1) If a drysuit leaks (which is not uncommon), you are much worse off than with a wetsuit
True. Although I always get into the water and immerse myself - as much to 'burp' the drysuit as to check for leaks. So before I get into a critical situation, I'm reasonably sure it's watertight.
2) A drysuit is much more likely to fail at the wrong time than a wetsuit (e.g. zippers stuck, rubber gaskets crack, etc)
I think careful inspection and my answer above takes this concern off the table. I have had the stitching on a wetsuit zipper come undone during a trip, though.
3) There is ongoing maintenance cost associated with a drysuit (e.g. the rubber gaskets need to be replaced every 4-6 months even if you take good care of them)
I think 4-6 months is way pessimistic based on my experience but I'll let others weigh in. But how long does an oft-used wetsuit need replacing or repairing?
4) The drysuit is baggy and may be uncomfortable for very snug fitting cockpit (which is the case for both my whitewater and sea kayak)
True. But I burp it well enough, and my kayak is padded out to fit me like a pair of jeans. And in severe cold, if you're wearing a wetsuit for immersion, your movement is going to be just as restricted.
5) It is difficult to get a perfect fit for your neck and wrist because the gaskets only come in a few sizes. Too tight, it will cut your blood circulation and make your face red or your hands numb. Too loose, sand will get in when you surf at the beach. (I was told that it is not a good idea to cut the gasket that is too tight because it will reduce the strength and durability of the gasket)
You can trim the gaskets on most drysuits.
6) The drysuit may give you the false sense of security to go out in conditions unsafe for your skill level
Superman's cape might do the same thing - or a wetsuit. that's on the user to determine, not the suit.
7) The drysuit may make you think it is OK to wet exit in case of a capsize, rather than putting in the effort to learn AND bombproof your combat rolls
In my case it allows me to practice rolls more often than without, in cold conditions, because it insulates me.
In the end they both have advantages/disadvantages and appropriate uses. If I were kayak surfing near shore I might want a wetsuit and neo jacket. And in calm conditions with no wind and warm air, I might don the shorty wetsuit from time to time. In the end Derek Hutchinson is right - as your aptitude increases so can your latitude regarding what to wear.
It can but it’s a bad idea A drysuit that really provides a lot of floatation will inhibit wet exiting a boat as well as complicate getting back into it. It does provide a smidge as the day goes on and you heat up under it - but if anyting that’s a signal to burp it once in a while while in the boat.
disadvantages of a drysuit "3) There is ongoing maintenance cost associated with a drysuit (e.g. the rubber gaskets need to be replaced every 4-6 months even if you take good care of them)"
I don’t know where you came up with that. I’ve had mine for going on two years, use it all the time and haven’t had to change a gasket yet.
And if a person gets the impression you describe in 6) and 7) in a drysuit, they’ll get it in a wetsuit too.
My neck gaskets only make it several months, granted. I just have bad skin chemistry and frankly would rather get gaskets replaced than stop using all skin care products. But my wrist gaskets have never gone - still original three plus years and hours of hard wear later.
If the drysuit is prohibitively baggy, you probably have the wrong size (I can attest to that from my own experience). But my too-baggy suits are both fine in both the Inazone 220 and a pretty tiny cockpit in my Explorer LV.
The bit that a drysuit will make you careless - that's a personal trait and the drysuit has nothing to do with it. The same Darwin award winner that will do something over their head because they are wearing a drysuit will also go out on a hot day when the water is still 55 degrees in a bathing suit and nothing else.
Side note - People who have recently gained what would usually be deemed intermediate skills often seem to have host of arguments about why others aren't working on their own skills properly. As part of my step program, I have to admit that I fell victim to this one for a while too.
Neck gaskets can be trimmed, can be left on the loose side and rolled for addional tightness (a cold water diver's trick) - lots of ways to manage that adjustment.
I have major respect for the suits the surfers wear and, were I to be doing that, would probably look at the high end ones of them rather than a drysuit. I think they are very much worth a look. But for the usual long boat situation, drysuits are a pretty good choice.
Silly dissuasion You want the drysuit, admit it. While it has some disadvantages, they’re nothing like what you’re trying to convince yourself with this contrived list.
“1) If a drysuit leaks (which is not uncommon), you are much worse off than with a wetsuit”
I’ve heard few stories about drysuit leaks. It may not be uncommon but it’s not common, either. And I wonder how many leaks are from people failing to zip the zipper completely.
