Can anyone recommend an EASY neoprene kayak skirt? A few times in my boating life, I have seen both men and women with VERY thin neo skirts that were effortless to put on. Implosion resistance isn’t an issue. We just are looking for a super easy skirt for our touring boats (don’t want nylon).
I just purchased an IR J-Lo Women’s Spray skirt for my wife. While it is much more comfortable on her waist, she still lacks the physical strength to stretch it on the cockpit. It’s frustrating to watch her struggle through numerous attempts before she finally gets it over the cockpit. It really does not appear to be any easier to stretch on than our Snap Dragon bungee skirt.
Searching online, it seems that all skirts that not presently billed as “bombproof” or “super tough” is always billed as “easy to get on and off”. Therefore, I need some input from folks outside the industry. Many years back, I had a whitewater instructor with a skirt that so easy, he could put it on with ONE hand, so I know SOMEONE out there might still make them.
Cockpit dimensions of our other boats that our other neoprene skirts fit:
NC 17 Quest 31 X 16
Perception Shadow 35 X 18.5
Dagger RPM 34 X 19
Wave Sport X 34 X 19
Thankz
Snap Dragon…
The IR J-Lo is a whitewater skirt which is why it is a bitter stiffer. The easiest neoprene skirt I’ve come across is the basic Snap Dragon Ocean Trek skirt (non reinforced). The neoprene they use is much softer than the stuff they used to use which makes it much less stiff although it takes on a bit more water compared to the old stiff version. As for the waist tunnel for your wife, I would suggest that you simply cut off a few inches off the top of the tunnel when you get the new skirt as it really won’t make any difference and it will be much more comfortable.
http://www.snapdragondesign.com/products.asp
Second the Snapdragon, also Seals
We just got my third Snapdragon skirt. The first is my beat to hell early Glacier, still a good backup. The second is an Ocean Trek with a sewn-in bungie and a waffle-top neo deck (Suprex tunnel) that while very well-used remains easily stretched, suffers boats across the top of it without a mark and stays satisfactorily taut. The third (for the Piedra) is a new all neo design for WW boats specifically designed for women, with a particularly stretchy but strong neo deck, medium bungie and a shorter, tapered tunnel for women.
The Snapdragon skirts go on easily and wear like iron. I have strong arms for my size but hands and wrists are not as strong. My only minor complaint about them is that the grab loop always needs to be beefed up with plastic tubing or a wiffle ball. Seems that Snapdragon leaves that part for the user to customize - I'm lazy and wouldn't mind if they took a stab at it themselves.
My Seals skirt is good too, though the deck is a little less stretchy. I have whatever is their top sea touring skirt, supplex tunnel on neo deck.
One note with Snapdragon - it is worth asking for a catalogue. They have lots of nice options to choose among and it never seems that the website covers them as well as the printed catalogue.
Also worth mentioning that my husband has also had Kokatat and Valley skirts, and we keep coming back to Snapdragon or Seals for skirts that wear hard and function well for the touring boats.
Consider SD large rather than medium
Sizing charts may say medium for most of your boats.
I would consider going with a snap dragon large deck though, rather than medium. The sizing charts recommend medium on my Tempest 170, but large is water tight and much easier to put on. I already had the large from my former Tempest 180.
Paul S.
Brooks
Brooks has a couple models with shock cord that you can tie tighter or looser. I own an older one like that made by brooks and it’s showing some age but still holding up fine.
Mountain Surf…
Stay away from a properly fitted Mountain Surf skirt…
Tough to put on, but won’t go anywhere once it it’s on!!!
Wildwasser
by Prijon works well. Feathercraft has nice neo skirts too but the rand is pretty thick and it slips on plastic cockpit rims.
Seals is my choice
I have a really nice one I got from REI. At first it is a little stiff, but after 2 seasons of use, I can pop it right on and off. I work out with weights during the off season so that I have the upper body strength for my kayak adventures. 
Donna