Wetsuit DIY repair

1. A tear along a seam or fold, the seams of the wetsuit have parted;
2. Incision, tear, through tear of neoprene in an arbitrary place;
3. A piece of neoprene is torn out (for repairs you need a piece of neoprene - glue the patch);
4. Replacement of wetsuit parts (replacement of cuffs, replacement of the face seal, replacement of knee pads
5. Manufacturing (not to be confused with repair) knee pads, elbow pads
6. Zipper insert (main and on sleeves and legs), drainage insert (codpiece)

1. Plain long needle;
2. Tailor's pins;
3. Stronger threads (preferably lavsan);
4. Adhesive (special) for neoprene. Available in tubes. It is ideal to have at least two types of glue for different repairs. For example, "Aquashur" - for strengthening seams, filling small gaps, and "Omer" glue for butt repair, in addition, glue from different manufacturers dries for different times. By the way, usually the drying time is not indicated on the tubes of glue, and if they do, then it must be checked experimentally. Curing time may vary depending on neoprene, temperature, etc .;
5. Thermal tape for repairing seams;
6. Wooden spatula, sharpened match, toothpick, not sharp screwdriver, brush (synthetic, short, hard, rectangular tip);
7. Special hardener-cleaner for neoprene glue (for example Kotol-240);
8. Cloth, toilet paper, bandage, gauze;
9. Hard plastic strips (ideal for example MTS cards from which the SIM card was broken, it is convenient to remove excess glue with them, or it is convenient to remove excess glue from a screwdriver on them, through them you can press neoprene, such as dumbbells, to evenly distribute the force, etc.);
10. Roll of narrow masking tape;
11. A lot of patience and free time;
12. Alcohol solution for wiping hands (it is possible to use a protective hand cream);
13. Protective gloves (e.g. cotton, surgical, etc.);
14. Sharp knife, clerical knife, razor blade - cut off excess glue, material;
15. Place of work (table, hangers, hanger);
16. Lead cargo;
17. Hood (a vent is also suitable). The glue is flammable, the manufacturer recommends storing it in a well-ventilated area, cleaning the nozzle and tube lid after each use, and keeping it out of the reach of children.

Video (click to play).

The first imported neoprene wetsuit ("Aqualung") I could afford in the winter of 1998. I was extremely proud and happy. And I am grateful to my wife. She supported me in my quest to buy it. Then it was not easy, now for that kind of money you can afford at least three or four wetsuits. BUT then I was close to feeling absolute happiness.

Before that, we swam in Russian-made wetsuits "Tegur", "Sadko", UGK. In the USSR, a neoprene suit of the Katran brand was produced in Ukraine, but it was not available. And abroad, on tourist trips, they swam in torn neoprene suits of unknown manufacturers that had served every conceivable time. And they were more comfortable!

Until the end of the 70s of the last century, Russian wetsuits were 99.9% dry rubber wetsuits. They were structurally sealed using twisted tubes. The submariner climbed in through a rubber sleeve, the sleeve was twisted and tied with an elastic bandage.

The “Sadko” wetsuit was sealed in its own original way: the suit consisted of two parts: a semi-overalls with an outer skirt and a jacket with a hood and a skirt that was a continuation of the jacket. The jacket was worn over the pants, the skirts were combined, rolled into a sausage, which was fixed with an elastic belt - a bandage.For the convenience of putting on, different parts of the suit had different colors of the USSR, black and yellow.

In the Soviet Navy, the UGK diving suit was used (made and continues to make the plant "Yaroslavlrezinotekhnika"). Many divers who have gone through the DOSAAF school remember him well: after the alteration, the wetsuit was used in amateur diving and spearfishing.

The "UGK" wetsuit had an entrance tube on the chest, which was twisted into a sausage, tied and closed with a strap. On the legs were exhaust valves, buttons from the combined-arms OZK, an inflation tube. It was possible to buy it through pulls from the military, and sometimes in sporting goods. And it cost a maximum of 5200 rubles.

They also wore warm underwear, a turtleneck, a sweater, two warm sweatpants, a knitted hat, woolen socks ... They wore a lot of things.

