neck. To minimize this risk crouch into a ball before going out and squeeze most of the air out of your suit. Note: don’t squeeze all the air out, as this will make the suit tight with suction and less comfortable.

Use the “condom” technique! Turn the legs of the dry-suit inside out. Simply pull your ankle seals over your feet, and locate you toes on the other side. Now “roll” the legs of the suit up. This will leave your fleece in place. See the Dry-suit manual for all the details.

Ocean Rodeo latex seals are nothing like the seals from the past. We custom blend our own seals with a hybrid of polyurethane and latex. These new school seals can be easily repaired or replaced if damaged, please see the Dry-suit manual for all the details.

The water pressure associated with wipeouts can force small amounts of water past the seals of the suits. Improved dryness can be achieved by wearing gloves, boots and a hood that lay over the latex seals to keep any water seeping in past the seal.
Additionally, during a prolonged session you are likely to sweat inside your suit and your undergarments may become damp.
We recommend layering self-wicking undergarments such as polypropylene fleece to keep you warm and your body dry.