Attaching pockets to a very stretchy 3mm...

[Tassie_Rohan]

Dudes -

Has anyone had any luck attaching pockets to a very stretchy 3mm?

Success and disaster stories are equally welcome, as well as recommendations for a suitable pocket, and peoples experiences re sewing vs gluing.

I've added pockets to drysuits and 7mm wetsuits before, but my Scubapro 3 mm 'hyperstretch' is, well, hyper-stretchy, and I'm not sure if adding pockets will work.


Cheers,
Rohan.

(And nope I have no interest in wearing that strange Diverite thigh-band pocket thing or those even stranger-looking X-shorts: I have no desire to have my sexuality questioned when diving with my mates).

 

[Tienuts]

Yes - I have glued pockets on many wetsuits with good success using Aquaseal.

Dive Rite makes a glue-on pocket with a neoprene back. You'll probably have to order them through a DR dealer, not many keep them in stock. I'm sure other manufacturers make similar products, but I am not aware of them.

MOST important - put on the wetsuit. Position the pocket where you want it, and have someone mark the position on the wetsuit with a paint marker or similar. Mark all 4 sides. Did I mention this is important? There are some divers I know with pockets in odd positions on their wetsuit. One person (DiverLee ) has pockets permanently attached to the ass cheeks of her 7-mil cause she was too lazy to put the suit on and mark the position. It's hilarious.

Anyway, once you mark it, lay the suit down with the desired area up. Place a bead of Aquaseal (use the entire tube) around the whole edge of the pocket. Brush the aquaseal around with the enclosed brush so it will not drip or be messy. Slap the pocket on where you marked it. Keep in mind the markings will have contracted in, as your wetsuit no longer has a leg in it. Put some lead on the pocket and leave overnight.

I have done this to all of my wetsuits. All of my 3mm suits are fine with this setup and having the pocket works like a charm.

Tony

 

[digital_steve]

halcyon do some neoprene tech shorts with pockets that don't look la-di-da
I used them over my 3mm shortie in Cairns.

 

[Peter_C]

Instead of Aquaseal I would personally use neoprene cement. It has held up great with the pockets from Divesports made by XS Scuba on my crushed neoprene drysuit. No corners peeling at all.

 

[D_B]

When I did my pocket, I brushed cotal on the suit around the edges of the pocket marked on the suit and the edges of the pocket first before using the glue .. also, I rolled up a couple of towls and stuffed them into the leg to stretch it out to where the previously marked pocket outline matched the pocket, then puit soft weights on top of pocket .. it worked very well, and if you use black glue, you wont have to touch up exess glue areas around outside of pocket edges with a black felt tip marker

here are some tips and the pocket I used ... XS Scuba Wetsuit Drysuit Pocket

 

[HenrikBP]

I'm still working up the courage to glue pockets on my 3 mil suit. But here are a few thoughts;

- good advice above about marking out while wearing the suit.
- after marking you can use cardboard to stretch the suit until the marks on the suit fits the pocket (I had the cardboard in place but chickened out ... )
- I bought an XS Scuba pocket but was unhappy with how I would need to leave the top 1" of the backing loose (not glued) in order to have enough "flap" to close the pocket if it's full.
- Golem Gear has reasonably priced pockets as well. I called them and was told that there is enough flap on their pocket to glue the entire pocket backing. Haven't bought them yet.

Henrik
(anyone want to buy a brand new XS Scuba pocket? )

(Edit: Clicked D-B's link and it's all in there - oh well )

 

[maged_mmh]

I glued OxyCheq G pockets to a cycling short using neoprene cement (Bison-Kit?)

 

[kidspot]

I've glued and sewn pockets - and now wear x-shorts (no wetsuit though)

fwiw - the sewn pockets have held up the best for me, but they did leave some holes in the wetsuit - not a big deal IMO as you don't use a 3mil in extremely cold water. I put the suit on, marked where I wanted the pocket using a grease pen. Then while stitching I stretched the suit so that the stitching didn't pull once I was wearing it. for the most part it has held up fine for the past 3 years... though I've not used it for the past year at all (nice living where the water doesn't drop below 73*)

Aloha, Tim

P.S. photos can be found here of three of my pocket projects - I'm happiest with the ones the pattern is based on (size wise) Aloha Shore Divers