Tip For Storing Your Gear
There comes a time in every dive trip when we have to pack up store our dive equipment. Knowing how to properly wash and store your equipment will help extend the life of your equipment.
If you want to keep your gear in good shape you’ll want to avoid drying your gear in sunlight and be sure to wash off any saltwater on your gear. Sunlight can bleach colors, or make fabrics stiff and fragile. Salt can break down rubbers and oxidize metals causing rust.
BCD
Wash your BCD in fresh water, and like your wetsuit, make sure to dry your wetsuit in the shade. Make sure you wash any clips, buckles or velcro straps on your BCD. Make sure all your straps and hoses are tucked in when storing your BCD.
You should also wash the inside of your BCD with fresh water. You can do this by submerging your BCD in a fresh water wash tank and opening the BCD deflate button. Swish the water around in your BCD and drain the water before allowing to dry.
Wetsuit
Before storing your wetsuit you want to thoroughly wash and dry your suit. You can find 6 tips for maintaining your wetsuit here. Always wash your wetsuit with fresh water and hang to dry out of the direct sunlight. Once your wetsuit is completely dry you can either hang or fold to store.
To fold your wetsuit, first fold the arms towards the chest, followed by folding the legs on top of themselves and then towards the chest. Store your wetsuit on the top of your dive bag and avoid putting your wetsuit under any heavy equipment.
Regulator
The regulator is your most important piece of scuba equipment and you want to take extra care when rinsing your regulator. Number one always make sure your dust cap is screwed in place covering the first stage before you start washing.
Hang your regulator to dry and make sure you gently shake out the second stage (mouthpiece) because little pools of water can accumulate in this part. Once dry loops the hoses into a coil and make sure there are no bends in the hoses before storing.
Fins
Again you want to rinse your fins, mask and snorkel in fresh water leave to dry. It is important to store your fins flat. We like putting our fins on the side of our dive bag so they have support.
Mask
A personal mask should be at the top of your list for when you buy equipment. When you buy a new mask, most will come in a hard plastic case. Make sure to keep this case as it is the best way to store you mask. Having a properly fitting mask will make you feel more comfortable underwater and we highly recommend buying your own mask.
Computers
If you have your own dive computer always make sure to rinse after a dive with fresh water. I like storing my computer in my mask case. This way your computer wont be crushed or scratched.
