On 18-Mar-2006, Wilko wrote:

I talked the owner down to 10 Euro's

Good price!!!

-I want to add a relief zipper.

Can this be done by someone handy enough to replace the latex gaskets,
or do you recommend having it done by a company who specializes in that

If you're brave, you could do this yourself. The biggest problem is finding the
zipper. Perhaps a dive shop could help if there are no local paddling shops
that can get it.

Almost anyone can do the basic work (even a lot of friendly neighbourhood
sewing enthusiasts). The only really hard part is testing it for waterproofness
to some standard that a company like Kokatat might do. That is - it might
stand up to pooled water but leak at the pressure of even a metre or so of
depth. If you jump into a local lake to test, you can fix the waterproofness
with well-placed beads of Aquaseal.

-I want to add neoprene gaskets over the latex ones, in part to prevent
scratch and UV damage as well as to keep the water out even better.

Scratch and UV? - yes; water out? - no.

I can do it myself, cutting up an old thin wetsuit and sewing on the
gaskets myself. Still, I prefer it done by someone who knows what
they're doing... :-)

Rather than neoprene, just use some nylon or polyester fabric. You could
make an adjustable cuff to cover and sew it on. Then waterproof the seam.

-I was thinking about having latex socks added to it instead of gaskets.

Here I'd recommend neoprene. You might even find generic neoprene socks
that will do.

Mike