Fix a wetsuit before it gets worse?

[Thalassamania]

Rips around kneepads are a common and difficult problem. They occur because the kneepad is not as flexable as the suit and the area right around that pad is thus forced to stretch more that other locations. A typical failure is just as you describe, the neoprene under the nylon fails, but the nylon remains intact. If you "repair" the tear, all that will accomplish is that it will fail in another area arround the knee pad. You need to cut the kneepad put, about a half inch out from its edge and then, using the cut piece as a pattern, clue in a new piece of material.

 

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I agree that the kneepad is a very high stress area. But it will probably tolerate a less flexible repair which will just expend the less stretchable kneepad. I used seal cement on mine when I cut them up crawling around in strong currents in a very shallow river. They have held up OK but I applied quite a few repair coats. I was planning on turning to aquaseal if the cement does not hold as I believe the aquaseal is a stronger bond. But Thal is right, it could just move the location of the next failure.