All this was constantly torn, leaked, and it was very cold.

Generally speaking, all suits used to be dry, as people began to submerge under water, long before the invention of neoprene. The classic diving shirt, worn with a brass helmet and lead boots, is a typical dry suit.

All these wonderful inventions for amateur voyages became a thing of the past the day the American Aerospace Agency needed a reliable material - an insulator for a transportable housing unit. This is how NEOPRENE was invented. After the invention of neoprene, the neoprene wetsuit became a mainstream product available for purchase and use.

Neoprene (Neoprene) - a kind of synthetic rubber (in other words, foamed rubber). The patent belongs to DuPont. The material is waterproof, elastic. Soft, porous composition.

Neoprene can be used in temperatures from -55 ° C to + 90 ° C. Neoprene is resistant to sunlight, chemically active oil products. These qualities make neoprene an almost ideal insulator. Neoprene is even used as a sheath in cables.

In 1953, Georges Bucha, founder of Beuchat International, came up with the idea of ​​using neoprene in diving suits.

Neoprene in diving and spearfishing

There are now many different uses for neoprene in scuba diving and spearfishing. For wet suits, regular or porous neoprene (in its original form) is used. For the manufacture of dry-type wetsuits, pressed neoprene is most often used (the pores of which are partially or completely crushed - pressed neoprene), which increases the reliability and reduces the buoyancy of the wetsuit. For spearfishing, ordinary neoprene is used, but with a cut (or they say still bare, open) pores, that is, on the seamy side of the wetsuit there are cut pores, rather than closed, due to which the material sticks to the body like on "suction cups", as a result of which the circulation of water inside the suit is reduced, and the loss of heat by the underwater hunter is reduced.

Rubber, neoprene, trilaminate wetsuits had and still have one thing in common - they tear, wear out and need to be repaired.

How we glued the UGK! Sandpaper, thinner, rubber glue, vulcanizer…. The list goes on. Over time, patches on a rubber wetsuit took up a large area of ​​it.

Today, it is believed that rubber is a material for the manufacture of professional equipment, suits not for swimming, but rather for underwater work in corrosive environments, a fairly narrowly widespread material, but with high strength characteristics. Solid rubber suits are durable, reliable, but expensive and heavy.

But neoprene tears too! And how! Especially neoprene tears in hunting wetsuits. Structurally, it is weakened - usually not reinforced from the inside with nylon.

Many years ago, I think I made a good purchase - I bought a neoprene wetsuit "Omer Titanium" which was literally torn at the seams during the fitting process in the store.In addition, he had a huge number of tears (when trying on, he obviously pulled his hands like ordinary clothes). Excellent material, simply fantastically soft, coated with titanium - it shields heat better than ordinary neoprene. Even the fact that I got a suit one or two smaller than mine - this only added to his dignity - he sat on me like a glove, not a single drop got inside. But I had to work. For training in front of my wetsuit, I repaired a couple of my acquaintances' wetsuits, got my hand full in a month.

And I glued and re-glued my wetsuit for more than two months. He re-glued almost all the seams, glued about 150-200 separate gaps, re-glued the helmet, the crotch on the pants (Long John type).

A wetsuit is the staple of any diver's equipment. It is necessary for protection from the cold (especially in northern latitudes), skin damage, etc. A diving suit for spearfishing is an indispensable element, without it a diver risks drowning, getting hypothermia, getting hurt on various underwater objects, including thorns and thorns own prey. In addition, when hunting for predatory fish, its teeth, especially pike or pike perch, pose a considerable danger. Therefore, neither an amateur nor a professional of this sport can do without special clothing for spearfishing.

But, like any other clothing, the suit may need to be repaired from time to time. Underwater hunters usually use a "wet" suit that allows water to pass through. The main material for its production is neoprene, which is very soft, protects well against heat loss and absorbs shocks against driftwood, fittings, stones and other underwater obstacles, as well as protects against spikes and teeth of some fish species. The disadvantage of neoprene is its comparative fragility. Clothes for spearfishing are made of neoprene of different hardness. The softer it is, the more comfortable it is in such a suit, the tougher it is, the more durable it is.

