Well, when I did the Nepisiguit this past spring I sprung a leak in my brand new Chota’s, left foot, just about mid-way on the inside. I put a bicycle tire patch on it but that only held for a little bit. Any ideas of what would be a better patch? Thanks.
dougd
My chotas leaked when they were new
I returned them to Chota for a repair and it looks like they applied Aquaseal on the outside seam. They were very gracious and offered a choice of repair or replacement. I had purchased a discontinued style and my size was no longer available, so I chose the repair. I was unhappy to have a repair that was so noticeable on a brand new pair of expensive boots, but the customer service was excellent. They did warn me ahead of time that the repair would show.
Unfortunately, my Chotas have never been comfortable (I’m hard to fit in boots–many styles create ankle pressure on me). After only a few wearings, I purchased a pair of waterproof Muck Boots from a Farm Supply Store to replace the Chotas. The Muck Boots are a lot more comfortable, but they haven’t had a good trial yet for the waterproof test.
Good luck with the repairs. If they are very new, contact Chota. They may offer to replace or repair them for you. Good Luck.
Neoprene cement
from a surf or dive shop usually comes in black and will make the repair blend in better. I use it on my wetsuits, booties, etc. Should work great on Chotas, which are neoprene, aren’t they?
coated part of a seam with Aquaseal
No more leaks, worked great.
FWIW, this time of year it’s not a bad idea to fill your Chotas with water to see if anything comes out of a seam or someplace else. I’d rather find and repair a leak at home.
not sure what they used…
but it is black, not clear. I’m only assuming it was Aquaseal or something similar. The reason the repair shows so much is that it is shiny, and it really stands out from the dull black of the neoprene. If they hadn’t been brand new, it wouldn’t have bothered me at all. However, it definitely fixed the leak, and I was warned ahead of time that the repair would be visible.
Many Thanks
for all the advice. I will contact Chota about a patch. I’m sure it was my fault for the puncture, packing, a dirt road for miles, packing…wrong! Thanks again for all advice.
dougd