I had a three year old O’neill Psycho II 3/4 full suit. I took really good care of it. Double washed it out in a bucket every use. First washout with a little laundry detergent, let soak about five minutes. Pour out the soapy water, then soaked it a second time to get the soap out. Didn’t hang it on a clothes hanger to dry. That destroys the shoulders. Instead I slide a 5’ long broom handle through it from arm to arm. Hang the broom handle from a line. Spreads out the stresses. Looks like a scarecrow in the wind.
So after a year or so, it started leaking, the seams just didn’t hold. Waited for summer, and sent in in for repair. They re-glued everything, replaced the knee pads, and sent it back for free. I was really stoked on them, and posted it here.
Well the suit got to three years old. The rubber was still pretty, good, but all the seams started coming appart. Not tearing, but just coming undone. I sent it back a second time. mentioned the last repair didn’t hold up. Let them know the suit was three years old, and clearly past the one year warranty. I thought they would glue it up again, and charge me a little something. About two weeks after sending it in, I gave a call to find out how much it would cost. They said it was in the shop and they would get back to me.
Just today, Fed EX showed up at my door. Brand new replacement suit. No note, no charge, no questions. They just sent me a new suit for free!
…really cool man, sadly Im not there because my Rip curl F bomb, that s the top of the line of that brand, is the worst wetsuit I have ever owned, and I do not have any chances to have a professional repair,even less have a replacement.
So, you stated about Oneill, I stated about Ripcurl.
whats wrong with the suit? had Ripcurl suits for the last 5 years and they have been great! ebomb pro still going strong after 4 years and now alternate a new one every 2nd surf so i have a dry one. lol
dont look after it… sits in my car sometimes for days and still going strong…
…most of the glued rubber in the seams tear it apart after 15 surfing days (mine have the chest zipper) so I have too much water inside; the other day, I put the wetsuit and leave with 2 parts in one arm due to no more threads in the seam
Hey Reverb if you can get this stuff Neo-Rez which is made by SolarRez it is a wetsuit glue and it works amazingly. We have a lot of shallow reef breaks in OZ and my wesuits all get rips in them from hitting the bottom or sliding around on rocks, I’ve glued 2inch rips in my wetsuit’s back together and there’s no leaks and it doesn’t come appart. You can glue over seams on the inside and it seals them, Good stuff.
I don’t think contact cement is flexible, and are you seriously going to sit there mixing up a ‘batch’ of rubbish to fix your wetsuit so you can save $2? This stuff is $9 a tube and lasts forever, are you really that tight?
For what it’s worth, I’ve had both O’Neill and Ripcurl take suits for repair in the mail and return a brand new suit to me!
O’Neill used to be really liberal with it: I know guys who even sent in old suits they bought cheap at Santa Cruz garage sales and came out of it with brand new wetsuits. Sometimes “lifetime warranty” really means lifetime.
I've had in depth discussions with a guy who used to do the local 'factory repairs' for various brands. He was pretty much against seam tape (I'm all for it), and was definitely down on the newer super stretchy neoprene stating that few suits would hold up for much more than a season.
He also advised to soak the suits in fresh water with a capful or two of hair conditioner in a tub. I rotate through several wetsuits and don't surf all that often but my suits sometimes last for years.
My own warranty issues of the past were with a local retailer who repeatedly dismissed my claims of faulty seam workmanship when the seams came apart on my Oneill suits after a couple of seasons. He pulled the seams apart, pointed out a fraction of a millimeter section along the glue line and claimed that it was the MATERIAL, which is guaranteed for one year, that had separated and NOTTHE SEAMS, which were guaranteed for life.
I thought it was bogus at the time and still do. Now that I hear these stories, I realize I should have just sent the suit directly to Oneill.
My biggest issues lately have been with the fragile nature of the super stretch material. It seems really easy to gouge a hole with a fingernail or cause the lining to delaminate if I pull too hard getting my suit off. That said, EVERYBODY seems to agree that wetsuits have come a LONG way since the good old days.
We are both showing our age and memories! Oneil used to have the lifetime warranty. Since the new rubbers aren’t nearly as durable, they shortened it.
From their website,
PRODUCT WARRANTY (Specific product warranties per product
category)
<ul>**All Flat-stitched products, glued and blind-stitched products
and fluild seam weld: **<li>Limited 1-year warranty (from date of original purchase) on
workmanship and materials </li></ul>
I’m really stoked how they treated me, because mine was well past one year old.
all you guys soaking your suits in shampoo, conditioners in a bucket… that sends me the message that maybe this isnt the best way to keep your suits together??? i been surfing for 45 years and jus hang my suit (on a fat hanger) and rinse it with the garden hose… inside and out… as soon as it quits dripping bring it inside… sun will kill it !!! do not hang it in your garage if you park your car in there… exhaust is #2 on the destroy your suit list… my last suit (HOTLINE) lasted about 6 yrs. the rubber actually dis integrated and the seams were all fine… throw the bucket and chemicals…