It all depends on the size of the damaged area, the material of the suit and its type.

Some wetsuits are covered with a layer of nylon for durability. When a nylon breaks through, it is sewn up with ordinary threads, and the main neoprene layer (it can be from 3 to 8 mm thick) is repaired by gluing.

If the gap is small, then it is simply sealed with special glue, if the gap is long or a piece has been torn out of the fabric, a patch is applied from the same neoprene or similar in thickness (for example, from an old suit).

List of tools that you may need:

• long needle;
• lavsan threads;
• pins;
• thermal tape;
• brush;
• wooden spatula, toothpick;
• special glue;
• hardener (for some types of glue);
• masking tape;
• rags;
• alcohol;
• surgical gloves;
• knife.

Note: for gluing, only special glue is used, which is sold in fishing stores. The use of conventional adhesives, including "Moment" or various superglues, is unacceptable. The rubber adhesive can be used on a “dry” wetsuit, but not on a “wet” wetsuit. Incorrectly selected glue can not only fail to seal the hole, but moreover, it can corrode the fabric of the wetsuit.

Adhesives for repairing wetsuits are quite expensive, but the consumption of glue for repairs is scanty. In order to save money, you can use domestic adhesives, which are no worse than imported ones.

You can use one of the following brands of adhesive:

All of these adhesives are suitable for all types of underwater overalls, although some work better with small gaps (they usually have a short drying time), while others are able to reliably glue large patches and "splicing" the edges of long slots.

Repair of a "dry" type wetsuit can be carried out using ordinary waterproof rubber glue with a small addition of gasoline, since its material is closer in nature and properties to rubber than neoprene. But for spearfishing, such suits are rarely used, since they are quite restricting movement.

First of all, you should follow the instructions for the specific glue that you purchased. But in general terms, the repair process consists of the following stages:

The suit must be cleaned before being repaired, especially the place where the patch is glued, and properly dried. Degreasing the surface is done only if it is necessary according to the instructions attached to the specific glue, and only with the substance that is indicated there. As a last resort, rubbing alcohol can be used as a solvent. Gasoline, acetone, white spirit and other substances can chemically react with neoprene and erode it. When in doubt, try dripping some solvent onto an unwanted piece of neoprene (such as the one from which the patch will be cut) and see what happens.

Instead of degreasing, if the suit is made of thick neoprene (5-7 mm), you can very carefully clean the gluing area with fine sandpaper, but it is important not to overdo it.

The most common situations are:

• a split seam;
• small cut;
• long through-cut;
• a torn piece of cloth.

Over time, some of the seams may begin to creep apart. To repair them, the following technique is used: turn the suit or part of it (top or bottom) inside out and stretch it on the table. To avoid the formation of "bubbles", the fabric where gluing is carried out should be slightly stretched. With a cloth soaked in alcohol, degrease the edges of the seam from the inside. If there is a plush or nylon layer, you need to either cut it off, or gently bend it, and then glue it as evenly as possible. After that, we glue both sides of the seam with glue and wait a few minutes (see the instructions for the specific glue) so that the composition has time to partially grab. He should stop clinging to his hands.

Note: in all cases the glue is applied in a VERY THIN layer. Excess glue is unacceptable, they will rub the skin, so if they have formed, they will have to be carefully cut off with a knife.

When the first layer of glue dries a little, the second one is applied. To do this, use a match, toothpick, wooden spatula, small screwdriver, or any similar object. Wait two to five minutes again, and then gently press the glued surfaces together with your fingers, gently but firmly enough. After that, the seam is stitched with strong threads to avoid discrepancy, and, as an additional guarantee, a piece of thermal tape is applied to it. It is ironed with an iron through a sheet of tracing paper, paper or thick fabric.

A day is given for final drying.

