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Natural Wetsuit Lube?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

wes

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2004
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Do any of you know of a natural/biodegradable replacement for conditioner that many people use for sliding their wetsuits on? Seems like that we only need the slippery part of the hair conditioner and not all the other stuff for wetsuits. Also when diving in a pool or very clean lake I feel bad about putting the conditioner in their. Maybe someone knows a chemist or someone in the cosmetics industry that could recommend a bulk chemical or compound that is what we need?
Thanks and Cheers Wes
 
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Sorbolene cream? It's a base moisturiser that's unperfumed and pretty cheap from chemists. I don't use it because I haven't seen it around and I just love to smell like Pantene :D

Cheers,
Ben
 
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Wes i have seen natural lube advertised on deeper blue in the past seems that the folks in BC use it. I think corn starch works well and is priced to sell good luck in your nature lube
 
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I know about two specialized lubricants for freedivers/spearfishers - they are listed in the Media Base here:
http://apnea.cz/lube
You can also use diverse natural personal lubicants, such as KY Jelly from Johnson&Johnson, baby oil, body glide, vegetable oil, silicone gel. Do not use petroleum based products like vaseline. If you are a spearfisher, the leaking lube may warn the fish in the vicinity about your presence, so perfumed shampoos and hair conditioners may not be the best idea (besides it, they are not designed for long contact with skin, are polluting waters and are proven to have negative effect on the fish reproduction - more about it in this thread). You may try fish oil instead :D
 
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Fly tyers use Corn Huskers lotion on their hands, they claim the fish dont seem to smell it.
 
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I have wanted to make some natural lube for a long time -- especially a powder which can be mixed with sea water, so you can carry lots of lube in a lightweight package, for airplane traveling or long kayaking voyages.

Some ideas for powder based edible lubes are:
- Guar gum powder
- Lecithin granules
- Gelatin
....others?
 
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Eric,

That's a great idea, a powder based lube. I guess the ultimate would be a powder based lube that you could eat, then in an emergency you would have some food!! I still think we need a good chemist to help. Cheers Wes
PS hope you are making progress with your dive computers.
 
Talc powder is cheap easy to use. Plus you can put the suite on dry skin . You don't need to mix it whit water.
 
Eric what about sterilized, dried and powdered sea weed? Its like aloe from the sea so its pretty slimy allready but I dont know if a sterilization process will take away the natural oils and stuff in it. If it can be done it will be perfect youll smell like lunch to most reef dwelling fish and it comes straight from the ocean so its not like your putting something in there that doesnt belong there allready and I guess sea water will work a charm in the mixing process, being homeand all. Mind, you will need some sort of sterilizing as rotting seaweed dont smell nice at all :rcard
 
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There are gelling agents derived from seaweed (carageenan, agar), which may be of some use. They are purified so not like seaweed, but probably expensive.
 
Do any of you know of a natural/biodegradable replacement for conditioner that many people use for sliding their wetsuits on? Seems like that we only need the slippery part of the hair conditioner and not all the other stuff for wetsuits. Also when diving in a pool or very clean lake I feel bad about putting the conditioner in their. Maybe someone knows a chemist or someone in the cosmetics industry that could recommend a bulk chemical or compound that is what we need?
Thanks and Cheers Wes

Hi Wes,

I use shampoo lube only for my 7mm smoothskin, the 5mm open cell and the 3mm smothskin can very easily be put on in the water without any help of a gliding agent. The shampoo for the 7mm is just because when I use this suit the water is normally too cold to use it as lube.
It's really easy, comfortable an quite fast too, you slip in in a second.

Besides, in most swimming pools the use of any soap or shampoo usually is strictly forbidden. I used soap once to get in the footpocket of a monofin sitting on the pool border - the life guard came immediatly, quite angry, and asked if I wanted to destroy the delicate aseptic equilibrium of the system :duh

So, just try without lube and with water. Be careful as usual with delicate suits, but once you got it with the water-lubing, you will hardly use lube anymore except in case the water is too cold.

Cheers,
Ivo
 
Talc powder is cheap easy to use. Plus you can put the suite on dry skin . You don't need to mix it whit water.
From wikipedia:
"Several studies have established preliminary links between talc and pulmonary issues, lung cancer, skin cancer and ovarian cancer. This is a major concern considering talc's widespread commercial and household use. However, no conclusive study has yet been made to determine either the toxicity and/or carcinogenic nature of talc ... In 1993, a US National Toxicology Program report found that cosmetic grade talc caused tumours in animals, even though it contained no asbestos-like fibres. Scientists have been aware of the toxicity of talc since the late 1960s, and in 1971 researchers found particles of talc embedded in 75 percent of the ovarian tumors studied."
 
