Equipment Care Instructions

To ensure maximum performance and extend the life of your equipment, follow the care instructions below. Defects or damage to the equipment caused by improper/incorrect use or insufficient/improper maintenance and product care will render our Warranty Policy null and void.

Freediving Fins

After-diving care

Soak and rinse thoroughly in freshwater after each use to remove salt, sand, and debris.
Store your fins in a cool, shaded area. Avoid storing in direct sunlight or hot, enclosed spaces like a car in the sun.
Ensure your fins are completely dry before placing them in a bag or storage area to prevent mold and deterioration.

Storing fins

Store fins horizontally on a flat surface or vertically in a fin rack to maintain their shape.
Avoid storing in direct sunlight or close to heat sources.

Using your fins

Avoid pressing your blades against hard surfaces such as the bottom of a pool or pool walls — this can cause damage to the blade material.
Never jump into the water while wearing your fins; put your fins on after you're already in the water to prevent damage from impact.

Additional care for carbon and fiberglass fins

Apply Silicone Grease to open-heel foot pockets regularly to extend their lifespan and maintain flexibility.

Additional care for silicone fins

Avoid using excessive force when putting on the silicone bifins.
Keep foot pockets and back straps away from sharp objects that could puncture or tear the silicone material.
Avoid contact with fabrics and materials that may bleed color when wet, as silicone can absorb dyes and become permanently stained.

Freediving Wetsuits

Putting on and taking off a wetsuit

Watch this video to see how to put on and take off a wetsuit correctly.

After-diving care

Directly after diving, soak and rinse your wetsuit thoroughly in freshwater. If you can't rinse it right away, leave it in a bag with some seawater — don't let saltwater dry on it.
After rinsing, leave the wetsuit to air dry in the shade — don't dry it in the sun, near a fire, near a central heating system, or in a clothes dryer.
After one side of your wetsuit has fully dried, turn it inside out to dry the other side. If your wetsuit has a lined side and either a glide skin exterior or an open cell interior, dry the glide skin/open cell side first, then the lined side afterward.
Note that if you don't dry your wetsuit properly in tropical countries, mold will likely develop, which is very difficult to remove.
If you use zinc sunscreen on your face while diving, be sure to completely remove it before taking off your wetsuit to prevent staining the lining/glideskin. If you get zinc on your wetsuit, you can either use micellar water or soap and water to remove the stain.

Deep-cleaning a wetsuit

From time to time, wash your wetsuit with a wetsuit-specific shampoo and follow the directions closely. Remove grease, oil, zinc, and other stains with a wetsuit-specific degreaser. Never use petroleum products on your wetsuit or place in a washing machine.

Storing a wetsuit

Store your dry wetsuit in a cool, dry place and avoid folding it for excessive periods — for short-term transport, folding is acceptable.
For long-term storage, either lay the wetsuit flat or drape it folded in half at the waist over a wide hanger to prevent stretching out the shoulders and arms. Drape the wetsuit pants similarly in half on their own separate hanger.
Avoid storing your wetsuit in direct sunlight or close to heat sources.
If your wetsuit has Velcro, keep the Velcro covered with the attached fabric patch at all times — this keeps the Velcro’s rough surface from damaging the wetsuit’s lining.

Traveling with a wetsuit

When packing your wetsuit into a suitcase or backpack, pay attention to the exterior material. If you have a glide skin wetsuit (like the SPORT Wetsuit Inside-Lined or any PRO wetsuits), turn it inside-out so that the inner lining becomes the exterior. If you have an outside-lined or double-lined wetsuit, fold it normally so that the lining is the exterior material.
Pack your wetsuit the night before or the day of your travels. As soon as you arrive to your destination, remove your wetsuit from your luggage and lay it flat/hang it (as described above in “Storing a wetsuit”).

Maintaining and repairing a wetsuit

See the instructions below on maintaining and repairing each type of wetsuit. If the below information doesn’t help and you still need further advice on repairing your wetsuit, contact us by email at info@molchanovs.com — we're happy to help you.

