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Author Topic: How do you find leaks in waders?  (Read 4225 times)

Jaws

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How do you find leaks in waders?
« on: August 21, 2009, 09:24:43 PM »
I can't find the darn hole.  Someone snagged my waders and put a hole somewhere aroundmy calf area.  Any suggestions - other than buying new ones?
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BCfisherman97

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2009, 09:28:15 PM »
Buy a tube of Aqua Seal and it will do the job. Put some on a hole in my waders and haven't had a problem in 3 years. :)
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Jaws

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2009, 09:33:44 PM »
I can't pinpoint the spot where the hook went in....any ideas?
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colin6101

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2009, 09:48:13 PM »
Try filling them with water and marking any points where water is leaking out of them. The only downside to this method is that you have to dry them out afterwards. I guess the theory is that anywhere water comes out water can come in? Seems logical to me.
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doja

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2009, 09:49:44 PM »
What kind of waders???  neo or breathable??

I would think soapy water would work well.

If the leak is in the lower part of the leg you can just roll up the leg so it will "hold air" the apply soapy water and see where it bubbles from.

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hue-nut

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2009, 10:13:39 PM »
the directions that my aqua seal came with suggested finding the smaller holes by turning them inside out and then applying rubbing alcohol which should reveal the smaller holes.
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Ed

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2009, 10:13:46 PM »
I heard if you buy a bottle of rubbing alcohol and pour it over the area it will show up.
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quincy

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2009, 10:17:56 PM »
Quote from: Ed on August 21, 2009, 10:13:46 PM
I heard if you buy a bottle of rubbing alcohol and pour it over the area it will show up.

thats correct, if you turn them inside out and apply rubbing alcohol too them the area around the puncture will turn pink and then you simply apply some sealant and they should be good to go. good luck
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BigFisher

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2009, 10:44:26 PM »
First off, tell us which type of waders they are. If they are breathables youll have a much easier time finding the hole.
Take your breathable waders to your bathtub, or a river/lake and hold them under water without letting any water get in through the opening of the waders. Hold the waders there for a couple minutes, keep your eyes open for bubbles, now pull your breathables out and there should be a darker shade around the area with the hole.

If you decide to use aqua seal be very careful applying it, and dont not use too much. Using too much could make the leak even worse, as it will hard that area on the wader and if the seal is ever bent will crack your waders and the problem leak will be 10 times worse, this is worse for neoprenes.

*One problem I should warn people of is to watch for too much rubbing on the neoprene footings. If you notice alot of gravel in your boots after fishing, or your boots dont fit properly, or your boots have a rough edge inside then make sure you get something to protect your neoprene footing from abrasion. I use plastic bags, but I have heard of others using socks. I wish I had known this when I had bought my first couple pairs of waders.....
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Rieber

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2009, 11:19:06 PM »
Good it only the calf.

Turn them inside out and fill the bottom leg with water - look for the leak.

Easy way is to wear light grey track pants under the waders and take 'em fishing for a while.

Stop every so often, and pull them down to find the wet spot.

Keep the repair small as possible with a dab of Aqua-seal like everyone recommends.

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Steel_Mo_Head

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2009, 03:46:38 PM »
Quote from: Jaws on August 21, 2009, 09:24:43 PM
I can't find the darn hole.  Someone snagged my waders and put a hole somewhere aroundmy calf area.  Any suggestions - other than buying new ones?

hahah good question!!  i have the same problem!!
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BigFisher

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2009, 06:27:48 PM »
Thats a whole new thread right there. Its almost that time of the year again.... ;D
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Novabonker

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2009, 06:36:13 PM »
Reverse the flow on a shop vac, hold it under water and look for bubbles escaping. Any way you can to make air blow through the hole.
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chris gadsden

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2009, 07:38:47 PM »
Put a flashlight inside the waders in a dark area and you should see the light ;D  ;D shinning through the hole. Mark the area with a felt pen and then you can put on whatever you wish to patch it with. Make sure you clean the area well and the material you use will stick and last longer.
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marmot

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Re: How do you find leaks in waders?
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2009, 09:06:04 PM »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsc1JsZ5C0


just watch this.  If you have breathables, it will work.  One thing they don't tell you.....wait a while for the alcohol/water solution to dry prior to using a LITTLE BALLPOINT PEN to mark the area....otherwise it will just be a mess of blurry ink and hard to locate the pinholes.

if you have neoprenes I've found the best way to fix them is to replace them with waders that don't make you look like a frog :)
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