Dy top - remove old gaskets when putting a new one on?

Advice
#1

I am going to be replacing a latex wrist gasket on a dry top in the near future. Have replaced this a few times, so there’s multiple layers of old gaskets under. I’ve always just put the new gasket on top of the trimmed remains of the old gasket.

Have people removed the old ones before putting a new one on? I have heard that this could be done by heating with a hair dryer or the like. If you do this, is there still a lot of old glue left behind? And if so, how do you deal with that?

#2

I’ve always sent it out and let the pros do it. And I do it periodically, not waiting for one to go. Not worth screwing with.

I’m guiding 3, 6 day kayak launches on the Middle Fork. I also carry a spare dry top in my kit, contact cement, extra latex, and seam grip in case a guest’s dry top fails.

#3

WD40 is good for removing glue from stickers. You spray it on and wait for it to dissolve the glue. Then wipe it off with a paper towel. Will this method work on the type of glue you have? I don’t know but you could try it!

#4

I certainly would not recommend that on any laminated or coated fabric unless you know exactly what you are doing - as in you have a background in fabrics engineering.

#5

I agree with you on this warning about using any sort of solvents on technical fabrics. All drywear is now made of Goretex or other brands that are analogues of it. The breathability relies on layers of material that are bonded by ahesives that can dissolve in solvents. Before I knew better I sprayed laundry spot remover on a badly dirtied Goretex rain parka before washing it and all of the expanded PTFE film flaked off the nylon substrate like old sunburn, ruining the jacket.

It may look unsightly after a while, but I think stacking replacement gaskets on top of the remnants of the old ones is still the safest bet.

It is possible to scrape some glue off with a razor blade or Xacto knife but it’s a laborious job. I had to do that on one of the wrist gaskets on the first used drysuit I bought that had a sloppily applied replacement on it in order to clear the field to adhere a new one.