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Look into J-Lube: "J-Lube is a concentrated lubricant that comes in powder form. According to the bottle, it is manufactured for Jorgensen Laboratories in Loveland, Colorado and consists of 25% polyethylene polymer ([ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_oxide"]polyethylene oxide[/ame]) and 75% dispersing agent (sucrose, according to the MSDS"

"When mixed with water, it produces a thick, clear, extremely slippery lubricant whose intended purpose is to aid in gynecological examinations for farm animals and to assist in cases of dystocia, or abnormal/difficult labor during childbirth."

"The sucrose in the powder isn't of any concern, and the polyethylene oxide that makes up the rest of it is sometimes used as a thickener and texturizing agent in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, etc. and is considered to have a low toxicity and be non-irritating."

"It is inexpensive (around $10 to make about seven gallons of lubricant), easy to mix (just add water!), and contains no peculiar chemicals or preservatives. And since it's water based, it's fully latex compatible."

You can spread it lightly on your suit, then pour water on it, and rub your hands over it and Voila you have a lubed suit. You can also pour it on your hands and get your hands wet, rub your hands together and then rub that over the suit. I would suggest that you make a small amount with your hands first to see how much powder to use, a little goes a long way.


I got a lot of that info from a site I would never have thought about going to (even 5 min. ago), but I was introduced to J-Lube this lambing season on the farm I live at. Great stuff, works almost too well and could barely hold onto the lambs that needed to be pulled out.
 
Fogish,

That sounds pretty good. Where do you buy J-lube? Direct from the manufacturer or thru distributer or shops?

Thanks Wes
 
A lot of vet supply or livestock supply stores should have it, but it will be easiest to find it online. Anyone over seas would probably be best to have someone buy it in the US and then ship it to them, especially since the Dollar is getting weaker, unless they call a local vet and talk to them about a similar product they may use.

J-Lube Powder - OB Supplies

That is a fairly cheap place to get it, but the shipping/service charge doesn't make me happy. You can search for it it should be under livestock OB supplies or just J-lube powder. Maybe your local vet buys it in bulk and will sell it to you at a deal as well (that is where we got it).

One thing if you dive in the ocean salt does slowly dry out the polyethylene, but it will take longer than one diving trip in the water (several days with a high salt content). Regular rinsing of the suit should clean off any residue and it will be ready for your next dive, if anything is left on the suit getting it wet again just rehydrates it and it is lubricated again.

One container should last a really long time since you will be using a much larger ratio of water to powder than someone trying to deliver an animal, they need it thicker since they are not just slipping a suit on. I will use some when I jump in the river in the next month and report back how it goes, I normally only use water as a lubricant (I know water isn't a lubricant) so this should make a major difference.
 
"I will use some when I jump in the river in the next month and report back how it goes..."

And... how was it? Waiting your report.
 
I use a biodegradable body soap that is scent free. It's actually a soap that Hunters use to eliminate their body scent. It's from "Hunter's Specialties" and I believe it says on the bottle "Natural and Biodegradable". I know Walmarts sell it or you can get it at any hunting outfit, about $9 for a 32oz bottle. I use about 5-10% in a Spray bottle. and it doesn't take much and makes my suit very slick.

--------Scott
 
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Hi Wes,

I use shampoo lube only for my 7mm smoothskin, the 5mm open cell and the 3mm smothskin can very easily be put on in the water without any help of a gliding agent. The shampoo for the 7mm is just because when I use this suit the water is normally too cold to use it as lube.
It's really easy, comfortable an quite fast too, you slip in in a second.

Oh, that's great, Scorp. Using the water is the best. No doubt about it.
 
J-Lube can also be found through some, uh, "adult" product dealers, as it has it's uses there, too (for example, getting into latex fetish gear). The only problem with J-Lube is, it breaks down with salt (in fact, that's how you REMOVE it). But, as long as the salt water wasn't getting into the suit, it wouldn't be that big of a deal...

Todd
 
I think - if it's possible to use simply water, then there is no place for excuses to use some chemicals.
 
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