Kokatat drysuit leak

I have a Kokatat Hydrus Supernova Angler that I have worn only a couple of times and that has never been submerged in the water.  After fishing in the  rain at GSX for six hours or so I was much colder than I was the day before without the rain.  After taking the drysuit off the under garments (all three layers) on my shoulders, arms and upper torso were wet.  Is this normal leakage or do I need to contack Kokatat.

What are you wearing underneath? If you are not wearing breathable layers it could be sweat build up.

What are you wearing underneath? If you are not wearing breathable layers it could be sweat build up.

Two layers of light and one of medium shirts breathable made for under layering. No where else was wet.

What are you wearing underneath? If you are not wearing breathable layers it could be sweat build up.

My guess is that this is the culprit.
Like the windows in a house (single pane), if it's warm inside and cold outside condensation will build up on the windows. Same hodls true for the drysuit.

Also, the Supernova is only a Semi-Dry suit, unlike the Gortex ones.  I definetly get some moisture from sitting in a puddle of water myself, but haven't really used it in the rain

If you didn't get wet on dry days, it doesn't seem likely it was sweat. Could it have leaked in around the neck gasket?

If you didn't get wet on dry days, it doesn't seem likely it was sweat. Could it have leaked in around the neck gasket?

Good point.  My drysuit has some sort of cloth neck gasket so that may have leaked.

Put the suit on. Get the hose out. Let water run over your shoulders. See if it leaks.

I heard lots of people complaining of being wet inside their "drysuits".  Everyone who I talked to was wearing a semi-dry suit with a neoprene neck gasket.  My Kokatat Gortex suit with the latex neck gasket kept me completely dry.  I think the heavy rain was pouring down the neck gaskets of the semi-drysuits. 

It was your neck and it's normal. 
Hi Fred!  ha!  Sorry John, couldn't resist.

Anyways, the neoprene neck hole is not water tight.  It was raining hard for hours; at least 4 hours on the ocean in the rain.  I'm sure it was nothing unusual.  My neck was wet and I had that wide-brim cowboy hat on.  Heck, it was raining so hard my hat couldn't keep the rain out of my neck either. 

Had a great time partnering with you and Ken yesterday and on Friday too.  BTW, Ken left right after you did.  His tent leaked and his sleeping bag and everything else was soaked.  Not just wet either.  It was sitting in water I heard. 

It started raining around 1:30am and didn't stop until around 2pm.  Dry, sorta, for the pot luck with a drizzle/fog rolling down from the hills.  Sorry you had to leave early and couldn't make the pot luck.

Just to reiterate; I think the suit leaked at the neck and that a neoprene neck isn't water proof.  I was fishing with you and had a wide brim hat and my neck got wet as well.  (Only two of my three layers got wet though...) 

Maybe the solution is to wear a rain coat with the hood up.

Maybe the solution is to wear a rain coat with the hood up.

I think that would keep rain out of the neck better than just a brimmed hat. 

Maybe the solution is to wear a rain coat with the hood up.

Maybe the solution is to buy a drysuit with latex gaskets.  I fished in a steady rain on Saturday, and stayed nice and dry in my Kokatat Goretex drysuit, although I was irritated to find half an inch of water in the bottom of the tackle box I carry on my kayak.  I snorkel and spearfish for pike in my drysuits, and after 4-6 hours in the water, I can drive home in the clothing I was wearing under my drysuit.

I don't know how the neoprene neck is supposed to hold up against rain. Saturday was the first time I've fished with mine in the rain. Maybe give Kokatat a call first to check their opinion on this. They have a very good customer service by the way.

as for hats, I would recommend Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero brimmed hat from REI. They were on sale a while back for ~$20, regular $60. I know, theyre very pricey, but it kept me warm and dry on Saturday's tourney. The inside is lined with fleece to keep your melon warm. It's not something I'd wear on hiking trip though and I know a few NCKAer wear them.

https://www.rei.com/product/238313/outdoor-research-seattle-sombrero

I don't know how the neoprene neck is supposed to hold up against rain. Saturday was the first time I've fished with mine in the rain. Maybe give Kokatat a call first to check their opinion on this. They have a very good customer service by the way.

as for hats, I would recommend Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero brimmed hat from REI. They were on sale a while back for ~$20, regular $60. I know, theyre very pricey, but it kept me warm and dry on Saturday's tourney. The inside is lined with fleece to keep your melon warm. It's not something I'd wear on hiking trip though and I know a few NCKAer wear them.

https://www.rei.com/product/238313/outdoor-research-seattle-sombrero

Mooch hat