Why Water Enters Your Wetsuit at the Neck, Wrists, and Ankles, and When It Can Be Repaired

Causes of water entering a wetsuit from the neck, wrists, and ankles

When you enter the sea in a wetsuit and water comes in from the neck, wrists, or ankles, it feels quite cold, especially in winter. For Semi-Dry or winter wetsuits, even a little leaking can greatly affect warmth.

However, there isn't just one cause of water entry. It may be due to a poor size fit, or to part deterioration, fabric hardening, peeled bonded areas, or past repair marks.

Before replacing it, it's important to first identify where the water is entering.

1. Causes of water entering from the neck area

The neck area is especially prone to water entry on a wetsuit. It is often pulled during putting on and taking off, making it a place where rubber stretching and deterioration appear easily.

• The rubber around the neck is stretched out
• There are cracks in the neck section
• The inner bonding has peeled
• The size is large and there's a gap at the neck
• The fabric around the neck has hardened

If water enters from the neck, it may be improved by replacing or repairing the neck parts. However, if the size itself is too large, repair alone may not fully resolve it.

2. Causes of water entering from the wrists

The wrists move a lot during paddling and stretch easily. If the wrists become loose, water enters more easily each time you move your arms.

• The wrist section is stretched out
• The wrist rubber is split
• The inside of the wrist is peeling
• There's a small hole around the wrist
• Water enters through the gap with the glove

Wrist deterioration can sometimes be handled with partial repair or part replacement. Since even a small split can spread if left alone, an early check is recommended.

3. Causes of water entering from the ankles

The ankles are also easily pulled during putting on and taking off, and water enters easily depending on compatibility with boots. If the ankles are loose or the fabric has hardened, water enters more easily in the sea.

• The ankle section is stretched out
• The ankle rubber is split
• The inside of the ankle is peeling
• There's a gap with the boots
• The fabric around the ankle has hardened

Leaking from the ankles can also be improved with repair or part replacement depending on the condition. However, if the cause is the size compatibility with the boots, it may not be solved by the wetsuit side alone.

4. When the size doesn't fit

A common cause of water entering from the neck, wrists, and ankles is a size mismatch. With used wetsuits or off-the-rack sizes, even if your height and weight are close, the neck, wrist, and ankle sizes may not fit.

• Slightly large overall
• There's a gap at the neck
• The wrists or ankles are loose
• It feels like water pools inside while in the sea
• Water enters every time you move

If size is the cause, partial repair can improve it to some extent, but depending on the condition, considering replacement may be better.

5. When fabric deterioration or hardening is the cause

With an old wetsuit, the fabric itself may have hardened. When the fabric hardens, it conforms to the body less well and gaps form more easily.

• The rubber has hardened
• There are fine cracks on the surface
• It has whitened and deteriorated
• The elasticity has declined
• It doesn't conform to the body when worn

If the whole fabric is deteriorated, fixing only the neck, wrists, and ankles may still let water in from another spot. In this case, we may recommend replacement over repair.

Cases that can be repaired

If the condition is like the following, there's a chance it can be improved with repair.

• Only the neck parts are damaged
• Part of the wrists or ankles is split
• Bonded areas have peeled
• There are partial holes
• The fabric overall is still soft
• The leak location is somewhat identified

In such cases, it can sometimes be handled with part replacement, re-bonding, backing reinforcement, or fabric patching.

Cases where replacement is better than repair

On the other hand, not every leak can be solved by repair. In the following cases, considering replacement in light of repair cost and years of use may be better.

• The whole fabric has hardened
• Water enters from multiple spots
• The neck, wrists, and ankles are all deteriorated
• Other areas such as the zipper and knees are also damaged
• A fairly old wetsuit

Whether it can be repaired or replacement is better becomes easier to judge by checking the condition with photos.

Spots we'd like you to send when checking by photo

When consulting via LINE, sending the following photos makes it easier to check the condition.

• A close-up photo of the neck area
• The outer and inner sides of the wrist
• The outer and inner sides of the ankle
• The spot where you feel water enters
• A photo of the whole wetsuit
• A close-up photo of any tear or peeling you're concerned about

Photos alone may not allow us to finalize an official price, but it becomes easier to advise whether it looks repairable and what checks are needed.

Related pages

• Wetsuit Repair Overview Page
• Wetsuit Leak Repair
• Semi-Dry Repair & Pre-Winter Inspection
• Wetsuit Tear & Hole Repair
• Wetsuit Zipper Repair
• Wetsuit Knee Pad Replacement