Looking to buy a splash jacket. Think I need a neoprene (?) collar and sleeves. Not planning on immersion, just extending fishing season on rivers and small lakes. Using Kotatat Outer Core shirt base layer, Kokatat Tempest pants with socks. Anyone have any favorites, Kotatat, NRS, others?
Goretex paclite fabric
I have two items made with the paclite fabric. I wear them a lot more than I did other items, because they are thin and breath so well, thus comfortable. They are useful in a wide temperature range. Both of mine are made by Kokatat.
Choices
– Last Updated: Oct-01-09 11:58 AM EST –
Well, you could certainly mate a Tempest jacket to your pants, but it has a hood and is somewhat pricey. I have a Kokatat XCR action jacket which is quite nice, but has latex wrist gaskets. It appears to be discontinued - they may be on clearance at an outlet somewhere.
Kokatat Goretex Paclite material is quite nice, thin and breathable, I have pants and I've tried a jacket and it was good. IMO Kokatat designs are really good, although I have a short sleeve Squirt top in the Tropos Light fabric, which is a rare turkey from them - thin, irritating, sweaty and noisy. Spend the money on Goretex if at all possible.
For fishing, you might consider a Patagonia Skanorak. It is more jacket-like, with neoprene wrists, a stretchy fleece neck, huge pockets and a roll-up hood. It's also BRIGHT orange, if that matters. They are discontinued and available cheap. I used mine until I bought the action jacket - I have size L (quite roomy, more like xl) that needs a new home - drop me an email if interested.
Stohlquist Torrent
Nice jacket. Waterproof/breathable, neo neck and wrists with velcro adjustability, chest pocket- for less than $100. Neck fits a little small.
One more vote for…
…paclite…
IR Zephyr Jacket
The mesh lining is nice when put on over a short sleeve base layer. Doesn’t cling to you.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
Paddle jackets vs. immersion
One problem with paddle jackets/pants with wrist/ankle gaskets is that they aren’t watertight. If you swim, water gets in at the neck/waist and collects behind the gaskets. It then quickly fills the arms/legs of the garment.
I’ve been involved in several rescues where this has happened and I think these garments are dangerous. It makes getting someone back in their boat after a swim a lot harder when you and they have to deal with several pounds of trapped water around their arms or legs.
I think this may be why there are so many discontinued garments of this type.
dangerous jackets
The ability to open up the gasket and breathe may be worth the risk.
flooded arms
The only time I noticed this was when I wore the items provided by a kayak shop when I took a class. There was a lot of water in the arms after I was doing re-entries.
I lifted my arms up, one at a time, then got up on the back deck. End of the problem. Kind of a pain in the butt, but not too dangerous in my experience.
I haven’t noticed this with my clothing items, but they do have neoprene at the waist, and a means to hold it snug on the body. It might also be the properly fitting PFD, which would reduce the amount of loose fabric that would billow out and collect water when swimming.
I would have noticed this a lot (if it happened) in the last month as I was learning to roll, and swam several times.
I think a decent waist on the jacket plus a tight PFD kept the water collection down to a small amount