I’ve never owned a dry suit. In fact, I’ve never put one on. I’ve just been browsing web deals on dry suits now that the cold season is closing, and I’m wondering what details/features should I be looking for?
First and foremost, how important is a relief zipper!? If nature should call while I’m on the water in a zipperless dry suit how much of a pain/hassle is it?
Thanks in Advance
its a pain
I have pee’d into a bottle while wearing a front entry drysuit and sitting in my kayak. After that trip I bought a drysuit with a relief zipper.
Dry suit items
My three cents:
- Get a relief zipper.
- Get booties.
- Get booties that are the correct size.
Amen (NM)
a necessity in my mind…
relief zipper is a must - along with booties that fit!
And get…
Goretex. Do not buy a non-breathable suit. I have a Kokatat GFER and smile every time I put it on.
Agreed…
If you don’t purchase a breathable drysuit with relief zipper and breathable booties (not latex ankle cuff or latex booties) you will wish you had. Unfortunately, it’s one of those ‘cry now or cry later’ situations. Good luck!
I watched a guy take off his spray
deck with neo tunnel to pee before he got in the boat. The chest zipper is long enough to accomodate but try that in a boat. If you like the sport, a quality dry suit with the good options is fabulous. Everything else just introduces problems.
Dogmaticus
Chest zipper is long enough?
something else must be a whopper. (John Holmes died about 20 years ago)I have two drysuits, a Kokatat and a “B” pod and I sure couldn’t use the chest zipper for “relief”. I sent my "B pod in and had a relief zipper installed. Best money I ever spent.
I have never had to go while in my boat
but my dry suit has a front zipper and when out of the boat I do not need relief zipper. I would get booties and not worry about the zipper. I would also only buy a front zipper dry suit but that is just me.
That’s funny!
Actually, men with short torso’s for the size drysuit they have, have an easier time using the front entry zipper for relief… Problem is that you still need to take off your life jacket and your skirt so that you can use that means of relief.
Suz
For a while, Stohlquist was advertising
the chest zip was long enough to make a pee zip not necessary. But then the lifejacket and spraydeck get in the way of the fishing tackle, so off they come. Another buddy bought bibs without a pee zip. After 3 hours in the boat he was desperate. Absolutely desperate. We landed and kit was flying. Life jacket, spray deck, drytop (which had to be unrolled as it was a Kokatat), then the bibs headed south. All this stuff was lying on the kelp, just so he could take a pee.
Dogmaticus
NRS
NRS had a model at about half price so I bought it. They run large. Very large. No need for a relief zipper. There’s plenty of room to unzip and bring the pee cup INTO the suit.
haven’t found a pee zip
neccesary. Aaron and I have 3 full seasons on our drysuits. I pee before putting it on, and I think in 3 years(100 2-7 hour paddles) I’ve had to “pop the top” maybe 3 times; no big deal, good to take a break anyways, stretch, get some air.
Woyd(s) o’ advise…
– Last Updated: Mar-18-09 9:08 AM EST –
Fer all ye dudes wit relief zippers - be very, very careful dat yer "man skeg" (or rudder, watever ye prefer) be fully retracted an' stowed before yer zip back up. Gadzooks, dem big waterproof zippers kin do a partial Lenora Babbitt on yer.... duck tape ta de rescue.
FE
IMO, a relief zip is mandatory, as are…
…booties, either Gore-Tex or latex. I’ve owned suits with and without them and I would not be without either one again. The other feature I like is a double tunnel, which is really just a flap that goes over the spray skirt tunnel.
- relief and booties
Think of it this way, catergogregory99, without the releif zipper, you’ll be stretching the neck gasket on and off repeatedly, ruining the neck gasket to take a whizz.
The booties are, in a word, mandatory.
guess my prostates
still in good shape! Plus i sweat a bit with my paddling/poling style, which must provide bladder relief. never needed a pee zip, and find after awhile, the suit goes on and off real easy.
Try this…
– Last Updated: Mar-19-09 4:38 PM EST –
http://www.bodyboatblade.com/else-clearance.php5
Full lifetime warranty on these even if used. For a very reasonable fee, they can be sent in to Kokatat, tested for leaks and necessary repairs made.
relief zip + feet