All Wetsuits

If you tear your wetsuit, use Neoprene Cement (available at most diving centers or watersports stores) to repair it. Follow the instructions carefully.

Double-lined Wetsuits

Wetsuits with fabric lining on both sides.

Maintaining:

These wetsuits can be put on dry, but do so carefully without using nails and without pulling on the beaver tail.
If putting the wetsuit on dry, ensure your skin is completely dry (not wet with sweat or water).
Make sure to dry both the wetsuit’s interior and exterior.

Repairing:

Fabric-finished surfaces can be loop stitched, but avoid stitching completely through to the opposite side.

Inside-lined Wetsuits

Wetsuits with a fabric lining interior + glideskin/smoothskin exterior wetsuits.

Maintaining:

These wetsuits can be put on dry, but do so carefully without using nails and without pulling on the beaver tail.
If putting the wetsuit on dry, ensure your skin is completely dry (not wet with sweat or water).
Protect glideskin/smoothskin wetsuits from direct sunlight by wearing a rashguard or staying in shaded areas.

Repairing:

Never sew glide skin seams.
Fabric-finished surfaces can be loop stitched, but avoid stitching completely through to the opposite side.

Outside-lined Wetsuits

Wetsuits with a fabric lining exterior + open cell interior.

Maintaining:

While this type of wetsuit is considered durable, you should always use lubricant to put on the wetsuit or put it on in water.
Removing this wetsuit should also be done in water.
Check this guide to see how to make your own lubricant and for specific instructions/videos on how to put on and take off a wetsuit.

Repairing:

Fabric-finished surfaces can be loop stitched, but avoid stitching completely through to the opposite side.

Unlined Wetsuits

Wetsuits with a glideskin/smoothskin exterior + open cell interior.

Maintaining:

These wetsuits are extremely fragile and should be put on very carefully with plenty of soap and water.
Do not use your nails or pull on the beaver tail when putting the wetsuit on and taking it off.
Protect these wetsuits from direct sunlight by wearing a rashguard or staying in shaded areas.
Check this guide to see how to make your own lubricant and for specific instructions/videos on how to put on and take off a wetsuit.

Repairing:

This wetsuit cannot be stitched; it can only be glued.

Note that neoprene torn while you are putting on or taking off the wetsuit will not be covered under warranty.

Removing mold on a wetsuit

Mold spreads quickly and can be difficult to remove; the best thing to do is to ensure mold never appears by thoroughly drying your wetsuit. Wetsuits should be stored in environments with low humidity — if you live in a tropical environment, keep it in a room with a dehumidifier and occasionally turn the dehumidifier on.

To remove mold on a wetsuit, do the following as soon as you see signs of mold:

Place your wetsuit into a clean bucket and weigh it down (you can use lead weights).
Fill the bucket so that the wetsuit is completely covered with 70% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol (or a higher concentration).
Leave the wetsuit to soak for 10 minutes.
Soak and rinse the wetsuit thoroughly with freshwater on both sides.
Dry the wetsuit fully on both sides.
Observe for the next few days and weeks. If mold returns, repeat the above steps.

Please note that any print on the wetsuit may or may not be affected.

Additional care for PRO wetsuits

Because of the high-quality performance materials used in PRO wetsuits, you must be extra careful when putting on and taking off the wetsuit. Do not grip the wetsuit with your fingernails (keeping your fingernails short helps).
We don’t recommend wearing PRO wetsuits for extended periods in direct sunlight. If you must, we recommend wearing a protective fabric T-shirt over the wetsuit to shield the glide skin layer from the sun.

Apparel & Swimwear

Clothing & Swimsuits

Washing instructions

Wash apparel and swimsuits with a gentle laundry detergent by hand or use a washing machine with cold or lukewarm water.
Air-drying in the shade is recommended to avoid fabric shrinkage and color fading.
To iron, use a low to medium heat setting on fabric turned inside-out or underneath a pressing cloth.

