Been looking on here for a long time now I have a question worth asking. My wetsuit developed a small rip (about 1/4") in the arm pit area and another smaller hole about an inch above it on the same seam before a race a couple of weeks ago. On the inside of the suit the thread for the seam is broken.
The suit maker said they would not warranty it because they are fingernail damage. The pic I attached is the pic they sent me to explain why they aren’t at fault. This is the second time the seam failed on the same sleeve. The first time the thread was broken but no tear to the outside of the suit. My question for the forum is…would this damage be consistent with a stitch ie: the thread failing or would you say its fingernail damage. The suit cost me $650 about 16 months ago. They offered 50% off another suit but it doesn’t seem reasonable to buy another suit from them if they are trying to not honor their current warranty. What do you guy’s think?
Thanks
Looks like fingernail damage to me. I’ve done it a lot of times.
have you done it through a stiched seam?
Crazy glue it closed and move on.
Brad
That looks like it is perpendicular to the seam, so more like fingernail damage.
You can try Aqua-Seal, or if it is all the way through, might be worth sending it to get repaired.
Well…I was of the mind that it was an issue due to the suit failing but guess I was wrong. Thanks everyone. I can admit when I am wrong and thank you for your feedback.
It can be a tough issue. I think what you are trying to say is the neoprene is defective. Which can happen, but in general you will see manufacturing defects more in construction, seams, zippers, etc., then you will see from material defects such as weak neoprene. A lot of this also comes with better suits that are using lighter and more flexible neoprene. There is a price that is paid for this flexibility.
Often as well you may not notice things right away. You can be handling the suit and give it a nick, or go swimming have another person nick it and it is fine, and then even when you take it off it is fine, and then you go and pull it on and are pressing the neoprene more to get the suit into place and WHOOMP all of a sudden a nick pops up more into a tear, even away from where your fingers are.