Rain boots, but not really.
January 11, 2013 12:00 PM   Subscribe

What's the best solution to fix a pair of rain boots?

Bought a pair of tretorn skerry rain boots 2 years ago. I would say after a year one of the boots formed a split on the back of the ankle area. It's vertical and when you squeeze the boot a bit you see it open up. It lets in water/snow. I want to patch it up, but don't know what is the best solution. I've read people use glue, but doesn't seem very long term. It's fairly tiny and I think worth trying to mend to get at least another year out of them.

Any suggestions mefi?
posted by melizabeth to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
High quality duct tape? They come in a multitude of colors now, so it could be a fun patch. I mean, it's not like we're talking Jimmy Choos here.
posted by HeyAllie at 12:09 PM on January 11, 2013


Something like this or this. If it's large enough, you need a kit with patches, like this (I am pretty sure you can also you a bicycle tire repair kit, but your mileage may literally vary.)
posted by jetlagaddict at 12:10 PM on January 11, 2013


I've successfully mended rain boots by making a patch of rubber cement and fabric gauze. Basically, I cut a patch out of the fabric gauze a bit bigger than the hole, covered the hole in rubber cement, put down the patch, smoothed it out, and covered it in rubber cement again. The gauze disappeared and it just looked a little lumpy. Totally watertight.

(FWIW, I haven't had a lot of luck fixing rain boots with duct tape, as it does tend to peel just a little bit and then get all gunky where it peels.)
posted by juniperesque at 12:13 PM on January 11, 2013 [1 favorite]


Possibility 1: Use glue, but also patch the seam like you would if you were patching a bike tire. (You could probably buy a patch kit for $2 from any bike shop.) Color options include matte black and nothing else.

Possibility 2: If there's an auto shop nearby with folks you're friendly with, drop in and ask if they can fix it. Really, you want a place that does vulcanizing, i.e. heat-sets the patch, but that's not commonly done anymore and may be illegal in some places. There are still heat-curing patches for truck tires though. Color options: ibid.

Possibility 3: Don't use duct tape, but try gaffer's tape if you can find someone who'll spare a few inches off a roll. (An entire roll will run you >$25 so this is probably the least cost-effective option!) Even more of the same color options.
posted by tapir-whorf at 12:14 PM on January 11, 2013


One year? For brand-name boots!

I would 'fix' by requesting a refund or replacement. Amazon reviews suggest you have not been unusually hard on them and that the tearing is a known issue.
posted by kmennie at 12:17 PM on January 11, 2013 [1 favorite]


You know, think about returning them. I've been pleasantly surprised at getting defective items replaced. Send a letter explaining where the problem is, tell them that you are interested in a replacement or a repair and ask if anything can be done.
posted by amanda at 12:23 PM on January 11, 2013


barge cement
posted by iiniisfree at 12:24 PM on January 11, 2013


My wife had something like this happen with another pair of Tretorns and we sent them back. They were about a year old. Zappos took them back and replaced them without question.
posted by sportbucket at 2:47 PM on January 11, 2013


This may sound incredibly silly, but I would use some resin+hardener like in surfboard repair.

Something like this. All you need though is the resin and catalyst. Mix them up in a disposable cup and make sure that some gets into the crevice as you squeeze the heel while painting it on with a stick or something. They sell similar stuff, resin and hardener separately, in many hardware stores.

It's cheap and VERY effective and permanent. I use it not only on surfboards but musical instruments, boots, cars, bikes...ETC.

Good luck!
posted by snsranch at 5:43 PM on January 11, 2013


Silicone.
posted by yohko at 6:03 PM on January 11, 2013


If it's a small tear, I recommend sugru.
posted by QueenHawkeye at 7:33 PM on January 11, 2013


Plumbing Goop. I use it when I get a hole in my muck boots or my Vibrams. Fantastic!
posted by bolognius maximus at 9:34 PM on January 11, 2013


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