“2) A drysuit is much more likely to fail at the wrong time than a wetsuit (e.g. zippers stuck, rubber gaskets crack, etc)”
Your zipper and gaskets warn you when they need maintenance or replacement. I bought my drysuit 5 yrs ago and only in the last year has one of the gaskets (the neck gasket) showed signs of drying out and cracking. As above, if you’re not sloppy, you’ll notice the warning signs.
“3) There is ongoing maintenance cost associated with a drysuit (e.g. the rubber gaskets need to be replaced every 4-6 months even if you take good care of them)”
See above. Don’t be oblivious when things tell you they need care. But every 4 to 6 months? Maybe in a rental drysuit. Not likely with an individual’s own suit.
“4) The drysuit is baggy and may be uncomfortable for very snug fitting cockpit (which is the case for both my whitewater and sea kayak)”
No more so than with other clothing.
“5) It is difficult to get a perfect fit for your neck and wrist because the gaskets only come in a few sizes.”
I have a pencil neck and I haven’t had any problem with this. The gaskets are stretchy rubber, not woven nylon. The only case where I think it’d be a problem is if you are incredibly, morbidly obese. And then you wouldn’t be paddling anyway. And cutting the gaskets to get the right fit does not harm them. Most people trim at least one of their gaskets.
“6) The drysuit may give you the false sense of security to go out in conditions unsafe for your skill level
7) The drysuit may make you think it is OK to wet exit in case of a capsize, rather than putting in the effort to learn AND bombproof your combat rolls”
Any immersion clothing might have this effect, including a PFD. The drysuit itself does NOT control your thought process. Good grief.
Learning the skills and wearing a drysuit are not mutually exclusive. In fact, I’d hazard that most people willing to spend the $$$$ on a good drysuit are also putting in the effort to learn and practice appropriate skills.
Disadvantage of a wetsuit… Cold feet - at least if you are kneeling in a canoe. Didn’t matter how many layers of neoprene socks I put on, water always worked its way in and I ended up with cold feet. I put up with it for a couple of years, but finally sprung for a drysuit this year. What a difference.
If I could have figured out a way to keep my feet warm, I would probably still be wearing a wetsuit. Now that I have a drysuit, though, I really do prefer it.
Every time a top ten list comes up about paddling gear, it seems that anything which promotes dry feet lands int here. I never noticed the feet thing until I had the drysuit, now I notice it a lot any time I paddle not in the suit.
Sweating in drysuit Meny people will get sweaty with a drysuit, since you should always dress for the water temperature. In cold weather it is very important to use insulating layers that insulate even when wet. There is comprehensive information at this URL:
Interesting thought process … The only point I might agree with is No. 6. I paddle with people that maybe don’t have the appropriate skills and yet extend the season because they are in drysuits. I’ve often wondered if the drysuit boosts their confidence. But, I really think it’s more likely just an acceptable calculated risk. Funny thing though, the same applies to wetsuits. I see no difference, other than a comfort factor for me.
Lots of folks seem to get hung up with the cost of a drysuit. I have five right now and have sold one previously. None of these were purchased new and all needed to be reconditioned. Matter of fact I just finished putting on a new wrist gasket from one of the newer suits. I also recently finished reconditioning another old suit. When I got it it had mostly original gaskets that were 16 years old. The wrists and one ankle gasket were still functional, but I replaced them anyway as insurance.
BTW, gaskets come in a host of sizes from xxs-xxl for neck and xs-xl for wrists.
What about DWR? I know how important washing and drying with high heat is to maintaining the Durable Water Repellancy of gore-tex. How do you do this with a drysuit? Or do the suits simply wet out?
B-pod and NRS Well the NRS is signifiantly larger than the B-pod but I am going to keep them both so I can alternate every other day giving each suit a chance to dry out naturally instead of forced heat from the peopane heater I have in the garage.
Gaskets on the NRS suit are surprisingly comfortable. No issues there. I really like the drawstring bungee cord on the NRS suit but will be replacing it with a thicker bungee shortly.
The zipper is exposed and in a way that is great because I am not getting the flap caught in velcro everywhere but it probably will introduce more foreign matter and I will have to maintain and monitor that zipper more closely. It is pretty stiff but not too bad. The good thing about this is that I do not need a relief zipper as it is big enough to maneuver the regular zipper around. This does make it kinda bulky and oversize on the upper chest area but it really isn’t that much of a problem especially after putting on a pfd.
