I need a suggestion for temporarily repairing a wet suit rip with household items, such as duct tape, or something you could find in a small town hardware store. Seems like duct tape would come off in the water? I’ll do a real repair with Iron Mend, fabric, and an iron when I get back home. Looking for temporary fix suggestions.
You should be able to find some rubber glue (not cement), or straight up wetsuit repair glue. Any dive shops near you?
http://www.amazon.com/Neoprene-Queen-Wetsuit-Repair-Glue/dp/B003IS2BB2
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I don’t think duct tape would come off in the water. But it may do more harm than good long term. Won’t be easy to get back off without damaging the suit.
I’ve used contact cement in the past - the stuff where you apply it to the 2 sides, leave to dry then stick together has worked well because it’s flexible. Duct tape will probably work in the short term but might not hold up in the longer term as the tape will probably become unstuck.
My suggestion would be to find a dive shop and get some of the wetsuit repair stuff. Works really well, and dries pretty quickly.
You can sew it up with dental floss and a large needle.
You can sew it up with dental floss and a large needle.
Bingo! Did this a few years when I got a huge hole right below the zipper after trying to put the suit on to fast. Used dental floss, and wetsuit repair kit to also put a patch over the sewn area. Worked for another season.
I can’t see duct tape working at all. Once the suit starts stretching that will come off.
The wetsuit repair glue works really well, even if you have a race Saturday, next day air get it to you Friday. And regular rubber cement will probably hold in a pinch as well.
And you can repair a lot by sewing and gluing. The zipper on my old suit busted a tooth about 2" from the bottom. I sewed the zipper above and below the break with heavy thread, using multiple different pieces so if one broke it didn’t all come loose then glued it inside and out. That part is probably stronger than the rest of the suit.
Can you post a photo of the rip?
And the small town you’ll be in?
Definitely not duct tape… It leaves a gooey mess.
If you can give me some info about the rip and your location, I can probably come up w something.
MacGyver, here we come!
KS
Shoe goo is another option that might be more commonly available if you don’t have a dive shop near you.
My suggestion would be to find a dive shop and get some of the wetsuit repair stuff. Works really well, and dries pretty quickly.
also available on amazon. I’ve seen it as a recommendation to repair torn cycling shorts as well.
Shoe goo is another option that might be more commonly available if you don’t have a dive shop near you.
^^^This. Shoe Goo is basically the same urethane cement that is used for wetsuit repair. They have it at Target and lots of sporting goods stores. If it’s a sizable rip you will need to reinforce it with stitching.