Repairing waders can be a huge pain in the butt, which is the reason that they need to be stored in the proper manner. If they are stored in the proper manner, a good pair of waders, whether they be breathable or neoprene, will last a very long time. If not stored properly, especially in the case off breathable waders, they can spring more leaks than a poorly built dam. Proper storage of your investment is key to minimizing leaks. The way to store waders is upside down. And in the case of breathable waders, they need to be stored inside out and upside down. If your waders are stored in these two manners, many leaks will be avoided.
When we are walking through brush along rivers and streams, inevitably punctures will occur. This is why it's always a good idea to carry a wader repair kit with you in your fishing vest. Better safe than sorry, right. Some punctures can be dealt with for at of time, but others reserve your waders to the realm of being useless. When these large tears occur in either neoprene or breathable waders there is only one solution in my opinion.
That solution is called Aquaseal. Aquaseal is a gel like substance that comes in a tube. You simply turn your waders inside out and cover the entire torn area with a liberal amount of Aquaseal and allow it to dry. This will completely save your waders and make them waterproof once again. For large punctures and tears, Aquaseal is the answer to your problem. I've saved what used to be considered un-savable waders through a tube of Aquaseal.
Many wader repairs can be accomplished through the use of a wader repair kit or a tube of Aquaseal, but sometimes waders are beyond repair. This usually results from not being stored properly (upside down), in which case pin hole leaks show up all over the place. This is a very frustrating experience (I've been through it) , and will no doubt teach you to always store your waders in the proper manner. Remember, take care of your waders, and they will take care of you. Abuse your waders and they will spring more leaks than that dam I was referring to earlier.