I got a fin chop on my wetsuit the other day and was wondering what the best way to fix it is. the slice is about 2 or 3 inches long and about 4 inches below my knee and goes all the way through the suit. I was thinking of taking a couple of patches and neoprene cement to both inside and out. Any advice or experience you guys have would be great. By the way I don't want buying a new suit to be an option if possible, the day it was cut was the second day I had used it.
I've used this stuff with great success when I've had rips and tear in my wetsuits and gloves. http://solarez.com/productsnew/h_neo.html
I think the gummy sealant stuff only works well temporarily. I have a tear right on the seam of the neoprene panel and some stitching. What my plan is, and someone please let me know if this works well, is to have one of the seamstresses that I know sew the are up tightly, then I will apply the glue/repair agent that is mentioned above. Maybe even lay a little 1mil patch on the inside to sew into it. I just dont think that the glue alone will hold up with the amount of tension and pressure that is put on a suit just taking it on and off. Mine is a Oneill Pyschofreak 3.5 mil and it was a $600 suit a few years ago. The stitching busted because the suit got very hot in my truck fire when I was moving across country, so you can feel a small area on the back and side leg is dry and not destroyed but definitely lost its durability from the heat.
O'Neil makes a good wetsuit glue. I fin sliced my suit all the way through last season and patched it with that stuff. It's still holding.
You need the Mcneill black cement. Have to follow the instructions to the letter. Apply to the tear, let dry, then apply again and seal it. You will most likely need to stitch it as well. And seal it inside and out. Better yet, depending on the brand - you could ship it in for a proper repair. You can email the repair dept. a pix and get a quote in advance. Sometimes, if it is that new, they will fix for free.
IF ITS A CLEAN CUT- USE THIS STUFF CALLED TRIDENT WETSUIT CEMENT. it works wonders, its basically like rubber cement. read the instructions before use- you apply glue to both sides and let it dry then seal it together... this stuff is the best for making a complete seal. don't stich it or anything...
I live so far away now. I used to send them back every year for repair and they would send me a brand new one for free. But I took it to my local surf shop, and they shipped it with their standard pickups from Oneill or Quik every couple weeks. It would take a month or so, but I never paid shipping and always got a brand new suit for free.... As far as the Mcneill Black cement and stuff, doesn't that still require some stitching? I tried that stuff years ago around the knee area, which used to ALWAYS be a problem are for me. I think I used to use my left knee a lot when duck diving larger sets, so it would always wear. Anyway, after like 2 session the stuff just tore apart.... I would think that maybe one application of it, then stitching over it, then a top coat might do the trick.... But like for instance with my Oneill Psychofreak 3.5. Its the equivilant of a 4 mil and just as warm, but the material is super stretchy and super thin, so my thinking is that with so much stretch and movement of the materials, that it would really want to rip apart that glue... My tear is right at the seam on the bottom left back panel. About 3 inches to the right of the bottom zipper. right where the back panel cuts upward on a 90' angle... A very high tension location from zipping and unzipping and a lot of tension is applied when pulling it up over the shoulders too.
Instead of a patch... I tear out tape from old wetsuits and use that. Glue the slice back together, then tape it on the inside and outside.
As Zach suggested, the wetsuit company can repair the suits. They essentially replace the part that is torn. Sometimes, the companies will cover it under warranty, so it is worth a check. And, if you bought the suit at a surf shop, go to the shop, and ask them if they can get it fixed for you.
Agree with SI...however, I have used this tape (LINK) on older suits with huge success (found it online)...may help after you glue it up.
I recently patched a hole in my 5 mil because it got sliced by my fin. I got seal cement and iron mend patch, and it worked great. I found both of them on amazon I think for 10$ a piece. Put the seal cement on both edges of the cut, and iron on the patch just on the inside of the suit. It will be water tight and as good as new
Yes, and another thought, even if you didn't get it from a certain shop... I have just pulled the whole "i dont have my receipt thing"... I would suggest taking it to the largest, most corporate surf shop that sells your brand... I know this goes against the way some of you shop, but you have the most likelihood of the companies hooking you up by getting it sent out through a company that makes them a lot of money. I.E. I almost never shopped at SouthCoast in OB... But I took it to them to send back and I got hooked up every time. They are the largest retailer for Quiksilver in SD county, so by taking it to them, I bet you that the guys up in the warehouse saw the repair order and wanted to keep this shop happy, so the perks trickled down to me... I bet if I had sent it in myself, they would have sent me back a bill.... I used to also write a letter with it giving them feedback on their product and maybe thats why I got the new free ones too... But for instance, when the Cell6 came out, they had very poorly designed back panels with these vertical ridges. The vertical ridges in the rubber would separate after about 2 months of daily use. And this was general wear and tear... So I would let them know that the tension from taking it on and off and zipping it was an issue. After that year, they removed that part of the design. I also wrote them one year about the knee paneling and how they should make the rubber overlay on the front smaller, or broken into two portions and that it would probably extend the life and prevent cracking and tearing of it... Anyway, give them some feedback and remind them that you are a productive member of all their marketing and designs... always helps.
Thanks for all the responses. I did some more research and it looks like the best way to it is with the O'Neill cement and neoprene tape for extra strength.
+1 on this. I have trashed but fully intact 6/5 and 4/3 suits. Basically they serve as full-body sets of swatches and patches and rolls of tape. Truth also to the things Zach and others are saying here. This is a very good thread.