Swim Caps

After-diving care

Rinse in non-chlorinated freshwater directly after use.
Air dry both the inside and outside of the swim cap out of direct sunlight and away from sources of heat before storing.

General care

Avoid leaving a wet swim cap in an enclosed container or bag for an extended amount of time.
Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Take extra care putting on the swim cap if you have long nails.

Bags

After-diving care

After contact with saltwater, rinse with freshwater.

Washing your bag

Wash at or below 30°C (86°F).
Do not tumble dry or wring out.
Hand washing is preferred.

General care

Do not use in temperatures colder than -50°C (-58°F) or hotter than 80°C (176°F).
Do not expose to fire.

Training Tools

Freediving Masks

Important note about lenses

Note that the mask lenses are plastic (polycarbonate), which should not be “pre-treated” with toothpaste or burned with a lighter. Doing so will damage the lenses.

Defogging the mask

You can use an anti-fog spray to keep the inner part of the lenses from fogging when diving.
Avoid accidentally touching the inside of the lenses with sunscreen on your fingers, which will make them more prone to fogging.
Do not use any rough or sharp items to rub the inner and outer parts of the mask lens.

General care

After diving, soak and rinse the mask thoroughly in lukewarm freshwater, let it air dry fully out of direct sunlight, and keep it stored inside the original case.
Keep the mask away from dirt and grease.
Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight when not in use.

EQ Trainers

Before use

Rinse both parts of the EQ Trainer 2 with soapy water and spray disinfectant spray.
Wait for the product to fully dry before assembling.
Any new balloons should be rinsed and air-dried before using them for the first time.

After use

Clean the EQ Trainer 2 after each use:

Disassemble the unit.
Rinse with soapy water and spray disinfectant spray.
Wait for the unit to dry fully before reassembling.

General care

To make loosening and tightening a smoother process, you can lubricate the threading with any kind of silicone.
Do not throw or drop on hard surfaces.
Do not use in temperatures colder than -40°C (-40°F) or hotter than 50°C (122°F)
Do not expose to extreme heat for extended periods of time.

Safety Systems

Freediving Buoys

Before use

Always check your equipment before diving and regularly inspect your buoy for any signs of damage.
When folding the buoy, check for any foreign particles inside.
Avoid putting any sharp objects made of metal or other materials inside the buoy as it may damage it.

During a freediving session

Keep the inflator tube in the buoy's mesh pocket while freediving to add air in case of emergency.
Do not attach ropes to the buoy handles; attach only to the D-ring.
To avoid overinflation, we recommend inflating the buoy using your mouth instead of a pump.
Do not inflate beyond 5 psi / 0.3 bar (as marked on buoy); Molchanovs is not responsible for performance issues or damage caused by overinflation.

After-diving care and storage

Always rinse your buoy in freshwater after use.
Do not leave or store the buoy under direct sunlight, in a hot car, or near heat sources.
Avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 80°C (176°F).
Do not expose to concentrated acids or hydrocarbon-based chemicals.
For longer periods of storage, partially or fully deflate the fully-dried buoy and store in a cool, dark place away from central heating.

Maintenance

If the valve is leaking air, use the valve key to tighten it; we recommend tightening the valve at least once a year.

Freediving Lanyards

Before use

Carefully inspect the lanyard for any signs of damage.

After-diving care

After contact with saltwater, rinse with freshwater and open/close the carabiner gate in the water multiple times.
Hang to dry by attaching the carabiner to a hook or clothes hanger; avoid hanging by the wire itself for extended periods to prevent damage.

General care

Avoid frequent opening and closing of the velcro as frequent use can reduce its adhesiveness.
Diving in icy conditions may cause damage to the spring inside of the carabiner if not opened correctly. Underwater, the carabiner can be opened and closed as normal. Above water, assume that the carabiner spring is iced-over due to frigid air temperatures and place it back into the water to de-ice before opening.