Can the SurfDry System Solve the Sensory Nightmare of Putting on a Damp Wetsuit?

Putting on a wetsuit is a sensory nightmare, even in the best circumstances. It’s tight, gritty, and foul-smelling—and if the suit is still cold and wet from the day before, all bets are off. I spent the first year of my surfing career on Maui, enjoying the sunshine and year-round warm water, only to move to Los Angeles where the ocean temperature can dip down to 57 degrees. Ever since, I’ve been on the hunt for a tool, a gadget, or a genius hack to make pulling on that neoprene a little more bearable.

Enter the SurfDry: a novel way to get a wetsuit bone-dry overnight.

SurfDry Original Wetsuit Dryer

$88 at SurfDry

The SurfDry Setup

The SurfDry is a “portable wetsuit drying accelerator” that essentially consists of two fans that connect to your suit, speeding up the drying process without damaging the material. SurfDry claims this accelerated drying system will increase the lifespan of the suit and keep the dreaded “wetsuit funk” at bay—something any surfer’s friends and family can appreciate.

The SurfDry comes in a compact box with instructions on the inside, and setup was easier than anticipated. It only took a few minutes to attach the fans to the wetsuit and connect them to each other with the included USB-C cord. The hardest part is figuring out where to hang everything.

The instructions indicate the system should be used in a warm, dry environment that you don’t mind getting wet and sandy. For an apartment dweller like me, that leaves only one option: the shower.

Once I got the suit situated on a hanger, I encountered one other issue: getting the cord to reach an outlet. The SurfDry fans connect to a provided USB-C cord, but like most up-to-code bathrooms, there isn’t an outlet near my shower. The provided cord wasn’t quite long enough to bridge the gap, and I wasn’t about to run an extension cord through a wet bathroom. Luckily, I was able to get creative and use a portable charger to power the fans.

Once I rinsed the suit with fresh water and let it hang dry for about an hour, I simply attached each SurfDry fan to a leg, plugged everything in, and let it run overnight.

The Results

I tested this on a 4/3 Men’s XCEL COMP+ Chest Zip Fullsuit, and it was mostly dry the next morning. Since this is a thicker winter suit, it would normally take closer to 24 hours to really dry out. The arms were still damp (which makes sense, since the fans were connected to the legs), but compared to my boyfriend’s suit (the exact same model which had dried overnight on the balcony), mine was much more comfortable to put on the next day.

The most underrated benefit I discovered? To my relief, the fans are nearly silent, so running the system overnight didn’t cause any sleep issues. The kit is also small and easily portable, especially when connected to a battery as opposed to an outlet. This system could be a game-changer for anyone hitting the road with wet gear, whether you’re on a surf trip or headed home from a long day of skiing with wet boots in the trunk.

What to Consider When Buying the SurfDry

If you’re thinking about buying the SurfDry, here’s what I’d think through first to make sure it’s a good fit for your needs and your space.

Location

Even though the gadget itself is small and easy to move around, you’ll want to give particular thought to where you’re prepared to hang your wetsuit and deal with the inevitable sandy mess. Plus, while it was nice to bring my suit in for the night and get it toasty, using the SurfDry meant the shower was occupied. In a one-bathroom apartment, that was pretty inconvenient. I think the SurfDry is best for someone with a lot of space, like a garage or an extra full bathroom.

Outlet Accessibility

For me, the extra steps of setting everything up proved worth it. I run cold, and as we get into the winter surf season here in LA, any extra bit of comfort makes a difference—particularly on chilly mornings when the sun is slow to rise.

For me, the extra steps of setting everything up proved worth it. I run cold, and as we get into the winter surf season here in LA, any extra bit of comfort makes a difference, particularly on chilly mornings when the sun is slow to rise.

Bottom Line

The SurfDry did exactly what it said it would. After about twelve hours, my wetsuit was 80% dry, compared to its usual 40% overnight. I think this would be perfect for anyone who surfs regularly but only has one suit for a given season. If you have the space, but not the spare suits, then this might just be the solution to the cold, wet start to your dawn patrol sessions.