How To: Repair A Wetsuit

Here at Wake2o, we pride ourselves on offering high-quality wetsuits but no matter how high-quality your wetsuit is, accidents happen. This doesn't mean that it's the end of your wetsuit. You can save yourself the money and repair your wetsuit to see it through the rest of the season or even just the day. Often, tears and holes can be repaired by yourself and we have a selection of wetsuit repair kits to help you out!

In this blog, we will give you easy to follow step by step instructions on how to repair your wetsuits.

Repairing A Nick/Tear In The Neoprene:

1. Locate the damaged area and clean it with fresh water and allow for the area to completely dry.
2. Open up the nick and apply a small amount of wetsuit cement (we use Black Witch) to either side and allow it to go tacky
3. Pinch the two edges together.
4. We recommend leaving the adhesive to dry overnight before use to make sure that it has dried properly

Repairing A Small Hole:

1. Locate the hole and clean it with fresh water and allow it to completely dry.
2. Apply some wetsuit glue to either side of the hole - Only apply what you need as too much can make the neoprene stiff and heavy.
3. Allow this layer to completely dry.
4. Go in with another layer of wetsuit adhesive to the edges and wait for the glue to go tacky.
5. Use your fingers to gently put the edges to one another so that the hole is sealed. Make sure that the repair is flat and allow it to bond for 30 minutes.
6. To make sure that the repair is strong and watertight, use a neoprene patch. Apply the wetsuit adhesive to the inside of the wetsuit and onto the patch. Let this completely dry.
7. Once the glue has dried, apply another layer of wetsuit glue to the patch and the hole and allow it to go tacky. 
8. When tacky, put the patch onto the hole and apply an even pressure making sure that the hole is fully covered. Allow this to dry under pressure for about an hour and your wetsuit will be ready within 24 hours.

Repairing A Seam:

1. Clean the seam with fresh water and allow it to fully dry.
2. Open up the tear in the seam and apply wetsuit adhesive on either side of the seam.
3. Allow the glue to go tacky
4. Bring the edges of the seam together.
5. Now the seams are pushed together, sew blind stitch (not going all the way through the neoprene, only about 25% of the way through) - Using a curved needle will be easier to do this. 
6. On the inside of the seam, apply some glue and allow to go tacky and use a strip on neoprene or if you have some glue-on seam tape. 
7. Allow this to dry overnight.

Shop wetsuit repair kits and glue here