Wetsuit/Drysuit Care
Iron-On Repairs
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Iron Mend™ Repairs
Iron Mend™ Iron-On Fabric Repair Patch provides strong, flexible, long lasting repairs for neoprene. Use Iron Mend to reinforce and repair high stress areas on your suit, including knees, elbows, under arm and around the zipper.
Step 1:
Wash with Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo and dry neoprene article.
Step 2:
Pre-heat iron to acrylic, low or delicate setting. For irregular surfaces, including sleeves and legs, insert a piece of wood to create a firm, flat ironing surface.
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Step 3:
Cut Iron Mend to overlap damaged area by 3/4”. Always round the corners of your patch as patches with curved edges are less likely to peel back later. Place Iron Mend over damaged area with the urethane coated side down and cover with full sheet of heat shielding paper.
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Step 4:
With preheated iron, press Iron Mend down with firm, even pressure for 10 seconds. Lift and rotate iron; apply for another 10 seconds.
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Step 5:
Allow repair to cool for a few minutes before testing adhesion. Apply more heat if needed.
Dry Suit Zippers
Drysuit Care
Wetsuit & Drysuit Care
Ease Suit Entry
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Silicone Pump™
To slide right into your wet suit and booties, spray inside with Silicone Pump™ prior to suiting up.
To ease dry suit entry, put a plastic grocery bag (with an opening on both ends) or a shower cap over your head to prevent the latex neck seal from sticking to your hair.
Zipper Cleaning & Care
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Wetsuit & Drysuit Zippers
Regular cleaning and lubrication helps zippers last the lifetime of the suit. Without proper care (left), expensive zippers degrade and need costly replacement. Keep your wet suit, dry suit, gear bag zippers free of harmful dirt, sand and salt deposits with Zip Care™ (right).
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Step 1:
Unzip item and use Zip Care‘s brush top to remove grit and dust.
Step 2:
Brush Zip Care generously onto zipper teeth to clean and lightly lubricate. Wipe off excess.
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Step 3:
Carefully open and close zipper to thoroughly distribute Zip Care.
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Zip Tech™
Zip Tech™ is preferred for multi-dive lubrication. Use Zip Tech to lubricate and protect watertight and airtight zippers on dry suits from corrosion and harmful salt, chlorine and other pollutants. To use: Open zipper and apply Zip Tech sparingly only to the outer teeth of the zipper.
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Max Wax™
If you prefer a paraffin wax and silicone-based lubricant, Max Wax™ is great for general zipper lubrication. Note: Some suit manufacturers prefer you use silicone free formulas such as Zip Tech and Zip Care.
Gasket Protection
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Use UV Tech™ to protect & restore gaskets
With exposure to sunlight, saltwater, and chlorine, synthetic gaskets degrade over time due to the loss of structural oils called plasticizers. Proper protection with UV Tech™ is essential for maximizing scuba gear life.
Drysuit Repair
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Use Aquaseal to seal leaky gasket seams
Step 1:
Turn suit inside out. Clean damaged area with Cotol-240 or isopropyl alcohol. Non-fabric surfaces such as latex should first be roughened with sandpaper, then cleaned.
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Step 2:
Apply Aquaseal in a 1/16” high bead overlapping seam edges by at least 1⁄4”. Use included brush to saturate fabric surfaces. Dry level overnight.
Wetsuit Cleaning & Care
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Clean & Deodorize Your Wetsuit
Regular cleaning with Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo prevents chlorine and salt damage (left half of photo) and keeps suits looking and feeling like new (right half of photo).
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Step 1:
Find two clean large tubs – one for washing and one for deodorizing. Fill both tubs with enough warm or cold water to submerge your suit. To the first tub, add 2 capfuls (1/2 oz) of Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo per gallon of water.
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Step 2:
For extra suit conditioning, add a few teaspoons of Silicone Pump™ in with your Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo when washing your suit.
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Step 3:
Give your suit a good scrub to eliminate saltwater, chlorine, sweat, urine and other residue. Regular cleaning maintains suit suppleness, keeps colors bright and eases suit entry.
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Step 4:
To remove residual odors and bacteria from your wet suit, add 2 capfuls (1/2 oz) of MiraZyme™ Enzyme Based Gear Deodorizer to the second tub. For stubborn odors, apply MiraZyme directly to problem areas with a spray bottle.
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Step 5:
Dip suit to saturate all areas. Remove from tub. Do NOT rinse.
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Step 6:
Hang suit to dry on a flexible, padded wet suit hanger. As the suit dries, MiraZyme does its work - consuming organic matter such as hair, mold, mildew, as well as algae, bacteria, pollution, waste matter and urine, leaving your suit odor-free.
Maximum Strength Wetsuit Repairs
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Maximum Strength Repairs
Urethane-based adhesives are the best for achieving maximum strength and durability. When your goal is a permanent bond, choose Aquaseal® Repair Adhesive & Sealant – it’s the industry standard for high strength, absolutely permanent repairs to all kinds of dive gear including wet suits, dry suits, gloves, boots, gear bags and more. Aquaseal cures to full strength overnight or in 2 hours with Cotol-240™ Cure Accelerator & Pre-Cleaner.
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Holes & Tears
Aquaseal is also ideal for repairing holes and tears. For holes larger than a pinhole, create a backing with removable tape. Fill hole and 1⁄4” beyond. Remove tape after Aquaseal has fully cured.
Find more great tips like these in our Repair Guide
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Regular cleaning and lubrication helps zippers last the lifetime of the suit. Without proper care (left), expensive zippers degrade and need costly replacement. Keep your wet suit, dry suit, gear bag zippers free of harmful dirt, sand and salt deposits with Zip Care⢠(right).
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TRUE OR FALSE?
Heavy duty mountain boots are obsolete for backpacking.
True. But while the ultralight backpacking crowd (carrying 20 lb. packs) get by on trails using trail running shoes or even good sport sandals, most folks carrying heavier loads should have some ankle support. Well-made light hikers with a 3/4 or full-height ankle collar are usually enough for moderate loads on most trails.