Rant: My new drysuit wrist seal fix lasted one dive

I had a small tear in my right wrist seal, so I tried that trick with the Aquaseal and a piece of bike inner tube. Let it cure for a full 48 hours like the tube said. On a job in Lake Michigan last week, the patch just peeled right off at about 40 feet, flooded my arm, and ruined the whole dive. I learned that surface cure time doesn't mean it's ready for pressure and cold. Has anyone else found a better way to do a field repair on latex seals that actually holds up?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnson.nora17d ago

What kind of prep did you do on the seal before applying the Aquaseal? I've had that exact fix last for a whole season, but I always rough up the latex with sandpaper first and clean it really well with alcohol (the rubbing kind, not the fun kind). Maybe the surface wasn't ready for the glue to stick right.

green.laura17d ago

Roughing it up with sandpaper is key, I read a gear repair guide that said latex needs a bit of texture for the adhesive to really grab. They also stressed letting the alcohol dry completely before you apply any glue, because even a little moisture can mess up the bond. A thin, even layer of Aquaseal seems to work better than a thick glob, too. It's a fussy process but doing those extra steps does make the patch hold.

casey26817d agoTop Commenter

Honestly sounds like you're prepping for surgery, not fixing a glove.