So my 'new' wetsuit seems to get bucketloads of water up the legs.
How does this happen?
And how do you stop it?
I look like some depraved elephant (leg) man....

I just made some draining holes with a solder iron in the bottom 10 cm of the legs

I hacked my wettie. I was too constricted in the fore arm so I borrowed my wife's good scissors and off they went. I now wear a Severne neo rash style long sleeve top, GOLD!
At the same time I put a slit about 2cm long down low on the leg and the water drains out. Near ankle.
I was looking at a new SS LL wettie to use with the neo top but now I can afford a couple of new gofast fins.
Yes drastic method but my wettie was too big and too tight?!? But it was cheap when I bought it.
When I wore booties they stopped water going up the leg but I still had water entering when I fell in, still do but it drains well but still keeps me warm.
I was thinking of a drain tube stuffed up beside my calf and other hair brained ideas but used scissors instead.
If you go down the scissors avenue choose a place that you won't put your toe through and is not stressed while putting on. Vertical slits not horizontal. I'd even try some hot wire holes to seal the hole edges or punch some holes. 4 small holes (6mm) above the hem/seam N/S/E/W on each leg would be my design.
Go The Michelin Men!

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powersloshin said..
I just made some draining holes with a solder iron in the bottom 10 cm of the legs

Great idea! Why didn't I think of that , might reglue then solder some new tidy ones. Clean holes and easy to add extras if you need. Start with 1 or 2 then do more if you need

^^^ or, metal skewer heated on the gas cooktop

get a better wetsuit ??

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windjunky said..
So my 'new' wetsuit seems to get bucketloads of water up the legs.
How does this happen?
And how do you stop it?
I look like some depraved elephant (leg) man....

Ion wetsuits do a leg strap, you could get some Velcro and wrap around the leg. Sew it in place with a small stitch

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kato said..

windjunky said..
So my 'new' wetsuit seems to get bucketloads of water up the legs.
How does this happen?
And how do you stop it?
I look like some depraved elephant (leg) man....

Ion wetsuits do a leg strap, you could get some Velcro and wrap around the leg. Sew it in place with a small stitch

Yes you can just buy a roll of velcro from Woolies. Cut it in half and you have two pairs of tapes, one for each ankle.
They work well to keep the water out but if you don't remember to undo them before you peel your wettie off it's a pain to deal with. Holes are easier IMO.

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NotWal said..

kato said..

windjunky said..
So my 'new' wetsuit seems to get bucketloads of water up the legs.
How does this happen?
And how do you stop it?
I look like some depraved elephant (leg) man....

Ion wetsuits do a leg strap, you could get some Velcro and wrap around the leg. Sew it in place with a small stitch

Yes you can just buy a roll of velcro from Woolies. Cut it in half and you have two pairs of tapes, one for each ankle.
They work well to keep the water out but if you don't remember to undo them before you peel your wettie off it's a pain to deal with. Holes are easier IMO.

if you don't remember to undo them before you peel your wettie off it's a pain to deal with.
So true!! But they do work well..

Whenever I got elephantitus of the ankles it was from water entering from somewhere above there, like the zipper, or neck, or worn out places (most often), so ankle straps would just make it worse. If I got water up the legs, it would drain out as easily, but that's just me and my wetsuit issues. I have used ankle straps, but it was for keeping the wetsuit from riding up over the top of my booties, allowing the booties fill up. So you gotta know where the water is coming from, I like the holes idea.

Some wind-sport specific suits (ION, Mystic) have both velcro cuffs and small drainage holes in the calves and the small of the back. I had such a suite (ION) - never got balloon calves. Single lined too, so no wind chill. Unfortunately, being single-lined it lasted only a season.

Yes Velcro tapes made from Bunnings or wherever.