Wetsuit Care by ROKA

First of the Water

It is very important to thoroughly rinse your wetsuit with cool, fresh water after each use. Long-term exposure to the sun, saltwater, and chlorine can slowly damage your wetsuit. In addition, your wetsuit may produce an odor or lose flexibility if not properly rinsed. A good rinse with clean water will help remove residue and keep your suit smelling like new!

Hang and Dry

Once removed from the water, you want to completely dry your suit by hanging it, ideally on a wetsuit hanger. Wetsuit hangers eliminate stress on the shoulders and help speed up the drying process. Most wetsuit hangers have a special padding across the shoulders to support less pressure points on the neoprene. If one is not available you can also hang the suit from the midsection over the bottom of a strong plastic hanger. Make sure you let the suit dry inside out and turn it back to ride side in for storage.

Washing Instructions

At the end of the season, we recommend soaking your wetsuit in clean water for 10-15 minutes. It is a good idea to invest in shampoo specially designed for cleaning and preserving wetsuits. Wetsuit shampoos are used during the soaking process and remove salt, odors, and other residue to ensure a squeaky clean wetsuit. You do not want to use a household detergent, they can be to harsh and could damage the suit.

Storage

Wetsuit material can develop a permanent crease if left folded for an extended period of time. It is best to store your wetsuit laying flat. If that is not possible, you can store your suit on a padded wetsuit hanger. If a wetsuit hanger is unavailable – drape your wetsuit over a normal clothes hanger, it will look similar to how you would hang a pair of dress pants. Simply fold your wetsuit at the waist over the bottom bar of the hanger. It is important to stay away from metal hangers. Metal hangers will cause the neoprene to degrade over time. in a cool, dry and protected place out of direct sunlight. You will also want to check your suit for small tears. These are common and easy to fix using a wetsuit specific cement or glue.