Neoprene, not neo anymore

January 27, 2008 2:51 PM

What can I do with my old wetsuit?

I have an old wetsuit (2mm SeaQuest shortie, essentially this suit) that has had a fantastic run. I've managed to wring 12 years out of it (snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving, and just messing around in the ocean) and have sewn and glued it back together at the base of the zipper multiple times. It is in great condition still (some minor aging of the rubber) but the hole is not repairable anymore.

What are some cool things I can do with it? I am pretty crafty, so any suggestiions that involve cutting it apart and making something cool with it are great. I would also be willing to have it recycled for another purpose.

posted by nekton to clothing, beauty, & fashion (18 comments total)

throw it up on craigslist, someone will take it
posted by Salvatorparadise at 2:58 PM on January 27, 2008

If you paintball, you can use the neoprene to line the inside of your hopper and pods, to keep the balls quiet while you're running.

You could cut it into mats and use them around the house.

You could put it on a mannequin and do a number of weird/creepy things to the mannequin, like shooting it for anger management, hanging it from a tree for halloween, etc.

You could also sell it on Ebay. I'm sure someone will buy it...
posted by BeaverTerror at 3:02 PM on January 27, 2008

There are several how-to's out there on sewing bags and such. I'd try to make a nifty little dive tote bag out of it.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:05 PM on January 27, 2008

Seriously waterproof messenger bag or bike panniers (depending on how much usable fabric you can get out of it)!

Don't forget to seal the seams for ultra-super-cool waterproofyness.

A search on Craftster.org or the like should net any number of good messenger bag patterns. I like Amy Butler's "High Street Messenger Bag" pattern myself.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 3:05 PM on January 27, 2008

I should clarify - it's pretty much impossible to repair/wear at this point because it's so torn. Crucial pieces have been torn to shreds by repeated repairs.
posted by nekton at 3:06 PM on January 27, 2008

One of the early issues of Make showed how to turn a wet suit into a cool lap top bag... I always wanted to try doing that. Live my dream!
posted by drezdn at 3:10 PM on January 27, 2008

My ipod case is neoprene. You could make and sell a few of those.
posted by sero_venientibus_ossa at 3:11 PM on January 27, 2008

Neoprene gloves? A neoprene cap? Neoprene booties?
posted by Count Ziggurat at 3:11 PM on January 27, 2008

Seriously waterproof messenger bag or bike panniers

Wetsuits are "wet" because they trap a layer of water (which is heated by your body), so the fabric isn't waterproof. A drysuit on the other hand ...
posted by Utilitaritron at 3:11 PM on January 27, 2008

Actually neoprene is waterproof, the water gets in the neck/sleeves/legs in a wetsuit.

Do you have a dog? You could make them a little lifevest. It's a good idea for rafting etc and safer, imho, than the nylon ones as it will tear if needed.
posted by fshgrl at 3:30 PM on January 27, 2008

Unlike some crazy people, Utilitaritron, I do not surf Lake Erie (as seen on the No Reservations ep when Anthony Bourdain when he visited my fair town) -- so didn't know they're not actually waterproof. I presumed they were since they're neoprene and neoprene is used in cases for things that shouldn't get wet -- like laptops and PDAs and such.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 3:30 PM on January 27, 2008

Make a wine bag!
posted by ilyanassa at 4:08 PM on January 27, 2008

Cut it into small shapes, like starfish, sea horses, sand dollars, sea gulls, dolphins, sea otters, etc. Then glue each shape to a small square block of wood. Advertise them as "Ocean Stamps Made from Wetsuit Material." People will buy it. Or, glue them onto the walls in your bathroom and paint a pretty ocean scene around them. That would be pretty cool.
posted by proj08 at 4:47 PM on January 27, 2008

Dye it black, get some foam, and make a Dune stillsuit for halloween.
posted by damn dirty ape at 5:34 PM on January 27, 2008

I have neoprene gloves that are pretty effing awesome for when it gets really cold.

Particularly for snowball fights.
posted by desuetude at 7:03 PM on January 27, 2008

Buy a bucket. Patch/sew a neoprene "suit" (aka, wraparound or sleeve) for bucket. Fill bucket with hot water. Enjoy hot water 6 hours later after you're cold and tired from whatever adventures you and your new wetsuit enjoyed.
posted by iamkimiam at 7:10 PM on January 27, 2008

Ooooh, that's a great idea. A neoprene sleeve for my Nalgene or coffee mug would be really cool.

~goes off to eye old wetsuits in basement~
posted by fshgrl at 7:54 PM on January 27, 2008

Make neoprene stubby holders for your next barbecue (er...mate).
posted by bunglin jones at 9:53 PM on January 27, 2008