Wader Repair

[spinnerdoc]

Hi fellas,

 

I slipped two weeks ago and landed on my knees on a rocky river bed with some steel mesh on the banks, a few minutes later cold water slowly seeped in and it was bearable at the time as it wasn't that cold. Been trying to find where the leak is but have had no success doing so. I poured water into the boot and tried sqeezing it but water was not coming out from anywhere. I have a suspicion it's from the seam between the boot and neoprene junction, it felt it was coming from there when it leaked. But close inspection does not show any tear or seam thats undone, I'm at a loss how to fix this,perhaps a new pair, the wader is still in good condition...so i'm hesitant.

 

Any tips and info would be much appreciated...thanks in advance

 

Edwin

[kemper]

I got to the point with mine where they were leaking from everywhere it seemed. I'm a student, and I'm in the middle of building a new rod so several hundred for new waders simply wasn't in the budget. $5 tube of shoe goo, turned them inside out and sealed all the seams with the shoe goo. Haven't been wet since.

[BillM]

Fill them up completely with water, lol.

[Twocoda]

Fill them up completely with water, lol.

oh thats never fun...especially when your still in them...

 

sho goo plumbers goo or marine goo....im told they are all the same product with different wrapping but i use the marine version...sealed many leaks over the years

 

to find the leak ....put them on and sit in the bathtub....then flip them inside out and inspect

Edited December 11, 2011 by Twocoda

[chefboi17]

Try soapy water, fill the waders with air and cover the outside of the waders with the soapy water. When you squeeze the waders to increase the pressure any holes will form bubbles. Mark em with chalk, let the waders dry and seal them up and go fish

[TDunn]

Best bang for your buck - shoe goo....Ive used it a ton

I have a tube of aquaseal also....much smaller tube and double the price but it does work well!

 

edit- Ive alway found my leaks by just looking. Ive never had to fill my waders with water...I'd just goo the whole seam like kemper did. If thats where you felt the water come in. That should seal you up nice!

 

TDunn

Edited December 11, 2011 by TDunn

[solopaddler]

Go in a completely dark room and shove a super bright flashlight inside your waders. You should be able to pinpoint the leak that way.

[woodenboater]

Similar to chefboi's idea, fill the tub up with water, get as much air into your waders as possible, cinch it tight as possible and stick it under water and squeeze. Any air bubbles should present themselves and it's how I would nail down any drysuit leaks.

[Ralph Field]

I use Solopaddler's method and have always been able to find the leak.

[Billy Bob]

Buy new waders.

[Roy]

Go in a completely dark room and shove a super bright flashlight inside your waders. You should be able to pinpoint the leak that way.

 

More easily accomplished with waders removed.

[spinnerdoc]

Thanks for the tips..I'm gonna try them and see if can get away with repairing them instead of buying new ones.

 

BillM: I filled it up and nothing...absolutely no leak anywhere. The water seem to come in but not the other way around

[spinnerdoc]

Go in a completely dark room and shove a super bright flashlight inside your waders. You should be able to pinpoint the leak that way.

I'll give this a shot...Thanks Mike

 

and to the rest of you, big thanks for take the time to help me out. I'll let you guys know how it turns out

 

Cheers

Edwin

[kickingfrog]

Go in a completely dark room and shove a super bright flashlight inside your waders. You should be able to pinpoint the leak that way.

 

 

More easily accomplished with waders removed.

 

Try soapy water, fill the waders with air and cover the outside of the waders with the soapy water. When you squeeze the waders to increase the pressure any holes will form bubbles. Mark em with chalk, let the waders dry and seal them up and go fish

 

 

 

Wife: "Honey what are you doing in the closet with that flashlight and your rubber pant thingys?"

 

Husband: "Oh nothing, after this I'm going to need some dish soap and a tub of water."

[torco]

I have done the samething solo suggested it works well just make sure you mark where the leak was so when you are no longer in the dark you can still find it. I just held the waders in the spot with my fingers and aquasealed it up once i was back in the light.

[chefboi17]

Wife: "Honey what are you doing in the closet with that flashlight and your rubber pant thingys?"

 

Husband: "Oh nothing, after this I'm going to need some dish soap and a tub of water."

I find a bathtub works best when using the soap method, it's easy to rinse them up afterwards, and you might even get rid of the smell that most waders accumulate lol.

 

If any of these methods can't pinpoint the leak, try flipping them inside out and check again

[kemper]

There is a hairspray trick too...problem is I can't remember if you spray the outside and then turn them inside out or vice versa.

[spinnerdoc]

I think with all these tips I should be able to pin point and seal the leak...

 

 

Btw..where can you get shoe goo? Sorry guys I've never come across this product. Thanks in advance

[spinnerdoc]

Wife: "Honey what are you doing in the closet with that flashlight and your rubber pant thingys?"

 

Husband: "Oh nothing, after this I'm going to need some dish soap and a tub of water."

LOL

[Spiel]

Btw..where can you get shoe goo?

 

Canadian Tire

[spinnerdoc]

Thanks Chris

[spinnerdoc]

Finally found the leak....It's a puncture at the tip of the booth right by the big toe .... Hopefully this is the only one...ended up plugging it with my tire repair kit and then sealing it with shoe goo on top..

 

Thanks again guys...hopefully this works

[Billy Bob]

Finally found the leak....It's a puncture at the tip of the booth right by the big toe .... Hopefully this is the only one...ended up plugging it with my tire repair kit and then sealing it with shoe goo on top..

 

Thanks again guys...hopefully this works

 

WTH...that's not a leak....that's a BLOW OUT.....

 

Good Luck with the repair....but if I were you I would start saving for a new pair.

 

Bob

[bassnass]

For your next pair - FORGET neoprene - look into a good breathable pr - Wright & McGill - AWESOME and reasonable $!

[spinnerdoc]

For your next pair - FORGET neoprene - look into a good breathable pr - Wright & McGill - AWESOME and reasonable $!

Thanks I'll keep that in mind. I was actually happy with the neoprene and how durable it was, had this one for quite sometime, it is a bit hot on mild days thats the thing, but we'll see and like I said I'll keep it in mind