DIY loading pad on a rashguard?

  • I want to put a small pad on my rashguard so I can comfortably chest load my longer guns in the warmer water to come. i can handle up to the 90cm doing the ab load tech, but longer guns hurt my pillsbury doughboy physique :laughing3:




    I was thinking of a few options and wanted to see what you all thought/ had done/ had success with


    1) glue/ marine goop- seems like it wont hold the pad too well or the lycra


    2) sewn on- hard to imagine too much strength to the lycra so it would have to be double or triple stiched and with no sewing machine strong enough to sew through the neoprene pad, seems out


    3) glue pad under the rashguard- would probably irritate my skin rubbing against it and it might not hold well


    4) use a piece of neoprene inside and outside of the rashguard and bond them together with aquaseal- expensive but seems like the best idea- maybe save money and bond them together with marine goop?


    any thoughts or experiences are appreciated

    i like to spear fish

  • Try contact cement from home depot. I think that works well.


    I glued 2 flip flops together with contact cement and the bond is very good.

  • I was thinking about doing the same thing on my rash guard. LB my plan was to sew a pocket on the inside of the rashguard and use a cheap walmart flip flop(usually about $2 and only 1/4-1/2" thick) cut the flip flop foam to fit inside the pocket. Then remove the foam for washing and replace to go spearing.

  • LB I know you got out yesterday did you get to try out your newly modified rash guard? I cut a pad out of foam today and wrapped it in fabric I just need to attach it. Howd you go about doing it and how does it work?

  • Glue a piece of 1.5mm on each side (inside and out of the rash guard), or one side with the nylon removed-and used the removed nylon on the inside. I would never use aquaseal on a wetsuit again. It is too hard and stiff. Glue the exposed foam. I would use a flexible neoprene glue.

    "Whiskey don't make liars, it just makes fools. So, I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said."
    -James McMurtry

  • alright I went ghetto fabulous on my loading pad because i needed it for a dive today. took foam and cut it to appropriate shape(I used a piece of puzzle piece looking garage foam flooring available at hardware stores) and used contact cement to attach it to the rashguard. it survived 3 hours in the water today. its not as flexible as desired but it works.

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