How to Repair a Dry Suit Neck Seal

Dry suits are made to keep water out via waterproof fabric, zippers and rubber gaskets at the neck, wrists and ankles. If you have a dry suit with a damaged neck gasket, it is fixable. Because a dry suits needs to have the water tight seals, when gaskets are damaged water seeps into the suit, presenting a potentially lethal situation. Special urethane rubber epoxies are useful when repairing the neck gasket on dry suits.

Things You'll Need

  • Heavy flat weights
  • Two cardboard sheets, 8 by 10 inches
  • Flat work bench
  • Urethane rubber epoxy
  • Duct tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set the dry suit on a flat work surface and isolate the neck gasket by turning the suit inside out so the full gasket is exposed.

    • 2

      Find the rip or tear on the neck gasket. Slide a piece of the cardboard into the suit so it is between the suit fabric and the neck gasket tear. Pinch the damaged section of the neck gasket together and smear it with the urethane rubber epoxy. Keep it pinched and let the generous coating of glue get tacky. Place a piece of duct tape onto the damaged area once the glue is tacky. Press the second piece of cardboard onto the gasket repair.

    • 3

      Stack several of the flat weights onto the cardboard. Bricks work well for this. Leave the weights on the gasket repair for 24 hours.

    • 4

      Remove the weights and pull the cardboard off the top of the gasket. Pull the second piece of cardboard out from the middle of the suit. Peel the tape off. The glue has cured and is set into the rubber, so the tape should neither rip out the repaired area nor compromise the epoxy repair. Turn the suit back right-side out. Put the suit on.

    • 5

      Go into water with the suit on and test the neck gasket repair by sitting in the water and then submerging the head and neck for a few seconds. Look for water bubbles rising out of the neck gasket. If any are present, repeat the repair process; if no bubbles are present, the repair is sound.