Sew or Glue Thigh Pockets

[MT_Dweller]

Greetings All...I picked up some Dive Rite thigh pockets to put on 2 wetsuits...my cold water Aqualung SolAfx 7/8 mm and my warm water Aqualung Hydroflex 3 mm. I plan to put a pocket on the right thigh of both of these suits to mainly to store my SMB and finger spool. I may get a third pocket to go on the left thigh of the 7/8 mm. My dilemma is do I glue them on (I have an unopened bottle of neoprene cement) or do I take them to the local gear repair place and have the lady sew them on. I'm not concerned with removing them, if I get a new suit, I'll get new pockets, I just don't want them to fall off. The back of the pocket is neoprene, but there is a boarder around the edge that is a nylon material, this would be the area to stitch through if I went the sew on route. If I go the glue on route does anyone know how well the neoprene of the suit would bond with the nylon edge material? If I go the sew on route, would I want to glue the neoprene pocket back to the suit, then reinforce with stitching? Will stitching create holes where water can seep in making me cold? If I sew should I Aquaseal the stitching? My next warm water trip is in March, so I have some time, just want to make the right decision the first time...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I would not advise sewing. The problem is if they are sewn on you will not get the benefit of the neoprene backing. The area sewn of the suit will not stretch. The way I have installed this type of pocket on my own and on customer suits is:
1. Put the suit on even if it's just up to the waist.
2. Lay the pocket on the area where you want it and trace the outline with tailors chalk or even a colored pencil.
3. Remove the suit and cut some wedges of cardboard in the rough shape of your thigh. Make them big! This will account for you now stretching the suit area with a flat surface instead od a rounded one.
4. wrap the cardboard in an old towel to keep the edges from cutting the suit lining.
5. Insert the wedges and lay the pocket on the suit. It should fit the outline. If not, adjust the size of the wedges.
6. Make an outline with aquaseal on the suit and the pocket. Then draw a cross pattern on the suit with it. Then angled lines. It;s not necessary to paint the entire area. Just give even distribution.
7. Place the pocket on the suit and press down evenly. Take a board, large book, or other flat surface and place over the pocket.
8. Place weights on the surface. I usually use about 25 lbs of lead.
9. Allow to sit overnight. Then do the other leg the same way

I have suits that are going on ten years old I have done this way. No sign of the pockets coming off and they stretch with the suit.

If you want you can put a line of aquaseal across the top seam after the whole thing has dried as extra insurance when you are pulling on the flap. If you see any areas that you might have missed you can do the same with a small drop of aquaseal.

 

[MT_Dweller]

Thanks Jim....would you say that the aquaseal is a better adhesive than neoprene cement? Or use neoprene cement for the pocket back neoprene to suit neoprene, and aquaseal around the edge?

 

[WarrenZ]

I used about 1/4 of the big tube of aquaseal on mine painted both sides and stuck together under weights. I stretched my wetsuit over the exercise bench of our bowflex to open the leg.

As Jim said definitely measure and mark the suit location before hand because there will be no moving the pocket once it is on the suit.

Make sure that your fingers can reach the bottom of the pocket without strange contortions see note above regarding not moving pocket.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Thanks Jim....would you say that the aquaseal is a better adhesive than neoprene cement? Or use neoprene cement for the pocket back neoprene to suit neoprene, and aquaseal around the edge?

I only use the aquaseal. Have not tried mixing them.

 

[Anthony A.]

Im still on the fence about either glueing or sewing onto my wetsuit. Once the glue has dried, is that area of the wetsuit stiff and hardened? Or does it still stretch? I've heard if you sew only the right and left side of a pocket to a wetsuit it will continue to stretch normally.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

As above, or wear a pair of tech shorts over your wetsuits.

Apeks Tech Shorts

 

[LiteWeight]

I used Aquaseal to glue some pockets on my wetsuit. Then decided to move the pockets to a new wetsuit once I 'outgrew' the old one. Yeah, they are not coming off. Don't worry about sewing, they will never come off with Aquaseal.

 

[Anthony A.]

I used Aquaseal to glue some pockets on my wetsuit. Then decided to move the pockets to a new wetsuit once I 'outgrew' the old one. Yeah, they are not coming off. Don't worry about sewing, they will never come off with Aquaseal.

Is that section of your wetsuit rigid/stiff or is it just as stretchy as the rest of your suit?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If you use aquaseal and install the pocket correctly the suit will still stretch. It will get some rigidity due to the extra material but not so you notice.
Using Aquaseal -
In order to allow the suit to stretch you must glue the pockets on with the suit stretched.
Put the suit on,
lay the pocket in position,
trace around the pocket,
take the suit off and cut cardboard wedges roughly the shape of your thigh but larger.
Remember it will be flat.
Use a couple pieces to make it stiff.
Wrap a towel around the cardboard to reduce the risk of snagging.
Shove that in the leg of the suit and lay the pocket on.
It should fill the outline.
IF the outline can't be seen, cut bigger pieces of cardboard and repeat until the pocket is in the outline.
Glue the perimeter and I also run an X across the outline from corner to corner and then at 0 and 90 degrees.
Lay the pocket on and add weight.
A large book and 15 or 20lbs of hard weights works well.
Allow to dry overnight.
The pocket will be secure and the suit will stretch.