How do you repair plastic pants with a hole in it?

[ricky]

I'm sure all of you that use plastic pants have had this happen to you. You've leaned up against something, or caught it on a sharp edge somewhere, or like in my case, a seat spring in my truck poked through it, right through my jeans too. I've done this to several pairs of plastic pants, and it's really irritating too. My jeans I can patch with those iron on patches, but they don't make anything like that for plastic pants.

What I've found to be the most effective so far is a patch kit for a swimming pool liner. It has a small piece of clear plastic patch material, and some glue that will work underwater, so it's great for using on plastic pants. I also use a different type of glue because the pool patch glue tube wasn't very big and you will run out quickly if you have to make several repairs. This other stuff is called "Plastruct, Plastic Weld". It's described as a "General purpose plastic solvent cement", and I got it at an Ace hardware store that has a small Hobby section with models and such, but I'm sure it's available at most hobby stores too. This stuff works ok for repairing the seams of the plastic pants where the front and back sections come together on each side. I say "ok" because it doesn't always hold very well. You have to make sure that everything is really clean, and you have to hold pressure on the repair until the glue has had time to set up. Then it's a pretty good repair.

But there has to be something out there that will work better, right?

What I'd like to know is if anyone else has tried to repair their plastic pants, and how you did it, and how sucessful was it, did it hold up?

Please feel free to suggest other ideas too.

Thanks, Rick.

[Paul Martin]

Ricky,
When I get a small hole in my plastic pants that I'm not yet ready to toss out, I get a roll of first aid tape and cut off a small piece and place on the outside of the pants. It's waterproof for an extended period of time and it will prevent a leak at that point. It's worked for me for a long time.
I also use it when I get a small crack in the vinyl at the leg openings. Those small tears are painful in biting into your leg.
Give it a try. It's pretty cheap! ............Paul Martin

[ricky]

Ricky,
When I get a small hole in my plastic pants that I'm not yet ready to toss out, I get a roll of first aid tape and cut off a small piece and place on the outside of the pants. It's waterproof for an extended period of time and it will prevent a leak at that point. It's worked for me for a long time.
I also use it when I get a small crack in the vinyl at the leg openings. Those small tears are painful in biting into your leg.
Give it a try. It's pretty cheap! ............Paul Martin

Thanks for the tip Paul. Yeah, I really hate it when they begin to crack around the elastic, that's painful for sure.

This first aid tape, is it clear? I'm not familiar with it. The only tape I'm aware of is that cloth like tape for bandages. That's not the stuff you're talking about is it?

[Paul Martin]

Ricky,
The white tape that sort of looks like cloth is what I use. It will stick out as an obvious repair, but it will stand up to washings a long time. It's pretty much waterproof for a long time.The clear tape works, but it will come off after a short time. ...............Paul Martin

[ricky]

Ricky,
The white tape that sort of looks like cloth is what I use. It will stick out as an obvious repair, but it will stand up to washings a long time. It's pretty much waterproof for a long time.The clear tape works, but it will come off after a short time. ...............Paul Martin

WOW!!!


I never would have guessed that. I've used that tape for extra wrapping on band aids and such on my hands, but it always seems to come loose. I wonder if what I have is the same thing you're talking about, it doesn't sound like it does it?

Thanks again for the tip Paul, I appreciate it. That will work good for a quick fix. The stuff I've been using is more or less permanent, when done correctly.

Take care,

Rick

[DDS]

I found a product that repairs holes and rips in vinyl that works excellent on plastic pants. The product is called VLP and is made for the repair of vinyl & leather. The name of the company that produces it is Performix. It comes in a yellow tube and is made by the same company that makes the plasti-dip products. It is a clear chemical adhesive that bonds with the vinyl. It dries clear and remains very flexible. I've repairred dozens of holes and small tears without having to use a patch of any type. If used carefully you have difficulty seeing the repaired area. The product claims to never rip in the same area again and so far it has lived up to it's claim. I even used it to repair a 30"+ rip in the inseam of a pair of vinyl rain pants. I can honestly say that the repaired rip is still repaired after repeaded use. I found it at a Menards store.