Looking to upgrade from sweatpants and sweaters which I wear as a midweight layer over a polypropylene base layer, to a one piece setup. Has anyone got any recommendations for this article of clothing. It needs to have a zipper or other opening to take a whiz through the drysuit’s relief zipper. Preferably capable of keeping core temp up if submersed for say 30-40 minutes in 34 degree water. Assuming dry suit keeps 100% of water out. Seems that the Kokatat Polartec 100 is very popular based on wide availability. Anyone using this and have any opinions on it? Any one using the NRS union suit?
Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Well,
My dive instructor did our check out dive wearing suit pants, white shirt and argyle socks in 50F water and came up sweating. Of course that was a diving dry suit. With the no-air exchange I would be concerned about over dressing and getting uncomfortable. I think a nice layer of fleece would be sufficient to keep you warm any most water.
why not try it out. Put on what you think will work, do a few exercises to get the body up to temp and then jump in some cold water.
what I use
A Stohlquist one piece fleece union suit made of 100% nylon. It has a double ended zipper and knit cuffs. Cost less than $100. Comes out of the washer dry… Keeps you warm, even when wet.
Why so pricey?
I don’t see why the Kokatat union suit is so pricey. I looked at one at Campmore tonight. $105.
I’ll stick with separate tops and bottoms. For the same bucks I get more versatility.
Got one of these…
when I bought the dry suit. Also have fleece (200 weight)top and bottoms to go over it and then the drysuit over everything
http://www.altrec.com/shop/detail/27541/
wicks nicely
Andy
I wear
200 weight fleece bottoms (campmor)because my legs tend to get colder and REI polypro tops long or short sleeve as the air temp requires because my torso generates heat from paddling.
I also wear capilene shirts but the REI stuff feels softer and stays warmer even when damp from swaeting.
I’m mostly on smaller rivers so I don’t expect to be swimming for more than a few minutes at a time. On open water where a swim could be longer I’m inclined to add a layer if the water temp calls for it.
You don’t need a zipper
– Last Updated: Dec-29-06 9:38 AM EST –
I have draw string Polartec pants and you can easily get to the apparatus with no problem.
Once you have a wicking layer and absorber layer I think you could literally shop at Walmart. Now days, synthetic polartec type fabrics are everywhere and they work well. If you want to brand shop then do so, but I don't think you are gaining any better warmth.
My warmest fleece is a Columbia (non-polartec) one and I have a lot of Genuine Real Official Polartec too.
polartec 100
too warm many days, generally fine, designed for men with no bellys