by Kokatat, and 2 shortie and 2 long breatheable drytops (spare for me and loaners to newbies). So, it's not like I don't have the gear. I like drysuits when it's really cold. Right now, I think they're TOO HOT. I like getting out of the boat, taking the drytop off and just chillin'. I am constantly wet, even with a drysuit (from sweat), since surfing and whitewater play always seem to involve bursts of high energy paddling and/or going over.
I dunno, once the water hit the 50 mark and the air temps as they are now, the drysuit feels claustrophobic to me. Again, I feel okay dressing for minimal immersion time since I pretty confident with by recovery and self rescue skills. So, I don't necessarily recommend what I wear for someone else.
I’ve used my DUI… I’ve used my DUI Flex 50 for a few winter paddles before getting a Kokatat drysuit. I would only want to use a suit with a trilaminate top, crushed neoprene is too heavy. It worked pretty well, very hard to get the neoprene sprayskirt on but it just made it (luckily I never got around to attaching the thigh pockets). Obviously, the suit doesn’t breathe and is not well suited to warmer weather.
Rowley’s Bay is a bit warmer than being out in the depths of the cribs. I paddled to Rock Island 2 weeks ago with my shorty wetsuit, and was glad to be able to swim as I was HOT! I could not imagine wearing my drysuit in the recent heat that we have been having. I tried it once when it was 70 out, and was very uncomfortable and swimming in my own sweat after a short paddle.
I don’t have a roll yet, but am confident in my ability to do a paddle float re-entry or re-enter and roll up with the float. If you can get into your boat fairly quickly and/or are surrounded by paddling partners, why live with the discomfort of a steamy dry suit unless the water is below 50F?
Tell Me About It! I was in Chigago mid last week through the weekend. High 90’s, humid and landlocked. Okay, okay… the Great Lake is there but I was working.
I have only paddled once in Lake Michigan - a short paddle near the shore. However, I just got back from Quebec where I kayaked in the St. Lawrence - water temperature in the 40's to low 50's and air temperature sometimes in the low 80's. I did vary what I wore underneath the drysuit, according to the air temperature. If I got a bit too warm, I just put my hands in the water. It worked every time.
I don't roll yet. Last year when I was kayaking on the Saguenay, I took a safety course so I was doing some "swimming" in the fjord. The water in the fjord was 42 degrees and I was comfortably warm in my dry-suit with several layers underneath.
