How to Make a Laptop Case/Bag out of an Old Wetsuit

I'm a surfer who tends to collect extra wetsuits and surfboards so all my friends can learn! In doing this, I've collected a few too many, and some are wayyyy beyond a permanent date with the dumpster. The laptop case I got as a gift says its made out of 'wetsuit neoprene' and I got the idea to make my own!

MATERIALS: 1 trashy wetsuit.
                      1 zipper, between 1.5-2 feet long.
                       Needle
                       Extra strong thread (nylon) or dental floss (to use instead of thread)
                       Scissors strong enough to cut through your wetsuit.

Step 1 Cutting Your Wetsuit!

I.) Get an old wetsuit that's trash-bound.

II.) Find an area that can fit your laptop (I chose the torso section). Cut along the fold of the wetsuit, so as to make your sewing job less, and the case stronger. Measure it slightly larger than the perimeter than your laptop to allow for your sewing and its bulk when inside. Cut it out and try to get any residual sand out of the material. (Stretch it out and scrape it with your hand or something.)

III.) Have the interior of the wetsuit be the interior of your laptop case. Sand likes to live inside wetsuits and its better that your laptop be against the inside, which tends to be sand-free.


IV.) Cut out your piece. (In the photo, you'll see that I removed the huge zipper before choosing my piece). I chose part of the upper thigh and lower torso area. Remember to make it a little larger, to have room for error. You will have 3 open edges once you have cut it out. One will be the 'fold.'

Comments

[Origurumi]

Such a coolio project! Too bad I don't have any old wetsuits lying around... :)

[kingzilla]

While certainly durable and impact resistant, wetsuit material is designed to retain moisture! (hense WETsuit)

I think you could fuse a plastic garbage bag to the outer surface pretty easily to make this waterproof.

[jessyratfink]

That's a great idea! Turned out very nice looking, too. :)