New wetsuit with defect

[poolecw]

I ordered my wife a 5mm Bare Evoke from my LDS. It took 3 weeks to come in. After picking it up and bringing it home we found what looks to be a defect due to shipping. There is about a 3 inch gouge mark on the lower abdomen that appears to be from the end of the coat hanger..... must have happened when it was folded up during shipment.

Question is this.... Should I return it or do you think the intention will work itself back out to normal thickness? We are leaving in 10 days on vacation and she needs the wetsuit for a couple dives.

 

[Marie13]

Talk to your LDS. Why didn’t you inspect it when you picked it up?

 

[poolecw]

This is a Very small LDS. He wasn't there when I went by. I'll talk to him in the morning.

 

[Rred]

To me a gouge is what happens when you use a chisel and strip out a piece of material. It is not a compression dent, it is a removal of material, and that isn't ever going to "heal".

If it is a dent, a depression, then the foam was crushed by something and either it is going to uncompress and spring right back in a couple of hours (overnight is plenty) or else the neoprene foam actually was ruptured and it will be a permanent damage.

If that's three inches of pencil-sized dent, it isn't going to make a huge difference in how the suit keeps her warm. It is still a damage and that's not what you paid for. Presuming that it was packed by Evoke...stop by the shop, ask them to call Evoke (bear in mind there may be a time zone difference) while you are there, and see if Evoke will ship out a new suit by 3-day express. If not, then you have to decide whether you want a refund (and presumably will need a rental) or to ask for an accommodation for the defect in the suit.

Maybe it is in a spot where you could stick a pocket or patch over it, which would give you the insulation back and hide the mark. Or maybe, if their neoprene crushes down so easily, you may not want to keep the suit at all.