To repair a small cut at the edge of the gap, it is enough to degrease, coat once with glue, bring it together with your fingers and squeeze strongly

To repair a small cut or scratch (on soft neoprene, they can simply remain from the nails), the edges of the gap should be degreased, smeared once with glue, brought together with your fingers and squeezed tightly, making sure that they match correctly. Hold it for 10-20 seconds, put it on the table and press down on top with a small load, for example, a book. For reliability, in order to avoid widening the gap, you can also use a thermal tape.

The main difficulty is the repair of wetsuits in which a large piece of fabric is torn out, or there is a long through-cut of a complex shape with ragged edges. If the suit has a nylon top covering, its break must be separately stitched with threads.

Complex break procedure:

1. Turn the wetsuit inside out;
2. Smooth the surface, degrease the torn edges;
3. Using masking tape, limit the surface that will be coated with glue;
4. Apply the first layer of glue in a thin layer, preferably with a wooden spatula. Remember that excess glue is unacceptable;
5. Wait until the glue starts to set. Different formulations have different holding times;
6. Apply a second portion of glue, glue joint-to-joint, no overlap, no patches.Squeeze firmly with your fingers, make sure the seam holds;
7. For reliability, especially when repairing long cuts, apply thermal tape, as when restoring seams;
8. Wait for the glue to dry and store the suit.

The patch is applied, in principle, using the same technology. The main difficulty is to cut out the patch exactly in the shape of the hole, insert and glue it so that the fabric does not "run", the neoprene is nowhere overtightened or aligned incorrectly. It is very elastic, easy to stretch, but then regains its shape, so when repairing a wetsuit, the patch should be stretched in the same way as the base to be patched.

If you glue end-to-end, then when the glue seam dries, it should be stitched with lavsan and fixed with thermal tape. But if you are not sure that you can accurately glue a patch of a complex shape, you can act more rudely by gluing it not end-to-end, but from above. The nylon coating, if any, must be removed.

Press down on the patch with your fingers, and then press down with a weight without sharp corners. The gluing time will depend on the characteristics of the adhesive used.

In order for your "spacesuit" to serve you faithfully for several years, you need to take proper care of it. First of all, this concerns drying and storage. Improperly dried neoprene tends to shrink, shrinking by half a size or a whole size each year.

If you swam in the sea, that is, in salt water, then you need to thoroughly wash the salt out of the suit. It has a destructive effect on neoprene. Rinse your suit thoroughly in clean fresh water after each swim. If this cannot be done, then put it in an airtight bag so that it does not dry before rinsing. This step cannot be neglected.

After rinsing, dry the suit in a dry place, but not in direct sunlight. A sheltered place, garage, shed, etc. is best suited.

Note: direct sunlight is detrimental to neoprene. They destroy it even faster than salt.

It is necessary to dry the "spacesuit" by first turning it inside out, then on the front side, otherwise one of the sides will not dry out completely. It is impossible to dry near heat sources, since this will lead to the fact that the fabric will begin to dry out.

Dry the pants with the legs down. Jacket - with the throat down, that is, "upside down" to avoid stretching.

It is best to store the suit by hanging it on the voluminous wide "hangers"

How to store a spearfishing wetsuit? Best of all - hanging on the voluminous wide "shoulders". If the suit is separate, then the pants and jacket must also be stored separately. Do not bend, do not use clothespins. But you can roll it up by laying it from the inside with a rag. The roll should not be tight, not tight, so that the suit does not wrinkle and does not acquire folds.

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The search did not help, so I started a new topic.
The situation is such that both cuffs on the sleeves of the cracker were frayed.
The rest of the biscuit is drop dead and I'm not going to change it.
I can't imagine the technology for repairing cuffs (either they are altered, or glued, I xs).
I want to give my wetsuit in good repair.
Advise who to contact in St. Petersburg.

Advise who to contact in St. Petersburg.

You don't need to contact anyone, because everywhere I've seen prices are hellish. The price is so prohibitive that the hair stands on end.

Wait a couple of days and I will post thoroughly chewed up information on the repair of dry wetsuits (diagnostics, replacement of hand (leg) cuffs, replacement of the cervical seal (cuff).

If you think that the information is useful, then you will credit me with a small part of the saved bLable