there’s a lot more blue and radish than mango available online, this time of year anyway? Because people prefer blue and radish, so those are better stocked? Or because people prefer mango, so mango is out of stock? I’ve also noticed some models don’t come in mango at all, which surprises me since it’s a classic safety color.
The above is a vailed attempt to ask, which is the best color for a dry suit? :-).
I would chose blue bottom, mango top. The blue wouldn’t show dirt, the mango would be higher visibility on the torso where at least the sleves would show. If all one color, I’d take mango. Mango might show dirt and scuffs, but it might show worn spots better, which would be a good thing.
And where’s the lime green dry suits? Kokatat used to have moss green, which I really like. I have a used DT in that color.
Thoughts,
Paul S.
best color ?
i’d say the best color for a drysuit is the color you like of the colors it comes in.
Yeah, that was helpful…
The OP has a serious, legit question…
I prefer mango for safety/visibility reasons. Others might go w/ a lower vis color, and just use a hi vis pfd…
I like both…
Some manufacturers know the mango is more desirable, so they only offer their top of the line models in it, hoping to “upsell” you.
Mango
I have Mango and like it for the safetey / visibility; however, after reading some things recently about how sharks really like things that are yellow (thus the phrase yum-yum-yellow) it has me wondering if another hi-viz color would have been better!
Matt
I didn’t want to know that!
Ya had to tell me about the yum-yum aspect of yellow, didn't ya.
I'm totally kidding. All info is good. All opinions are good. Up to the reader to decide in the end.
duhn-duhn duhn-duhn duhn-duhn
Edit: On the serious side, do manufacturers use other high vis colors than yellow? I don't think Kokatat does, anyway.
Paul S.
Logical color schemes
I got a Kokatat from the Kayak Acadamy – one they had in inventory – that was mango from the waist up and black from the waist down. Made sense to me.
My wife ordered a Ravenspring that was blue with orange arms, figuring that her orange PFD would cover her torso.
where did the moss green go?
I like the moss green!
colors
I want Moss Green too! I thought the colors were supposed to match the kayak 
Discontinued, 2005 was last year
for moss green, I think. I saw new suits on one web site recently, which said something like, “previous year model, new suits. Last chance to get moss green.” I forget which site.
Paul S.
The Color Of Money…
whichever comes cheaper on a sale, being less fashion conscious and more miserly. But, if I had a choice, yeah, pink for me.
sing
serious question …
sure it was serious .. but if all you can find in a drysuit is blue then i'd guess that's what you're going to be able to buy. - or - you could not have a drysuit and wait til hell freezes over for one to come available in your size etc., in mango. soooo, i still think if you want to paddle in cold water with a drysuit, the 'best color' is the one you can find that fits you, regardless of the color.
pink …
yes, pink is a terrific color. it matches certain corals, krill, and if in lace trim, it makes a real impression on the ladies.
I will buy light color
paddling gear so that I don’t heat up or cool down from whatever the sun and clouds are doing. Most of my gear is mango because it is highly visible and that it is the only light color choice many manufacturers will have.
It Matches Ever ything…
but for some reason the boardies tend to stay away from me… Not that I care.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1260341225043300790Hakznz
sing
custom
I think for $$$$ Kokatat will custom your color choice.
I’ve seen
more interesting colors in Canadian Shops. I don’t think MEC will deliver to the US, but here’s a nice green and black suit…
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442498919&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302872311&bmUID=1166453624768
Last suit of Tom Bergh’s was black
every stitch of it. Useful for absorbing solar radiation in antarctica.OTOH…
Buy what you can and wear a bright pfd!
Try military surplus - cheap GoreTex
For instance this link in eBay shows a Gore-Tex USAF semi-dry suit closing today – right now at $1:
http://search.ebay.com/Anti-Exposure-Dry-Suit_W0QQfromZR40QQsatitleZAntiQ2dExposureQ20DryQ20Suit
… with relief zipper.
I have two of these, but real dry suits with latex gaskets and gore-tex socks. Great stuff for those on a budget – and in Sage Green.
The zipper right across the top of the chest may annoy you a bit. I just got used to it… Some have other zipper styles (like around the back coming to ends along the sides of the chest).
I have also seen a Kokatat Navy Seal drysuit (in grey) sold for $400, like new. It was a design much like a kayaker’s drysuit – diagonal zipper across the chest, with gore-tex zipper-cover, etc.
whichever the color
it may depend what the particular retailer (hard brick or online) has in stock. Just learned last week from John at kayakproshop.com that the Kokatat factory in North Carolina (yup, that’s what they said) is backed up with orders deep into February 2007.
Just bought a women’s specific Kokatat drysuit
w. the drop relief zipper & drysocks from Kayak Academy - one left, made in Jan 2006 by the inspector tag inside - that was in Mango Women’s Small w. the extra small drysocks…was so happy to find one in that size combo I wouldn’t have really cared what color it was… altho I kinda like pink 
Sharks cannot see colors by the way. They primarily locate food by their radarlike sense of smell…so it’s how tasty you smell, not what color(s) you wear…
geeze… You sound like a load of fun