Advantages and disadvantages?
feedback
I’ve got a drytop, dry-bibs, and full drysuit.
I never use my bibs anymore. I either go with the full drysuit or just the drytop.
If you don’t already have a drysuit, but have a drytop, then the bibs are a cheaper alternative to getting a drysuit. When rolled together properly with the tunnel, you can swim without taking on water for quite awhile. downside is that it is a bit more bulky due to the rolling of material around your midsection.
If you think you’ll eventually get a drysuit anyway, then pony up and get it now instead of paying for bibs now, and then drysuit later.
Dry pants are not dry
after a few uses. I like the ease of a drysuit. Bibs and a top work well as long as they are mated well.
I sewed my own tunnel onto drypants
– Last Updated: Nov-14-07 12:13 AM EST –
If I have someone help me roll the tunnel on the pants with the tunnel on the drytop, I'm fine if paddling with a bank on either side. If I don't have help, it takes me a long time to get a fairly marginal seal between the two.
Don't expect drypants without a tunnel to keep water out above the waste.
My wife has the top and pants and they
work fine for here. Of course I roll them together I don’t think she could get a good seal doing it herself.
Thanks
Yeah, I think I’ll bite the bullet and get the drysuit. Now to decide on a relief zipper.
Hi Rex
Drysuit offers better protection and ease of use. Only advantage for bib/top is cost. Knowing the kind of paddling that you do, I’d recommend a Stolhquist BPOD with relief zipper and sprayskirt tunnel.
Get the relief zipper
Dry suits are not always that much fun to get into, even worse trying to get out of. You don’t want to pee in your drysuit. And when nature calls it’s a hell of a lot easier to open the zipper than getting out of the dry suit, peeeing into the water and then getting back into the suit.
Andy
What he said…
Only decision on the B-pod is to tunnel or not to tunnel. Usually a matter of how much water is crashing into you on a regular basis.
Some tunnel-less versions on eBay! Stores.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
Some thoughts
I think it comes down to your confidence in rolling etc. I dislike the feel of dry suits, so use neoprene pants or shorts with a dry top.
When surfing in the HP boat it’s a one piece top spray deck combo from Peak UK. Sea Paddling it’s an Extrasport Xpert Flex Plus with neo shorts or pants.
Recently got a Brooks Tuilik that is mass cool, and I’m gonna surf with it.
I’m messing about with Greenland rolls etc and having a ball. That Tuilik is very cool.
Being able to move is soo nice. For me drysuits, with the big zippers, combined with a spray deck tunnel and PFD equate to a really restrictive situation.
If I were instructing all the time and in the water I’d do the drysuit gig. JMO
Immersion Research Double D
I just got one of these and it is the best drysuit I have owned. The ‘back’ zipper is actually very easy to use and I find getting in and out much easier than a chest zipper. And the tunnel is much better without a zipper getting in the way.
Plus customer service is top notch.
Many Thanks
I’ll check that one out.
How Things Feel
I understand about the feel of things. I had a Hydroskin top that felt so clammy and restrictive that I sold it. I bought an NRS dry jacket that feels much better and I’ve been using it with Hydroskin pants. Works very well but if it gets really cold I’d prefer something warmer and dryer than the Hydroskin.
Where did you find a DD?
When I talked to the guys at IR last month, they didn’t think they would have any availble 'til Dec
I got lucky and santa came early. NM