I recently ordered and received a nice Valley full neoprene skirt, last Sunday I went out paddling, did a couple of rolls and surprise, surprise……… I got some water in from the top. Not a lot, just a few drops but I was expecting a full neoprene skirt to be totally waterproof.
How watertight is your neo skirt?
A few drops!! OK by me
My all neo skirts are good enough that I can do a rolling session without needing to bail afterwards.
I dress for immerson and do not expect that I will not have at least a pint of water in the boat after I paddle (assuming rolls and fun)
Some water also
I get water through the top of the tube when I roll as well in both my sea kayak and my white water boat.
I think it’s unreasonable to expect that a skirt will be “bone dry” in all cases. A skirt has to do a pretty tough job.
How does the neo skirt compare to other skirts you have used?
My Valley all neo skirt
Is pretty waterproof, much more so than my Kokatat all neo skirt.
I may get a few drops in over the top of the tunnel when rolling, but very little.
What size tunnel did you get? My Kokatat has an XL that lets in much more water, when not mated with my dry suit. My Valley skirt has size L tunnel so it fits snugger and is more water tight.
What I like best about the Valley skirt is that it does not let in any water at the coaming. My Kokatat skirt weeps water both when on my Aquanaut and on my Romany. That is the main reason I got the Valley skirt.
Neo vs Neo-nylon
The full neo skirt is definetely an improvement vs the neo-nylon.
I’m ok with the few drops I get in, just wondering how waterproof these skirts are since I never tried one before.
Skirt size
I got a L, it’s actually pretty snug on me.
Agree about the coaming, very waterproof there.