Relief zipper

Advice
#1

I’ve got a pretty good deal on a slightly used dry suit, but it doesn’t have a relief zipper. Is a gore-tex dry suit for $375 worth it without relief?

#2

Depends (pun intended)
on how long you can hold it. It wouldn’t be worth it for me.

#3

Really does depend
My NRS suit is large enough that I can use the main zipper to effect a “trajectory relief manuever” if necessary. If you want the convenience of going while still in the boat, the relief zipper is a necessity.



So if you’re a land-leaker, you got a great deal.

#4

good deal
if you want the zipper you can call here:



OUTERWEAR REPAIR

800-595-8552

Brenda Wiley





or any number of places to get one put in the place I cited above has done good work for me.





No interest no kickbacks from brenda etc.

#5

I have never had a problem
waiting until I got to shore. Once there it is really not to hard to slip out of my dry suit and back in. So to me the price is good, go for it.

#6

Yes
To me a relief zip is another point to fail. With a front entry suit, it is easy unzip and urinate on shore. At sea, I use a condom catheter and leg bag combo.

#7

T Chuck, I’ve often thought that would
be a good solution. It could also keep you in the tent at night.Where does one find a condom catheter?

#8

If the dry suit is a Kokatat, they can
retrofit a relief zipper. I had one added to my drysuit months after a bought it.

#9

Here
http://www.homehealthwares.com/Urologicals_*_Collection_Device/Leg_Bags_Disposable/

http://www.homehealthwares.com/Catheters/External_NonLatex/

#10

I wouldn’t be without a relief zipper…
…after having owned a dry suit with one. However, you can have one installed in the suit in question and be around $500 in total cost, which is still a good deal.

#11

relief zipper
Once you get over 50, a relief zipper is a must–simply have to pee more often. I think it’s a safety issue as well. There have been times paddling in winter at the end of a long 25 mile day that struggling out of my kit, then the dry suit, just to pee would have used energy that was pretty marginal not to mention the cold. And then you have to get it all back on again. Five minutes becomes … IMO if you get the suit, get the relief zipper retrofitted–small price for what may be more important than just convenience.

#12

Add a relief zipper
I would NOT want a drysuit without a relief zipper, but that wouldn’t stop me from taking advantage of a great deal. You can have a relief zipper added to a suit.



A company in Portland, OR that I know of. I’m sure there are others. The company I’ve used in the past is called “Mountain Soles”



Wade