I’m in the market for a new drysuit and am wondering
if the overskirt band option is worth bothering with.
I’ve had a drytop and a full drysuit with an overskirt
and still got water into the cockpit anyway so I’m thinking it’s not worth fiddling with all that extra clutter to only prevent SOME water egress into the cockpit.
Just looking for opinions from people who have had suits with and/or without this option.
Not worrying too much about the cost ,just want to make the right choice on a larger purchase.
Bert
agree
I’ve not had a full drysuit. But I had a “mated” drytop and pants. The skirt will allow some small amount of water sippage anyway. But since I’m wearing dry pants, so the water in the cockpit is unnoticable. In no ways that small amount of water will make me cold either…
Yep
I have a B-pod with the over skirt. Pain in the a$$ and still get some water intrusion when rolling.
Just as I thought
Even with a tight fitting neo skirt you will still get water in so the overskirt just means you get a little less water in. Might make sense for WW playboaters who are contantly getting bombarded but for a touring kayaker who does the occasional cooling roll…probably not worth having.
I doubt it
With the PFD over the skirt, I just can’t see how much MORE water getting in without the overskirt, even in a “normal” downriver WW run.
You have to roll quite a bit to let in enough water to matter.
The only exception would be a park-n-play WW trickster surfing the same hole for hours on end…
Yes, it’s worth it
It does help seal the top of the skirt, though nothing is 100%. Unless your dry suit is so tight around your waist that there are no folds in it, the double tunnel will help. I don’t find it to be a hassle, you just put on the skirt, flip the dry suit tunnel over it and you’re done. It takes less time that reading this.
Yep
I wear a Kokatat drysuit with a double tunnel and found that my cockpit will always be drier when I’m wearing it vs. anything else. I do roll a lot and would think much of it otherwise.
rolling
Depends entirely if you’re rolling with the drysuit on or not. If not it’s just in the way.
Bill H.
Agreed
If you’re rolling without the drysuit on, the tunnel probably won’t help much. 