DIY Wetsuit repairsUpdated 4 months ago

Quick Heads-Up

Any fix-ups or changes to your wetsuit will void its certification. Serious stuff!

What You’ll Need:

• Neoprene glue
• Brush or spatula
• Rubber gloves
• Nylon fabric
• Nylon thread
• Flat weight
• A small flat piece of wood or plastic
• A well-ventilated space

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Read Up!
   Before diving into repairs, check the user manual of your neoprene glue.

2. Vent It Out.
   Make sure you're fixing things in a well-ventilated area.

Small Tear Fix (1-5cm)

1. Clean your wetsuit well - make sure it's free from sand, salt, dust, and any water residue.
2. Get rid of any loose bits or threads around the tear.
3. Slide that piece of wood/plastic under the tear from the inside.
4. Open the tear and gently apply neoprene glue to both sides with your brush, ensuring the edges don’t touch yet.
5. Let those sticky edges air out for about 3-5 minutes.
6. Apply more glue on the tear edges; make sure it’s fully covered.
7. Let it air for another 3-5 minutes, then press the edges together until it feels secure.
8. Let the repair chill for about 20 minutes.
9. After that, remove the wood/plastic and turn the wetsuit inside out.
10. Repeat those steps from the inside.
11. Your wetsuit will be good to go after a day of curing.

For Bigger Rips (5-10cm)

It’s a good idea to reinforce the torn area with nylon fabric or thread from both sides.

Fabric Reinforcement:

1. Start with the same steps for gluing as above.
2. Once the area has dried for about 20 minutes, you can start applying reinforcement.
3. Coat the tear with neoprene glue, making sure the area matches the size of your patch.
4. Make sure your patch is about 5mm bigger than the tear on each side.
5. Glue the nylon reinforcement right after.
6. Let it dry a bit, then press the reinforcement down on the tear with a flat weight.
7. Chill for about 5 minutes.
8. Check that the reinforcement is snug and there are no edges sticking up. If so, apply more glue and repeat those last few steps.
9. You can repair both sides using this technique if needed.

Needle and Thread Repairs (5-10cm)

1. Follow the same gluing steps as before.
2. Thread that nylon thread through your needle.
3. Poke the needle halfway through the neoprene thickness and pull it out the other side of the tear.
4. Cross the stitches to form an "X" and keep that going down the length of the tear. Don’t pull too tight or too loose — you don’t want to rip the neoprene!
5. Keep your stitch spacing even.
6. Tie off a knot at the end of the seam.
7. Add a little neoprene glue at both ends to secure it.

Hotmelt Repairs

Make sure to follow the instructions from the hotmelt manufacturer if you're going that route!