Skirt Repair Basics
Spray skirts are made from neoprene. With proper care a spray skirt can last for many seasons. However, neoprene is susceptible to damage under certain circumstances. IR has a full time repair staff dedicated to keeping your gear on the water as long as possible. If you'd like to learn more about our repair service please head over to Immersion Research Repairs. We also offer free repairs for one year from the date of purchase. This covers gear you purchased directly from us or from one of our retailers.
Common issues and repairability
1) Seam tape - Over time the seam tape can begin to lift and peel off. This will happen especially quickly on skirts that rarely have a chance to dry or skirts that are regularly stored in a hot car or roof top box. Peeling seam tape isn't a big issue in terms of performance because neoprene seam tape isn't waterproof. It's mostly there to cover up an ugly glue seam although it does help protect against abrasion. If you're having issues with seam tape, we recommend sending in for a repair. Please visit Immersion Research Repairs for more information. While it is possible to replace small sections of seam tape at home with an iron we'll get much better, longer lasting results here at IR using a hot air tape machine to apply the tape.
2) Abrasion - Even the most abrasion resistant materials will eventually begin to show wear. This type of damage is most common around the cockpit rim where paddle strikes and rock hits are most common. This type of damage doesn't go the whole way through the outer layer of fabric and is easily remedied at home with a layer of neoprene tape like Gear Aid Tenacious Tape Iron-On Neoprene Patch. The neoprene tape will act as a sacrificial layer that can be replaced over time as it continues to wear.
3) Tears - Contact with sharp rocks is the most common cause of skirt tears. Sometimes a little rock contact is unavoidable. Luckily most tears are quick and easy to repair at home using Gear Aid Tenacious Tape Iron-On Neoprene Patch and Gear Aid Aquaseal NEO.
If you have any questions about repairing your own gear or sending gear to IR for repair please reach out to our customer service team. We're here to help.