How to Care for Your Sharkskin Gear (and Make It Last)
Sharkskin thermal wear is built to take repeated use, but like any technical fabric, how you look after it between sessions makes a real difference to how long it lasts and how well it performs. None of this is complicated. It is mostly just a few habits worth building in after every dive, surf or paddle session.
Rinse after every use
Salt water, chlorine, sand and sunscreen all work against fabric over time if you let them sit. Rinse your Sharkskin gear in fresh water as soon as you reasonably can after each session, inside and out, paying attention to zips and seams where salt tends to collect. It takes a couple of minutes and it is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the fabric performing the way it should. On a multi-day trip where a proper rinse isn't always possible, even a quick freshwater rinse before it fully dries is far better than leaving it to dry salty and rinsing days later.
Dry it right
Dry your gear flat or on a wide hanger, out of direct sunlight, with good airflow around it. Direct sun and heat break fabrics down faster than almost anything else, so avoid draping it somewhere it will bake for hours, and keep it away from radiators, tumble dryers or car dashboards. A bit of shade and some airflow will dry it just as well without the damage, and it protects the colour and stretch of the fabric over many seasons rather than just the first one.
Storage between trips
Once it is fully dry, store your Sharkskin gear somewhere cool and out of direct light rather than left balled up in a damp dive bag until the next trip. Damp storage is where mildew and odour start, and it is entirely avoidable with a few extra minutes before you pack it away. If you are storing gear for an off-season rather than just between trips, the same rules apply: fully dry, out of the sun, and loosely folded or hung rather than compressed at the bottom of a bag for months.
Washing without wrecking it
Between rinses, an occasional gentle wash helps clear anything a plain rinse does not, particularly sunscreen and body oils that build up over a season of use. The specifics on detergents, water temperature and machine settings are covered properly on our care page rather than guessed at here, so that is the place to check before you put anything through a wash cycle.
If something needs repair
Technical water-wear takes a lot of stress and stretch, and occasionally something needs attention - a seam, a zip, a small repair. Do not just retire the piece or reach for a generic fix. Sharkskin Europe is the European distributor for the brand, so if you are unsure whether something is a quick fix, a warranty matter, or time to replace, the best place to start is our care and warranty page.
We have put together a full guide covering care, washing and warranty at sharkskineurope.com/pages/warranty-care - it is worth bookmarking alongside your gear bag, not just reading once.
Why the care habit is worth it
Part of what makes Sharkskin worth choosing over a bulkier neoprene wetsuit in the first place is that it dries fast, packs small and keeps performing trip after trip - see our Sharkskin vs neoprene wetsuit comparison for the fuller picture. A little care after every session is what keeps that advantage intact for years, not just for one season.
Explore the full Sharkskin range here, and check the care and warranty page any time you have a question about looking after a specific piece.