Repairing a wetsuit?

[grubbers]

I just discovered a tear in a wetsuit I'm trying to sell. It doesn't go all the way through, but it does go down to the stitching in between two panels. I've found some info online about repairing small tears, but I'm wondering how well those repairs hold up.

The tear is about 2 inches along the bottom of the chest panel on the suit.

[MattK.]

Buy some neoprene cement from a local dive shop, surf shop, or online and follow the directions on the can. I have used neoprene cement to repair holes in my neoprene sprayskirt for my kayak with great success. If you take your time and do a good job it will be difficult for anyone to know that your wetsuit has been repaired.

[sb]

or Aquaseal

[SUPERIOR]

I have repaired several rips and tears in wetsuits as a dive instructor. Get some Aquaseal or 3000 PSI wetsuit cement, gum up the hole, and plaster a piece of neoprene over the top to stop anything from snagging on the rip.

Neoprene is strong material, and the right type of glue is super strong. I've glued nylon gear pockets onto wetsuits and they've held up through dozens of dives. You may need to slap on a bit of cement down the road if your repair job gets worn down.

That's it.

[XXX-er]

either neoprene contact cement or aqua seal would work BUT the devil is in the details as they say

You need to dab small amounts in the tear and then you must hold it together in some fashion for 24 hrs while the AQS cures, a newbie user will probably use too much AQS if there are globs of AQS on the finished piece ... you used too much

neoprene contact cement you would dab into all side of the separation, let it dry for 1/2 an hr till not tacky and press the area closed ... you get one shot to do it right on contact but then its done

For that particular repair I would use contact cement and if you did it carefully it would be hard to notice which would be what you want for resale value

contact cement or aqs repaired neoprene is usually just as strong as the surrounding material

[Quadzilla]

Aquaseal works good but dries slowly, I repair wetsuits all the time as I am a windsurfer. I would just put some superglue gel in there let tack up and push together. Shoe Goo works as good as aquaseal too, maybe fills a gap better.

[djrez4]

Another vote for neoprene cement from a dive shop. I used it to repair my triathlon wetsuit multiple times (not in the same place... new tears).

If a tear goes all the way through or a seam breaks, you can suture it back together in addition to gluing with cement.

[XXX-er]

I would just put some superglue gel in there let tack up and push together. Shoe Goo works as good as aquaseal too, maybe fills a gap better.

what exactly is that, I am not familiar with the product?

AQS, shoogoo, seam grip are all liquid ureathane with various amounts of solvent to make them work easier or fill gaps easier, for a shoe heel you would be building up a sole so you would want something thick that stays in place

http://www.mec.ca/Search/search.jsp?...0&Ntt=aquaseal

this is something new the UV cure solvent free AQS important to note that according to the 1 review ... it doesn't work

they make a solvent free seam grip as well and if you want things to stick I would stay with the noxious stuff

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Tents/...-1-oz28.4g.jsp

A review^^ of seam grip by 6 users I would say one pretty good review from a MEC staffer who knows his ass from a hole in the ground and some others that obviously don't