My 18 month old my goretex drysuit has begun to leak. I have small leaks in one sock, one knee, and on one arm - but there are no visible holes. Does anyone have experience in how to fix this???
Thanks for any advice!
dag
Rubber seam sealer
If you fill your drysuit with air as best you can and carefully stick it in your bathtub you can pretty much track down the pinholes or small tears.
I’ve fixed such in my dry suit using that rubber-like tent seam sealer with comes in a tube and you have to brush it on very carefully. I forget the name obviously, but most seam sealer people use is the stuff which is used like roll-on deodorant. Then there’s another type of tent seam sealer which brushes on. You can put it on a lot thicker, although of course multiple applications work better. Use it on the inside of the drysuit, and be really careful when you set it to dry because you can glue parts of your suit together which you didn’t intend. It’s powerful stuff and really works. Also, make sure you have a window open, because this stuff causes brain damage, as my doctor has diagnosed . . …
Good luck.
Keep these wonderful folks in mind!!!
By all means try to fix it yourself. However, if you choose to go with someone who has many years experience and know how and integrity of work go with rainy pass repair, specialists in gore-tex repain, gasket repair and drysuit repair. They are exceptional.
http://www.rainypass.com/default.htm
Nikwax
There is a product called nikwax that helps restore the water proofness of dry suits. It is actually what Kokatat recomends for their dry gear. Nikwax-usa.com Unfortunattly it is not easy to find. I buy my at REI if you have one around you.
If there is no visible wear…
…contact the manufacturer. Gore-Tex fabric is guaranteed by Gore not to leak for the life of the garment. The suit should be repaired or replaced at no charge.
Aquaseal, baloons & soap
I turned my suit inside out, blew up baloons and stuck them in the arm and neck holes. Then I used an electric air mattress inflator to blow the suit up.
A solution of ivory liquid and water, brushed over any suspect area resulted in a pile of bubbles where a leak was present. I circled those with a marker then rinsed and dried the suit.
Finaly a dab of Aqua Seal, smoothed out, closed the holes.
Tommy’s da man
Right on Tommy, I repaired goretex immersion suits nearly exactly that way for years. A couple of tips: use typing Whiteout to circle the leaks, it sticks to anything. Also, WL Gore used to make a glue-backed repair tape for use in a heat press, but I suppose a hand iron would do. I still have some of that tape, but I’m husbanding it wisely.
thanks!
Thank you all for great advice! Hopefully now I can make the suit last me another few years.
dag
To make your suit last.
Stay out of the pricker bushes or anything else with thorns.
Oh yeah and take your keys, pens, etc. out of your pockets before putting on the suit.
And put a little candle wax on the zipper(s) from time to time.
Mine is in it’s eigth season and I too hope to get at least a few more out of it.