Okay…so some have said Pam…wetsuit makers say no…and BodyGlide has been done. Does anyone else have something they use that works well for putting a wetsuit on and taking it off easily? Wondering about suit juice. Throw it out there people.
Uh, why do the wetsuit makers say “no” to Pam? It’s not petroleum based, so it won’t damage the rubber. I think you should ask for a second opinion on that one.
So, as you can imagine, my vote is for Pam.
how is it to clean up afterwards…both you and the suit?
Umm…I don’t recall consciously cleaning it off of myself or my wetsuit, so it must not be an issue. I mean, I’ll get it on the outside of my wetsuit on accident before a swim, because it will be on my hands when I’m putting the wetsuit on. But it might be that it washes off during the swim. By the time I finish the race, I am not even aware if any is left on my legs, and a shower afterward eliminates whatever is there.
Honestly I can’t imagine a wetsuit company advising against Pam. We eat Pam, so it couldn’t be that strong of a solvent.
have you ever seen what Coke does to a nail? Just because we can eat it doesn’t mean it’s safe…lol
Hmm…good point.
If PAM would sponsor me I would back them…used it for 5 years and works great with no issues…
I know there are ‘versions’ of Pam…which flavour do you guys prefer?
canola 100% pure…
I’ve seen folks at races with the butter flavor and one person with the garlic flavor…not sure what they’re thinking.
I wonder how Crisco would work…I need something that won’t wear off in saltwater and leave me with a neck rash?
What’s wrong with body glide (besides price).
Not wet suit related, but if you spray your pedals and cleats down with Pam, it makes them shed mud like mad. Knew some cross racers in college that swore by it.
I found this stuff called “TriSlide” - $12.95 at all3sports.com, or I’m sure others as well. Tried it out yesterday at a group OWS (fresh water, not salt). It’s a silicone spray - as easy to apply as Pam and way less messy than BodyGlide - and it worked spectacularly. I usually have a little trouble getting the last of the legs over my ankles, and they slid right out. I felt like Big Matty Reed or someone…
Yeah, kind of pricey, but worked like a charm. Might just save it for races and stick to BodyGlide for practices.
Butter flavor Pam: works great if you want the inside of your car to smell like rancid movie theater popcorn on a hot day. I’d never do it, but if that’s the effect you’re going for, good on you.
Mike
Tri-Slide silicone spray definitely works well. I saw somebody at the Bluwater Tri with a spray bottle of silicone. I’ve looked for some, but no joy so far. It would probably be cheaper and last longer the the pressurized spray can.
ooh, that’s good info - my husband can get aerosol cans of his company brand silicone spray from work for free!
though i haven’t had a problem getting my suit off, even with my gunboat feet…hard to get on, but comes off easy.
cheers!
-mistress k
I freedive and my freediving suits are very similar to my trisuit for swimming. They’re also made with Yamamoto rubber, although they’re much more flexible and tear very easily.
Most freedivers create a “lube” by mixing hair conditioner with water. Shake it up in a bottle, pour it in the arms and legs of a suit, slosh it around and then slide the suit on. It works amazingly well.
Because most freediving suits don’t allow much, if any, water flow through the suit, when you take it off you’re usually covered in “lube” and need to wash off. I don’t think I’d want to be hitting the bike with lube on me, but if you took your suit off as you exited the water you’d get most of it off. You could also mix up a weak solution of “lube” as opposed to mixing a lot of conditioner.
I saw somebody at the Bluwater Tri with a spray bottle of silicone. I’ve looked for some, but no joy so far. It would probably be cheaper and last longer the the pressurized spray can.
this is what i’ve used for years. it’s a pain with the can’t-fly-with-it situation now, meaning that i either go with something else (that i like less), or try to find it in a new city/race site, if i’m flying in for the race. i usually find it in a big drug store like CVS, in the automotive/housewares section. if you ask for WD-40, a salesperson will likely get you in the right section. the most i’ve paid for it was about $4, i think.
peggy
Putting a plastic grocery bag over your feet and hands seems to work fairly well for putting it on. You’ll still need to make small adjustments and pull everything into place. For taking it off, just let it turn inside-out as you pull your arms and legs out.
I’ve been using the Suit Juice for a while now its a great! I use it running as well and anywhere I chafe. When you sweat it actuallys gets even more slick. I bought a large bottle and it lasts a long time compared to Body Glide.
If you are concerned about getting the suit off after a regular ol’ swim–i.e., not in races–you can take the suit off without any lube if you do it in the water. When the suit is wet it comes off like nothing. The problem comes after it dries off a little, which only takes a few seconds.
I don’t use any lube for regular swims. A dry suit goes on easily, and after the swim I just strip in the lake.
Honestly I can’t imagine a wetsuit company advising against Pam. We eat Pam, so it couldn’t be that strong of a solvent.
I just cut the labels of my Zoot Zenith (and this is on their website):
DON’T use petroleum jelly, cooking spray, tanning oil, or any kind of grease, oil, or solvents on your suit. They will cause irreparable damage. We have read lots of comments on websites, forums, and newsgroups advising the use of these substances. DON’T DO IT! The stuff ruins the suits,
rots the glue, and makes it impossible to re-glue.