Dry Suit Questions

I think that it is a great investment. pricey in terms of another piece of gear in my opinion. but cheap in terms of life insurance policy. 

The warmest days I've been so far were in the upper 60s. Plenty comfortable with a polartek liner and seemed to breathe very well.

I posted the following comments on the other thread, but I find it worth repeating here.

I wear a full drysuit, including latex gaskets on the wrists and neck.  I wear a full body paddling liner (Polartec one piece).  And I am normally prone to overheating, but not in this outfit.  What do/did I do to maintain comfort?  I bought a good breathable drysuit (Goretex) and I use a neck accessory ring to provide a little relief at the neck.  I only use that when it is warm and flat out.  I rarely get uncomfortably hot in weather to 70 degrees.  I occasionally pour water on myself for relief, and some have suggested just going for a dip if you get hot but I can't bring myself to jump in.

I personally believe the overheating thing is overrated.

-Allen

+1,000 the everything he says.

I have two dry suits: the Koke expedition I used for sea kayaking multi-day adventures when the hood made a difference in rain as did the bright yellow HELP ME color and a red/black Koke suit with no hood. I use a neck ring to hold open the gasket and give a little air flow for heat relief and I too find very little discomfort in wearing a dry suit above water as well. I don't use it inland—just the ocean but then I don't fish inland in Winter. FOlks, a big part of water safety is avoiding hypothermia—you avoid that and you have lots of time to figure out how to self-rescue or to wait to get rescued. If you don't avoid hypothermia, the rescuers can do everything right and you still lose because you ran out of time—and it happens very, very fast.

I have a Stohlquist bpod drysuit. I have had it for 2 winters now. I paddle/flyfish half frozen lakes in the CA sierra's all winter long often in blizzards(actually it is warmer when it is snowing). I get in the water in the dead of winter and swim and float around testing the suit regularly. I just enjoy being in the water. I just like to swim and float around in my pfd so I enjoy being in the water even when it is icy cold. Plus this prepares me for an extended immersion. It's dry, not a drop of water gets in. I wear a 7mm dive hood and gloves. I wear some wicking underwear and then expedition weight fleece pants and shirts, 2 pairs of socks etc. I highly recommend this suit. I got one for a little over $500. Worth every penny. It breathes great. When it gets too hot out I just wear wicking under wear which is warm enough for a fairly lengthy immersion when water temps are in the 50's. I highly recommend this suit.
http://www.stohlquist.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&Itemid=20#1

I bought one of the Kokatat's Gore-Tex suits on sale at REI this past spring (20% off + used my dividend, so pretty big savings), after wearing fishing waders for everything for several years. A close call with some humpbacks last year finally persuaded me when Allen et al couldn't get thru!

Very happy with it. Gore-Tex is the standard & it's worth the extra bucks in my view. Latex collar is tight, but after only three trips out it's already much more comfortable. I definitely feel much more safe out there.

Wondering what are these neck rings some of you are talking about?? I'd be interested in knowing more.
Bill

Wondering what are these neck rings some of you are talking about?? I'd be interested in knowing more.

I'll try to take some pics some time this week.

-Allen

Thanks for all the info, fellas.

Thinkin' 'bout gettin' a DS myself.

I have the Kokatat Tempest 2 pc st with an optional pee zipper put on the pants. Its been great in cold weather(mysterioso underneath) and windy conditions, hardly any water got in when I washing machined at Saunders Reef, even with the drawstring loose. You can get hot if the sun comes out with no breeze! Peeling off the fleece helps.
When I first tried one on I couldn't stand the tightness of the neck seal. Then I learned that you just trim it to fit your big old head, I had to do the same with the wrist seals.
They are so much more comfortable to wear.

All Kokatat super nova angler dry suits are 20% off all week at Claveys

Check out the Stohlquist B-Pod with a neoprene neck gasket. They are excellent dry suits. Cost around $500.
...also....whatever DS you buy.....don't waste your $$$ on a liner.

Thanks for all the info, fellas.

Thinkin' 'bout gettin' a DS myself.

don't waste your $$$ on a liner.

Umm ... I got a one piece liner, and I think it is a good investment.  It's a one piece liner and really prevents bunching up at the waist.  Nothing worse than your top riding up, your pants riding down, and your exposed skin rubbing on the inside of a cold drysuit.  (Damn ... that sentence could have turned out really nasty!!!).

-Allen

Any of the big guys like me have suggestions on drysuits?    I've looked at the kokatat sizing charts, and for the XXL's it look to be for someone much taller than me.  Took a look at what it would take to have one custom made... upwards of 1400$!!!

Any of the big guys like me have suggestions on drysuits?    I've looked at the kokatat sizing charts, and for the XXL's it look to be for someone much taller than me.  Took a look at what it would take to have one custom made... upwards of 1400$!!!

Actually, you can have the Kokatat dry suits custom sized at the factory for a reasonable additional price.  This may only be for the true dry suits (neck gasket).  Call the factory and ask.

-Allen

I just tuck my shirt into my pants and I have never experienced the problems you have. I generally tuck my shirts in with all my clothes and never have any problems with my shirt tail coming out or anything like that and don't have and problems like that with a dry suit on top, same when I have worn a one piece ski suit.
I wear synthetic lightweight polypropelene(or whatever it is) wicking under wear pants and shirt and I layer fleece over the top. If it isn't to cold I use medium weight underwear and fleece. If it is cold I use expedition weight under wear and fleece in layers.
If it is very warm I just wear light weight wicking under wear.
The cost of so called drysuit liners are $100 or so.
For that amount of money you can buy several sets of wicking under wear and fleece in a variety of weights(light weight to expedition) from Sierra Trading post and just tuck your shirt into your pants.
You can also find one piece underwear for much cheaper than what drysuit manufacturers are selling them for.
Seems like a lot of folks don't have the $$$ for a drysuit.\
I'm pointing out that they don't HAVE to shell out an additional $100+ for a drysuit liner.
Other lower cost options that work just as good.

don't waste your $$$ on a liner.

Umm ... I got a one piece liner, and I think it is a good investment.  It's a one piece liner and really prevents bunching up at the waist.  Nothing worse than your top riding up, your pants riding down, and your exposed skin rubbing on the inside of a cold drysuit.  (Damn ... that sentence could have turned out really nasty!!!).

-Allen

I'm 6'3" with a long torso and no hips.  Even when tucking in shirts, they never stay tucked in for very long.  So no, it wasn't a waste of money ... for me!

-Allen

If you need it you need it. It's a waste of money for most folks especially if they are on a tight budget and think they HAVE to also spend another $100+ a one piece liner.
If I needed one piece under wear I'd look for one at cabela's or Sierra Trading Post or elsewhere. I bet they have them for as little as $20 as opposed to one that is called a "drysuit liner" and is $100+.
So if anyone thinks they need one you might want to look around instead of spending what the drysuit co's are asking for some one piece underwear.

I'm 6'3" with a long torso and no hips.  Even when tucking in shirts, they never stay tucked in for very long.  So no, it wasn't a waste of money ... for me!

-Allen