How To Repair A Big Rip In A Wetsuit

You could say that you lot and your wetsuit accept been through a lot together. Whether it was the final hurdle of your final grueling triathlon, the tumbling waves you handled in those early mornings at La Jolla, or the sunken ships you saw off the coast of Aruba on a contempo diving trip, those who wear a wetsuit know that it'due south more than simply another piece of equipment—information technology'due south what keeps y'all safe, warm, and protected when you explore new depths or take your sport to the next level.

After years of loving apply, your adjust may start to unravel or rip, which can blow a huge hole in your adventuring routine. Even so, no matter if your wetsuit is a sparse, triathlon adjust or an ultra-thick, cold water surf and diver accommodate, information technology's easier than you call back to repair it yourself. All you lot need is a few minutes and some simple tools similar patches, cements, and adhesives. Best of all, learning how to patch upwardly and fix your wetsuit volition also interpret to repairing other water sporting gear including neoprene drysuits, booties, gloves, jackets, seat covers, and PFDs.

Set up to mend your wetsuit properly? Read on to find out how you tin get dorsum out in the water as soon equally possible.

Say Goodbye to Neoprene Rips with an Fe-On Patch

When you've got a rip, tear, or an unraveling seam on your wetsuit in high-stress areas like the knees, elbows, underarm, and around the attachment, give it a strong and flexible repair using an iron-on neoprene patch. This strong, flexible patch tin can work on all types of neoprene gear including wetsuits, drysuits, and waders. Information technology even works on spandex and Lycra® fabric.

Tenacious Tape Iron-On Neoprene Patch
Pair of scissors
Household Iron

Estimated Repair Time: 15 minutes

Here's how to perform this elementary repair:

Make clean and dry your accommodate before you begin.
Pre-oestrus iron to medium heat.
Cutting your Tenacious Tape Iron-On Neoprene Patch to size over the torn or damaged area.
Place the estrus shielding paper over the patch and printing downwardly on the atomic number 26 and hold.
Rotate the iron and repeat until secure, letting it cool a few minutes before you exam it out.

Tip: In addition to fixing holes and rips, you can likewise apply the Tenacious Record Iron-On Neoprene Patch to give the worn-out areas of your suit some extra reinforcement or apply it to cover up onetime repairs.

Use Contact Cement for Incredibly Stretchy Repairs

As potent equally neoprene is, being active out in the water means that eventually you'll get a snag or a rip in your wetsuit, glove, gasket, or booties—but that doesn't hateful you accept to supersede your gear. Prepare information technology instead with Aquaseal NEO, a neoprene cement that will give you lot a flexible, elastic repair inside one-half an hour.

Aquaseal NEO Contact Cement
Rubber Gloves

Estimated Repair Time: 25-30 minutes

Here's how to utilize this quick set production so you can get back to paddling, surfing, or diving in no time:

Locate all rips in your wetsuit, gloves, booties, etc. (Note: Take your fourth dimension and practise this thoroughly. Information technology can take a while to find them on a black wetsuit.)
Use the Aquaseal NEO onto both sides of the tear.
Allow the cement dry for v minutes.
Utilize a second coat of the adhesive and let dry for 10 minutes.
One time the 2nd coat has dried, press the two pieces together and permit them cure for 5-10 minutes.

Tip: You lot tin add a handy pocket to your wetsuit using Aquaseal NEO because information technology creates a stiff, permanent bond between ii pieces of neoprene fabric.

Fix Gear with a Flexible Adhesive that Lasts

Whether it's your angling waders or your diving gloves, discovering a pigsty in your gear can be a setback, especially if you were planning on using them presently on your next excursion. Luckily, you tin fix them overnight with our urethane-based repair agglutinative, Aquaseal FD, which acts like a waterproof and ultra-tough glue.

Aquaseal FD Repair Adhesive
Isopropyl Booze
Safe Gloves
Tape

Estimated Repair Time: 5 Minutes for prep and eight-12 hours to fully cure.

Here's how to apply the clear, flexible, waterproof adhesive and repair your wetsuit, waders, and more:

If your hole is larger than a pinhole, you'll first demand to create a "backing" with removable tape.
Fill the hole with the Aquaseal FD agglutinative, going a ¼" beyond the tear.
Once the adhesive has completely cured (this should have 12-24 hours), remove the tape and apply gear as you usually would.

Tip: The knees of your wetsuit are 1 of the most vulnerable parts. You tin can create a flexible knee patch with Aquaseal FD to protect your suit from harmful abrasions.

Now that your neoprene wetsuit, drysuit, gloves and booties are fixed and good as new, there's zip stopping you from taking on that next big race, wave, or swoop.