Wetsuits rip – some more than others, but if you use a suit long enough, you’ll experience some wear n’ tear. Here’s how to fix that.
Hack: By using simple household items, you can repair almost any rip or tear in your winter suit.
Pros: Take matters into your own hands – instead of sending your suit to the manufacturer or buying something new, fix it yourself!
Cons: You might get inspired to take up sewing as a hobby…or worse, knitting.
As surfers, we have this self-imagined perception of ourselves as wild, untamable nature unicorns. We’re agrarians. We’re feral creatures living off the land, unbound by societal constraints like a 9-to-5 job or close-toed shoes. We’re special. Granted, we are in nature quite a bit, making us somehow connected to that world more than most people, be it a spiritual affiliation or whatever you wanna call it. But that doesn’t mean we must refrain from showering, wearing deodorant, or maintaining some form of domesticity.
There can be a happy balance – somewhere between Martha Stewart and Tom Hanks in Cast Away.
Here’s a start to achieving that middle ground: sewing. Think of it more like stitching up a wound; that feigned machismo might help you sleep at night. Stitching up your wetsuit may seem like a hassle, but if you do it right, it’s an effective way to make your equipment last, protect your body from hypothermia during the winter months, and keep your bank account in the green.
To properly execute a home repair operation, there’s one unlikely household item you need: dental floss.
Strong, water resistant (i.e. spit), dental floss is perfect for surf stitching. Once you’ve located a spool of waxed, wintery fresh floss, thread it on a regular sewing needle and tie off the other end with a few knots. Then, go to town. Stab, cross over the rip, repeat. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect; so long as you add enough stitches, however pretty it looks, it’ll serve its purpose. Most of my wetsuits look like a Frankenstein operation gone wrong, but they block the frigid winter water from seeping in. The hardest part of the whole thing is tying off the thread. I couldn’t explain it if I tried, so I’ll let this handy video do it for me.
And there you have it! You’re well on your way to being a domesticated human. Like a rescued street dog, you’ve just received your first bath. But remember, baby steps. If you rush this thing, you could end up wearing a suit and tie everyday and actually showering before work. So go ahead and pee in your newly stitched wetsuit next time your in the water, like the filthy animal you are – you deserve it!
The finished product.
