Kokatat will custom make a drysuit and others may also, but I have no idea what the may cost.
And cost is the big issue. Iād get one of their L King sizes if I could get a straight answer as to whether or not it being too baggy would be an issue. Basically, I need the chest and hip measurements of Kokatatās XXL made for a suit in their medium height size.
Iāve been emailing back and forth with another maker. Their suit materials arenāt breathable like Goretex, but they are individually made to measurement, and are more affordable, the only issue being whether or not they will make a sock to fit wide feet, because the socks they make are made for regular width feet and look to fit tight.
The Oompa Loompa suit sounds intriguingā¦ If itāll fit someone 5ā7 with a 38 waist, 50 inch chest, large thighs and calves without splitting me in two or busting a seam when I lean forward or sit, I might be interested in buying it from you, if itās for sale.
I wonder how much mileage one can get out of these suits using it 2 times per month for 7 months of the year.
Iām also surprised that dry suits still seem to rely on latex gaskets, given that so many people have latex allergies or sensitivities. Do any manufacturers offer alternatives like silicone gaskets?
There are suits with silicone gaskets. I think they are mostly dive suits.
okay Iām gonna tell you what yāall donāt want to hear- all the suits wear out. The palm delaminated so it didnāt last as long as the others but it was a closeout cheapy when they decided to no longer import to the usa.
I also hate to tell ya this but the kotatat didnāt last any longer than the cheapos. In fact out of all of them Iād say the kokatat is the most breatheable (wettest) through the fabric. I could send it back but I kinda wore it out.
Shoot me now and just string me up because I didnāt pay 1000 for each of my suits. My immersion times are short (ww rivers). I didnāt have the mythic long enough to know durability and it was very sack like. Sold it off because it didnāt fit well. Many cheapos lack pee zippers, skirt tunnels, and often donāt have a latex gasket on the neck. Personally I like the cheaper neck seal even if it is not quite as dry because of the comfort and it is less likely to blowout. For some reason they like to put latex on the feet of the cheap suits. The fabric feet are leaky but less likely to blow out than the latex. I think stohlquist has now quit making drysuits. Kokatat zippers are the most hardcore.
I guess what Iām tryinā to say is that Iām interdenominational when it comes to drysuits and boats.
the mb size is the oompa loompa, the chest is real roomy, very baggy suit- loan it out a lot because it fits lots of folks
No, you just need to be able to do a decently deep high brace or just hang off the bow of another paddlerās boat. That said, learning to roll is a good idea and cooling off is a good way to stay in practice.
Sure, but for how long? As Iāve said before, unless you actually wear through the fabric, a Gore-Tex suit is a lifetime purchase. If it delaminates, itās covered under Goreās warranty, which they will honor even if the original manufacturer goes out of business or - like Stohlquist - stops making Gore-Tex garments. They replaced my delaminated Stohlquist suit with a Kokatat.
My understanding is that they will customize existing sizes somewhat, such as shortening arms and legs. There are options you can add to some suits models as well. I donāt think they do full custom suits.
That is, until you actually wear it and discover how uncomfortable non-breathable dry suits are. If you like āstewing in your own juicesā, youāll love it. Otherwise, youāll hate it. Non-breathable fabrics are most useful for activities like scuba diving, where breathability isnāt even possible.
You make it sound like an epidemic. Of all the paddlers Iāve met over the years, I think Iāve only met one or two that had latex allergies. Itās not extremely rare, but itās not that common. Latex seals are relatively inexpensive and can be trimmed to fit paddlers comfortably, which is probably why theyāre so widely used.
Silicone seals require a rigid ring that they are pressed into, which is fine for diving, but not so much for paddling, especially the neck seal. They can be installed on a paddling dry suit, but you may not find them comfortable.
Neoprene seals are used on some suits, but theyāre generally considered āsemi-dryā, because the Velcro closure they use doesnāt seal completely like latex does. Iāve made custom neoprene seals that do seal well, but they have to be fit to the specific paddler, which makes them impractical for mass-market suits. Also, thin neoprene (<3mm), tends to be somewhat porous.
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I have zero knowledge of Silicone seals so canāt comment, however, I agree with everything else that bnystrom expressed here.
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Iāve just replaced a failing wrist gasket. Youāre absolutely right. There is no conspiracy to make paddling unsafe. I remember my first paddling trip, which was in SE Alaska, for which we were totally unprepared. One crossing on a windy day we were scared for our lives; we had pfds but no drysuits (or even wetsuits) and knew that in the wilderness a capsize could mean hypothermia and death. I vowed never to do that again. I have spent many days since then learning more paddling skills, but also now use a drysuit almost every time Iām on the water. The expense somehow seemed worth it. Live and learn! In the PNW we have beautiful paddle days in the summer, but Iām tempted to wear a wetsuit just to be prepared for immersion so that Iām not too hot while paddling. Iām still trying to find that balance with my drysuit. Itās not magic. You still need to be warm enough to spend a few minutes immersed in the water. And now that Iām able to brace and roll Iām a lot less likely to wet exit. But itās still a worthwhile expense to buy and maintain. Itās always those unexpected instances that can lead to deadly trouble so itās best to be prepared.
I am considering a .5mm or 1mm hydroskin shirt for summer in the PNW. If thereās some breeze it probably wouldnāt be too warm even in 80F air, and the hydroskin provides some protection in the water which will only barely scrape 70F at times in the lakes. Have a windblocking layer available or wearing it depending. It may be a good balance. With a farmer john, it (probably) could extend the season to 6-7 months when layered with the 1mm hydroskin shirt and jacket.
Weāve had a lot of nice (but chilly water/air) days lately in Seattle, so you can take advantage of that with the drysuit, while the wetsuit would be pretty uncomfortable I think due to both water and air in the 40s.
From what Iāve heard about drysuits they are just more comfortable, period. But the farmer john and hydroskin seems like a cheaper and versatile combo too. Have you tried anything like this?
This is fairly common to start this way or some combination similar. The farmer john , in the combination is not quite as versatile as a pair of wetsuit pants and a separate top where a heavier or lighter pant or top could be added easier than adding a different farmer john. A neoprene vest is also a nice addition and can be paired with a rash guard for summer. All the different combinations can be added as sales of close out year end purchases. Neo pants are also easier to fit a body style where the top is too loose or too tight but not the pantā¦or the other way around. Neo also pads your legs inside the kayak or when on shore.
Very common beginning to paddling and immersion . Depending on weight of the different components and your temp acclimation, it could be all you actually need unless doing more extreme and long term paddles.
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Kaz! He be the man.
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I really like what roym said here. Read it again. He isnāt saying that this is the answer but that it may work for you and isnāt an uncommon approach. It may or may not work for you in the Sound but seems to me as a reasonable thing to consider. As with all possible solutions you should test it to see if you are compatible with it. I wasnāt but it may be for others. The important thing is to test it before it matters.
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Yes. I have that setup. I started with the wetsuit and hydroskin with a ādryā top. It works great. I recommend it.
The dry suit is definitely worth the cost, though, if you get a good one. Iāve only had one so far and (while I havenāt tested my new gasket yet) it can be maintained to last a long time. Iām just a little too hot on the sunny summer days in the drysuit, but itās not optional with the water temperature where I paddle. I still wear it. But, like I said, Iām still trying to find a good balance. I havenāt been paddling much over the last few years but I just got a new boat so Iām planning to change that this year.
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