In the market for a new sprayskirt. Owned a Palm, an NRS, and a Brooks. Never a Snapdragon but that’s the direction I’m leaning because I’ve heard they’re the best.
Love to hear your arguments.
Very good but not always the best.
Usually your final choice should depend on the actual fit of the skirt to your boat. Although various makers will take specs by email or over the phone and custom- construct, I prefer to go to a store, with my boat and my expanding middle, and try out several skirts until I get the right fit and the right degree of difficulty getting the skirt on or off.
I did get a very nice Snapdragon skirt that way, at a discount price.
I have 3 snapdragon
spray skirts and recommend them.
And
there are different types of sprayskirts.
Some will keep sun off your legs
Some will keep you dry in flat conditions
Some will keep you dry in dumping surf
Some will keep you dry in composite boats, but not in plastic
Some will keep you dry in a plastic boat, but not in composite
Some will freak you out when upside down, some will self detach.
What works for one combination of brand/boat might not work for something else.
Snapdragon is a very good company.
Snapdragon, Mountain Surf
I’ve owned a number of Snapdragon skirts and they have never let me down.
For whitewater kayaking or C-1 in plastic boats, I think the Mountain Surf skirts may be even better.
We use Snapdragon also
Glacier Trek is the name of the ones we like.
Seals or Snap Dragon
Both are full neo skirts and have always served me well. I use a Snap Dragon on my composite boat (reinforced Ocean Expedition) and a randed Seals on my roto-molded plastic kayak.
Very Happy With My Snap Dragons
– Last Updated: May-08-10 5:55 AM EST –
I think it was jsmarch who recommended it... and Rutabaga as a supplier. Many thanks. Seems like I had to use a dealer in Georgia (online) last time in order to find the size I needed.
Reed Chillcheater
I always used Snapdragons and they’re great skirts, but you should at least consider a Reed Chillcheater. This skirt actually keeps the water out of the kayak in rough water and while rolling. The Snapdragon skirts allow quite a bit of water in. So it depends on what kind of paddling you look forward to.
Having said that, I took a long paddle last weekend and the cinch waste on the Reed skirt caused a great deal of abrasion, it’s still healing. I’m back to the Snapdragon for any paddle longer than a few hours.
Lyn
Seals, Snapdragon, Bomber Gear
My favorite skirts for my sea kayaks are Seals and Snapdragon. For ww boats I prefer Bomber Gear.
I’ve had only Snapdragon
skirts for my sea kayaks and they are utterly reliable, comfortable, very durable and easy to get on/off. Highly recommended. I also got a Harmony Ultralite II made of sympatex from Sierra last year and it seems pretty decent so far for light duty. It was really inexpensive.
My WW skirts have all been Mountain Surf. I have one that is about 15 years old and still going strong.
MountainSurf
This folks used to make really good skirts that would hold up to beatings and stay put …
There were some changes in the company and I have not bought anything recently …
http://www.mountainsurf.com/
have had good luck with seals so farNM
Snapdragon
Check out Level Six
I have used snapdragon, and they are excellent, but my other skirt is from a canadian company, Level Six, if they are available in your area, i’ve paddled with it for two years now and no complaints
Snap Dragon Sea Trek
I have an extra one available for sale if anyone’s interested, brand new
Seals
I’m using Seals Pro Shocker all-neo skirts. One for an NDK Explorer and Dagger Meridian, another size for a Pygmy Arctic Tern and P&H 166RM. They list the Pro Shocker as a whitewater skirt, but it works well for sea boats. The rand is pretty substantial and lets you slip it on the back of the coaming easily for a quick skirt closure.
The one I’ve used for two years on the Meridian was a used skirt I picked up, and is a bit too tight in the tunnel, so I pulled out a seam on the tunnel, getting it on and off. Seals repaired it free of charge, and even covered the postage to send it back to me - can’t beat their service!
Alan
Reed
I have also heard that Snapdragon is best and after using several brands I also used to believe that Snapdragon is best.
Everything changed when I received a Reed ChillCheater. I was looking at the thing in disbelief thinking it’s simply a cheap basic skirt with a high price tag and a color that will make wearing it unbearable hot in the summer sun. I was told my assumptions were totally false and I was encouraged to try one free of charge.
I rarely use my Snapdragon anymore as the Reed is much lighter, dries faster, leakproof and surprisingly tough (and not too hot in the summer sun). The neoprene Snapdragon takes ages to dry, will not keep the cockpit dry and simply feels bulky in comparison. The Snapdragon will probably last longer but the Reed ChillCheater is tough enough for me. The workmanship on both Snapdragon and Reed is great on close inspection, but unfortunately the made-to-measure Snapdragon is not tight enough on the cockpit rim.
M-J-B, I was of the same opinion
I was of the same opinion till a month ago.
I have several Reed sprayskirts and garments.
Very good stuff indeed and as you mentioned: lighter, not as hot in summer, dries faster.
One claim that I find unfortunately not consistent is durability.
Some of my skirts (and my paddling buddies’) have delaminated prematurely, some after a couple of months, some after a year and a half…
A bad batch of fabric? let’s hope so since I really like the stuff.
Which Reed model are you refering to?
I cannot say I was terribly impressed with their Aquatherm spray deck.