Wetsuit advice - heavily discounted one with small hole

StaggerLee

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a wetsuit, was looking at one today, its a blue seventy helix, couple of years old, been in a shop window all that time. Guy in the shop pointed out a small rip in it which the shop had fixed. He said someone had done the damage trying it on.
I tried it on, seemed like a good fit and was going to buy. However, I noticed another small hole in the leg, about a cm in length, they said they would glue it and discount the suit further. How reliable are these small fixes on a wetsuit using wetsuit glue? They're giveing more than 50% off the suit. What do you all think? Safe to buy?


Stagger

tunney

StaggerLee wrote: »

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a wetsuit, was looking at one today, its a blue seventy helix, couple of years old, been in a shop window all that time. Guy in the shop pointed out a small rip in it which the shop had fixed. He said someone had done the damage trying it on.
I tried it on, seemed like a good fit and was going to buy. However, I noticed another small hole in the leg, about a cm in length, they said they would glue it and discount the suit further. How reliable are these small fixes on a wetsuit using wetsuit glue? They're giveing more than 50% off the suit. What do you all think? Safe to buy?


Stagger

The glue, assuming the black witch stuff, works very well.

However my concerns about the suit would not be the hole but the age. Old suit, in the sunlight for a few years in the window .....

promethius

StaggerLee wrote: »

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a wetsuit, was looking at one today, its a blue seventy helix, couple of years old, been in a shop window all that time. Guy in the shop pointed out a small rip in it which the shop had fixed. He said someone had done the damage trying it on.
I tried it on, seemed like a good fit and was going to buy. However, I noticed another small hole in the leg, about a cm in length, they said they would glue it and discount the suit further. How reliable are these small fixes on a wetsuit using wetsuit glue? They're giveing more than 50% off the suit. What do you all think? Safe to buy?


Stagger

where was the orginal hole?

StaggerLee

promethius wrote: »

where was the orginal hole?

Other hole was at the hip. I asked about the suit being in the window for a couple of years, they said that shouldnt matter?

Kurt Godel

StaggerLee wrote: »

Other hole was at the hip. I asked about the suit being in the window for a couple of years, they said that shouldnt matter?

I bought an ex-display Speedo wetsuit last year, with a couple of tiny holes. The holes I don't mind (never got them fixed, they never bother me), but the rubber around the shoulders is starting to split- crease lines really, and doesn't let in water, but more than you'd expect from a wetsuit after a year (I wash it after salt water outings). Whether that has anything to do with it being ex-display, I don't know. However, I only paid €75 for it, so worth the risk. There's a reason they discount these suits, and I suspect its more than a couple of tiny cosmetic tears.

StaggerLee

This is kinda what I'm worried about, it will fall apart and I'll need a new one sooner rather than later

promethius

hole in the hip wouldn't be a major worry, you get nicks in a suit anyways as it's used.
it's a huge discount.
stored in the light for a few years not ideal but the discount allows for that so if it were me, i'd take the chance.
plenty of places wouldn't even make you aware of that.

Bambaata

id be looking for at least 60-70% off something like that

El Director

Bambaata wrote: »

id be looking for at least 60-70% off something like that

+1

sconhome

StaggerLee wrote: »

Other hole was at the hip. I asked about the suit being in the window for a couple of years, they said that shouldnt matter?

They're talking rubbish.

You or anyone else here wouldn't store your own wetuit in a window in direct light. The black neoprene would be a magnet for sunlight leading to deteoriation in the flexibility.

It will fall apart on you in no time.

In fact there is probably is dicolouration between the front facing side and the inwards side of the suit (unless they have been turning it regularly)

I would suggest you either get a really good discount, for taking an old suit off their hands, or walk away.

StaggerLee

amphkingwest wrote: »

They're talking rubbish.

You or anyone else here wouldn't store your own wetuit in a window in direct light. The black neoprene would be a magnet for sunlight leading to deteoriation in the flexibility.

It will fall apart on you in no time.

In fact there is probably is dicolouration between the front facing side and the inwards side of the suit (unless they have been turning it regularly)

I would suggest you either get a really good discount, for taking an old suit off their hands, or walk away.

After some research, it looks like the suits should be stored in a cool dry place, away from UV light. Going to give it a miss.