The booties are more robust than the B-Pod which makes me happy. I have always worn the suit with shoes to protect the booties anyway and will do the same with the NRS suit.
I even like the light grey with the dark grey.
I am waiting for my drysuit hood 5mm Henderson which should be here shortly and will be out rolling without a tuiliq for the first time in I don’t know when.
If you are looking for an inexpensive dry suit which appears to be great quality this one looks real good so far. I don’t know what the differences are between breathability of these suits but frankly, I think the whole breathability thing is completely overrated and more of a sales/marketing tool. You have a skirt on and a pfd. What breathes? Your arms? Ok ok…please don’t start a flame war…just my opinion anyway.
I don't think so If you rinse after every use and wash with woolite once and a while it should last---I've had mine for almost a year---wear it often winter, spring and fall and have not had any problem with it, including the gaskets---who in hell told you they would have to be replaced every 6 months???? On what brand??---tell me so I will never buy one(I've got an NRS Extreme Relief which I really like, although the neck gasket is a bit tight but if I go in with it, that's a good thing.)
and BTW the only disadavantage that I can think of as valid is one that you didn't mention. A dry suit is quite expensive compared to other pieces of paddling equipment.
Agree also Your choice of wear really depends a lot on your skills, not leaving out judgment. That said, I’ve used both the wetsuit/jacket combo and finally got a full-on drysuit. I would be very sad if I had to go back to wetsuit. The DS is a pain to get on and off, expensive, and requires maintenance, but it is SOOOO dadgum convenient in the winter it’s not even funny. If there’s any way you can get one, do it. And I think this is something with a high potential for dissatisfaction so I followed the rule that the cheap man pays twice, and just went ahead and got a good one to start with. I’m “over” the expense now, but still loving the suit.
The best safety is through skills and judgment though, don’t expect a DS to make you magically impervious to nature. But it DOES make you magically impervious to being soaking wet and changing clothes in a windy freezing cold parking lot! : )
nope no dryer for me. not saying it dowsn’t work but it seems like it would give more chances for delamination etc. Probably talking through my hat but as I get older I do that more often…
I thought the issue was that heat is… …bad for the latex seals…and maybe the zippers? Gore-tex cleaning instructions say to throw the garment in the dryer on medium heat (I think) after washing to rejuvenate the DWR. I didn’t think it was a delaminating issue.
My limited experience with trying to keep DWR’s going on a drysuit has been mediocre at best and I would be curious to see if anyone has met this issue with consistent success. Unless you’re willing to subject your zips and seals to the heat of the dryer, about all you can do is spray on your DWR of choice.
Last time I checked there was a new company out of Britain, Granger’s, that independent testing had shown that it’s products were lasting longer than the others. Even using them, however, didn’t seem to work very well for me. I don’t know if it’s the saltwater that wrecks havoc with the DWR or what, but I’ve about given up on DWR actually functioning for my suit in saltwater. I can carefully follow the direction and it seems that a little bit of saltwater immersion and I’d never have know I just spent an hour treating the suit. …arrgghh… is there a ‘better’ way?
Goals You really have to examine your paddling goals. If you’re not quite sure how serious you are, a drysuit can be a huge chunk of change to cough up.
I think starting out with a wetsuit and drytop is a perfectly valid way to go. If you’re very new to the sport, I’d posit you probably want to avoid extreme cold conditions until you gain skill/comfort during the warmer season anyway. To that end, a well fitting wetsuit and accessories is a very versatile piece of equipment. Even if you decide in the future to purchase a drysuit, this doesn’t mean you’ll never find use for the wetsuit. I just don’t buy people’s notion that drysuits are suitable for all conditions; during the middling months when the air is warm and the water cool (not cold), I think the wetsuit is probably the superior option. This is especially true if you see yourself paddling across multiple “disciplines” such as river running, whitewater, recreation, ocean, etc.
hair dryer? I just bought a suit from Kayak Academy. On the phone (haven’t read the manual yet), Barb recommended using a hair dryer to restore the DWR (and keeping the heat away from the latex). She said that the heat just softens the DWR and brings it out from the inside to the surface. When that no longer works, she recommended Revive-X.
