Wader leaking help

Ed L.

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I have a pair of the Cabela's breathable waders. After 2 years I noticed a leak at the boot seam. I tried the aquaseal product but didn't work. Has anyone tried 3m5200 sealer for boot repair? I know they are only $189 but BassPro changed suppliers and now the boot sizing has changed. I can't get my ankle through the opening. I tried going up a size but my foot swims in the larger boot size. Thanks.
 
I have a pair of the Cabela's breathable waders. After 2 years I noticed a leak at the boot seam. I tried the aquaseal product but didn't work. Has anyone tried 3m5200 sealer for boot repair? I know they are only $189 but BassPro changed suppliers and now the boot sizing has changed. I can't get my ankle through the opening. I tried going up a size but my foot swims in the larger boot size. Thanks.
I have a hunting buddy that has 5200 on the boot portion of his waders. Apparently the ones he had on are prone to cracking at specific areas and he uses 5200. Not sure how it would work at the boot seam. I guess if they leak and you give it a try, it might be worth it. If it doesn't work, you're just right where you started
 
I have a pair of the Cabela's breathable waders. After 2 years I noticed a leak at the boot seam. I tried the aquaseal product but didn't work. Has anyone tried 3m5200 sealer for boot repair? I know they are only $189 but BassPro changed suppliers and now the boot sizing has changed. I can't get my ankle through the opening. I tried going up a size but my foot swims in the larger boot size. Thanks.
what do you mean at the seam? Gotta pic?
 
I am a wader enthusiast, and what I have found is that in stocking foot waders, the neoprene boot is always the leaker. especially where the neoprene is attached to the breathable material of the trouser part of the wader. This portion fails so much because the act of putting on the waders and taking them off always stresses this location and destroys the waterproof union.

You might try flex seal as a last ditch resort if tent seam sealer will not work. Don't try gorilla tape.

Don't ask me how I know.
 
i used the 5200 fast seal in white on the seat of my high and drys this season, worked great. i even called the company and thats what they use. i went inside and dabbed a bit from the back as well as the outside. i also hit my leaky hip boots that i use for working and it fixed the problem. go inside with a mag lite and rub it around the wader, any pin hole will show through like a laser.
 
You might as well try the 5200 if the aquaseal didn't work. Where the harder rubber of the boot itself meets the breathable material is a tough place to seal without gooping it on pretty good. But in your instance, that shouldn't matter, it wouldn't interfere with the fit of the boot itself. Those seams get pulled a little every time you take a step, it's a high stress point. I think you can get Flex-seal in an aerosol spray also and may want to try that too, I have heard of good results on waders with that product.
 
i used the 5200 fast seal in white on the seat of my high and drys this season, worked great. i even called the company and thats what they use. i went inside and dabbed a bit from the back as well as the outside. i also hit my leaky hip boots that i use for working and it fixed the problem. go inside with a mag lite and rub it around the wader, any pin hole will show through like a laser.
That's what I was hoping to hear. Another guy told me to place a leave blower in the boots, turn on and spray the boots outside with water to find leaks. Going to give that a try too.
 
You might as well try the 5200 if the aquaseal didn't work. Where the harder rubber of the boot itself meets the breathable material is a tough place to seal without gooping it on pretty good. But in your instance, that shouldn't matter, it wouldn't interfere with the fit of the boot itself. Those seams get pulled a little every time you take a step, it's a high stress point. I think you can get Flex-seal in an aerosol spray also and may want to try that too, I have heard of good results on waders with that product.
I thought about the flex seal spray. I've read it gets hard and brittle but maybe inside out of the sunlight it'll stay pliable.
 
I have a pair of the Cabela's breathable waders. After 2 years I noticed a leak at the boot seam. I tried the aquaseal product but didn't work. Has anyone tried 3m5200 sealer for boot repair? I know they are only $189 but BassPro changed suppliers and now the boot sizing has changed. I can't get my ankle through the opening. I tried going up a size but my foot swims in the larger boot size. Thanks.
Ed

If Aquaseal didn't work, I'm wondering if you have another leak. I find leaks similar to finding a tire leak. I'll insert an air hose and squeeze the wader around it and blow up the wader. If it is the boot then squeeze at the knee. Using a Windex bottle with water and dish soap mixed spritz the suspect area and look for bubbles. Most effective method I know of. In fact I did mine yesterday. My Sitkas gave me nearly six season of leak free service. I have a small leak around the ankle. I'll put some aquaseal or sikaflex 291 fast cure on it. Whichever arrives in the mail first.
 
I have had more luck with Shoe Goo than AquaSeal. It's tough stuff, and I have repairs that are several years old and still holding strong
 
I'm with Eric on the looking for leaks method. If you are blowing air in, put some soapy water outside to look for bubbles, like a tire repair. And I, like Matt, have had good luck with shoo goo, which I used to put the felt soles back on some old wading boots two years ago and is still working.
 
That's what I was hoping to hear. Another guy told me to place a leave blower in the boots, turn on and spray the boots outside with water to find leaks. Going to give that a try too.
An easier way is to take the waders into a dark room, and shine a bright light inside them. You'll see a faint glow through gortex and nothing through neoprene. Any bright spots of light you see are leaks. With the neoprene, stretch it out some to help see them. They will be obvious on the goretex portions. For sealing leaks on seams, I've had my best luck with thinned Aquaseal. If I remember right, you can think with acetone, but there is also a proprietary thinner they sell. I'd put the sealer on both sides. If you see obvious wear or anything larger than pinprick holes, you can back up one side with a cloth patch placed onto the Aquaseal, then covered with a second coat after it's dry.

No experience with 5200. Shoo Goo was ok, but not as easy to work with as Aquaseal.
 
Shoe Goo. Did it with the exact same pair of waders two years ago in the same spot. It only slowed me having to replace them. The leak which was sort of bad, became smaller. I managed to get another season out of them. Just know you will probably need to replace them soon.

Make sure you clean the area good with some rubbing alcohol before you repair. Otherwise, the glue won't stick.
 
Shoe Goo. Did it with the exact same pair of waders two years ago in the same spot. It only slowed me having to replace them. The leak which was sort of bad, became smaller. I managed to get another season out of them. Just know you will probably need to replace them soon.

Make sure you clean the area good with some rubbing alcohol before you repair. Otherwise, the glue won't stick.
Thanks everyone for your insights and suggestions. With Jays reply and I know I won't be replacing with the same boot, I ordered a new pair from a company Id never heard of. Has anyone purchased from Kobuk? They are a fairly new company from what I find but their mission statement and price swayed me.
 

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I typically will make a patch out of and old T-shirt cut up and 5200 or any old silicone that I have laying around. I will lay the 5200 where the patch is to go then push the cut out patch into it, then put a little more good on for good measure. Doesn't look pretty but it works.... I have repaired cracked rubber on the boot, the seam between he boot and the gortex, and just about every other section of waders tha can be patched. Best method I have found to extend the life of waders. Here is an ooooold pair of Cabelas waders that my son is using that are still dry after repairs of major failures in the boot rubber.
 

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This is a the first pair I tried the t shirt method with. I had just finished building my boat and had some 5200 left over and no money for new waders. These were so destroyed from blackberrys that there was no way I could patch each hole. After I was done they were nearly bulltproof and I wore them for 2 more years. Did I get funny looks at he boat ramp. Yes i did, but I didn't have to purchase new waders:ROFLMAO:
 

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