How to repair ripped weight pocket seam on BC

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DazedAndConfuzed

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Hi,

On my old Sherwood Outback, one of the horizontal weight pocket that holds the right half of my integrated weights has had its lower seam ripped, around 6 inches long. The weights still holds due to the inner weight pouch, but when out of water or in upright position, the weight droops downward and seem to put ever so much more stress on the rest of the seam, although it seem to have ripped to a point where there is a D ring being held by webbing and re-enforced stitching and stopped. The fabric has frayed at the end. Is there some general type of repair for this type of rips?

On my divebag, when this type of seam rips, I just stitch it maybe 1/2-3/4 inch into the fabric, but I don't know if I have that much fabric to play with.

Should I glue the edges of the seam and stitch over that? Some said shoe repair shop? I was going to just staple the whole thing when I found out about it in the middle of the trip, but I ended up just being careful not to let it encounter too much vertical force.
 
Hi,

Is there some general type of repair for this type of rips?

One comment on things like this. I had something on my last Scubapro BC break. I decided to take it to my diveshop. They sent it to Scubapro who repaired it free of charge. I just had to pay the shipping to Scubapro. If possible, I would check with a diveshop. Some manufacturers provide lifetime warranties. Not sure if that's an option with this manufacturer or whether you have the time to wait.
 
sorry, no time to wait. i thought about it at end of the last trip but just forgot about it until the next trip came up.

its like my Armor dive luggage with its lifetime warran, got tears at the seam here and there (I guess baggage handlers grab at the edge where the fin pockets are). Armor said to send it back, but I just made some ugly stitching to get by (lost alot of space fin space in the meantime). One day, I hope I will send it back.

I don't know what kind of warranty Sherwood offers on their BCD. It says "FULL MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY", I don't know what that means. I got my BCD long time ago from a LDS that is not even close by.
 
Cool, I could just use dental floss. Plus I had shoe goo, which should substitute for the silicone. Extreme flexibility is not a requirement.

Anyway, Sherwood said it is out of warranty and they don't have replacement pocket, nor would it be cost effective to send it back to them to get it repaired.
 
I took my old BC to a shoe maker. He did a great job. Just be sure they know not to hit the bladder if it is near by.
 
Yeah, I brought it to a shoe repair and I told them I cannot lose volume in that pocket given I need that space to hold weights. They were going to patch a piece of leather to re-enforce the frayed area. I told them this will be used in the water so no leather. They don't have pieces of ballistic nylon, so unless I brought them a piece, they would have to fold over the fabric area thus losing alot of volume to the pocket.
 
Well, then I would suggest Dow Corning 5200 silicone adhesive as well. That stuff is amazingly strong. I would slather in onto a patch made from the ballistic nylon you mentioned and essentially "put a band-aid on it". Just wear gloves using the stuff and take do it outside (or in a fume hood if you have access).
 
Last edited:
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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