Neoprene bootie repair

[GStan]

I have a pair of Orvis Clearwater breathable waders. In each of the neoprene booties there is a tiny leak which is causing my socks to become damp but not wet. Can the booties be repaired and if so how?

 

[LouM]

Take them back to an orvis dealer they may replace them,they did mine.

 

[hendeylathe]

If you can locate the leak, just a dab of Aquaseal should do the trick. If your worried about the Aquaseal feeling sticky, spinkle some baby powder on the Aquqsealed patch while it's still tacky.

 

[Padraic]

hendeylathe wrote:
If you can locate the leak, just a dab of Aquaseal should do the trick. If your worried about the Aquaseal feeling sticky, spinkle some baby powder on the Aquqsealed patch while it's still tacky.

Great tip, but if the leak is on the seam between the neoprene sock and the wader... you gotta send it back. There is no way to fix that properly. The sock is being pulled away from the leg. This is due to improper fit, so ask for a different size. Like a "Tall" if that's available.

 

[flyfishermanj]

GStan,

Some good tips there, but are you sure your they are leaking. If I just wear cotton socks, my feet also become damp. I attribute this to sweating, the waders are breathable, but not the booties. I have noticed that if I wear those liner socks that wicker the sweat to help.

JH

 

[jayL]

If it's only dampness and it's equal with both feet, ffj is right. You'll get condensation and sweat. I also wear wool wading socks to combat the moisture. I used to wear them over my regular socks, purely for warmth, but found that during any hiking, I'd sweat. The regular cotton socks would get clammy and make me cold. Wool in direct contact with the skin is the only way to combat dampness. It stays warm, even when wet. If you do manage to spring a leak in cold water, you'll be glad you had the wool.

Pad never fails to mention proper fit. I usually find myself sitting here nodding in agreement. For whatever reason, wader manufacturers decided that people with size 12 feet are 9 feet tall. I wear a size 12 shoe, and find that almost all waders are too long for my 5'11'' frame. Not only do you run the risk of leaky seams on waders that don't fit right, but I have gotten lots of rubbing when I walk. This left me soaking wet on my last trip to the salmon river. The seams on the inside of both legs were rubbing open.

I used to think that a glove-like fit didn't matter because I don't believe in buying expensive waders. I beat the crap out of them, so I get a cheaper pair (less than $90 usually) every other season or so. If I rip em, I usually only swear about thirty times. If I ripped a $200 pair, that string of obscenity would probably reach a few hundred. That said, I might be more discerning about the fit on my cheapies from now on. I've been burned too many times.

 

[MattBoyer]

I agree with Jay on how oddly sized they are. I'm 6'2", wear the same size as Jay and they are still baggy on me. I just finished sealing up the seams where the inside of the knees rub together. I used the iron on tape that came with them, then put about 1/8" of aquaseal over them. I wish I'd read about the baby powder idea 2 weeks ago.

Boyer

 

[Bruno]

I agree with everthing said above. I like Loon UV Wader Repair better than aquaseal. It is just a little easier to use.

 

[shultzy501]

If you don't have access to any of the products named above, I've had success with a product called ShoeGoop and a small patch of neoprene. You might not even need the small patch of neoprene and might be able to get away with a smear of the Goop. I put it on the inside of the boot so it doesn't look so bad.

 

[jayL]

I used shoe goop for years when I skateboarded. Before I found it, I was going through 10 pair of shoes per year at the time. The stuff works wonders.