Gasket failure: timing is everything

Latex drysuit gaskets are like the flowers of the field, which whither and passeth away.  Yea verily. Or more specifically, a gasket will get limp and weak, it will develop fine cracks, its edge will deteriorate, and eventually it will rip. A neck gasket can deteriorate and rip after only a year or so of heavy use, and while in my experience wrist gaskets may last as long as the fabric of a dry suit, wrist gaskets also rip. I've replaced a lot of neck gaskets and a few wrist gaskets.  When I go on a multi-day road or river trip, I bring spare gaskets and the materials and equipment needed to replace them. 

Gaskets rip when you're putting on or taking off your dry suit.  If you're lucky, a gasket will rip when you're taking off your dry suit, so you can go home and repair it before your next kayak outing.  If you're unlucky, a gasket will rip when you're putting on your dry suit, which will force you to try to repair it with duct tape while your buddies wait impatiently, or which can screw up your plans for the day.

I just finished a week-long kayak fishing road trip in Oregon, which was supposed to culminate with the Oregon Rockfish Classic, although the weather didn't cooperate and the tournament was cancelled.  I brought a spare neck gasket and repair equipment with me, but didn't bring a wrist gasket with me because I so rarely rip wrist gaskets.  So as you might predict, during the week one of my wrist gaskets got weaker and weaker.  Every time I put on or took off my dry suit, I crossed my fingers and hoped that the wrist gasket would survive.  The wrist gasket finally ripped as I took off my drysuit on the afternoon of the ORC banquet and raffle. The timing was perfect.  I was through fishing and headed home after the banquet.  Now I have all week to replace the wrist gasket, and I no longer need to worry about that wrist gasket every time I put on and take off my dry suit.

My left wrist gasket ripped sometime while I was on the river Saturday (at ORC), and I only noticed it after I reached under my kayak to insert my cart in the scuppers.  My wrist got wet and I could feel the cold water coming in.   Worst part about it is that I just replaced all my gaskets earlier this spring.   

Guess I know what I am doing this week.  At least the wrist is super easy to replace compared to the neck.