Any thoughts on drysuits?

[MWMomma]

Looking for a new drysuit, and wondering if any of you females (or partners of) out there have tried the Kokatat Idol or Level Six Freya? Rumours on a canoe forum are that the Level Six material does not hold up as well? Still wearing my 31-year-old plastic bag, but the Stolquist needs to be replaced. My male partner needs to replace his stuff as well. Open to other brands. We like to paddle year-round, plus get out and play as we trip on MW rivers spring and fall. Hoping to head up to NWT next summer (fingers crossed), and the river is glacial, so this is a must-have. Also looking for new footwear that will have enough support to portage, AND keep us warm. We are both short, and old enough that we are wider as well, so looking at and XL short.

 

[ppine]

There are new ones all the time. I have had a Kokatat for many years and like it fine.

 

[Canotrouge]

As a ww canoe instructor and swift water rescue instructor(in my past life) I’ve pretty much tried them all or know people that tried them all!! And the top brand is hands down Kokatat!! I had mine for 8-9 years maybe more and some of those years spending well over 50 days in it and it is still going strong!! Buy once, buy kokatat!

 

[alsg]

Well I am not remotely as experienced as Canotrouge but I love my Ocean Rodeo Ignite! https://oceanrodeo.com/professional-marine/ignite/

Looks like separate rain jacket and rain pants rather than a space suit. The hood zips off. Soft socks. Relief zipper (for guys at any rate) and the standby mode (see second photo of me portaging my canoe) allows great ventilation.

 

[yellowcanoe]

We have had Kokotat drysuits for years. They have good customer service too. For ladies buy a guys relief zipper and use guys long underwear and a Shewee.

The item Al listed seems not an immersion suit. Cool looking but not a cool price!

 

[alsg]

We have had Kokotat drysuits for years. They have good customer service too. For ladies buy a guys relief zipper and use guys long underwear and a Shewee.

The item Al listed seems not an immersion suit. Cool looking but not a cool price!

Kim, respectfully, you are wrong. The Ocean Rodeo Ignite is a full drysuit, totally immersion proof, with neck and wrist gaskets. It's an unusual design. You can watch this video to see how it goes from standby mode to full drysuit mode (about the 2:15 mark). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWZIom6ThzQ

 

[yellowcanoe]

I watched the video Al and I was struck by demoing everything that suit can do. But they never swam in it.( unless I missed something) That's what makes me nervous. They did everything else so it seems like a tough material. But a lot of it too.. A consideration is that in cold water you need to wear a lot of fleece and also a PFD.. That bulks up quite a bit and the Ocean Rodeo just looks too bulky for glacial waters.

Wearing a one piece clownsuit ( aka drysuit) gets us faster rides when we have to pull off on the Maine coast in January and hitch! A preppy looking suit well I just don't know.
Does it come in pumpkin spice? Everything else does.

There are other drysuit options.. I will try to find ( remember the website) It is out of the UK but ships to North America!

Found it. https://www.watersportsoutlet.com/womens-c-28_97_100.html

 

[alsg]

I watched the video Al and I was struck by demoing everything that suit can do. But they never swam in it.( unless I missed something) That's what makes me nervous. They did everything else so it seems like a tough material. But a lot of it too.. A consideration is that in cold water you need to wear a lot of fleece and also a PFD.. That bulks up quite a bit and the Ocean Rodeo just looks too bulky for glacial waters.

Wearing a one piece clownsuit ( aka drysuit) gets us faster rides when we have to pull off on the Maine coast in January and hitch! A preppy looking suit well I just don't know.
Does it come in pumpkin spice? Everything else does.

lol Kim, you are too much!

Ocean Rodeo is a Vancouver-based company which specifically designed its drysuits for kite surfing in the winter in the oceans there. Pretty sure it gets cold there.

Ocean Rodeo licensed their tech to Stohlquist for the kayaking market and the same exact drysuit is marketed by Stohlquist as the "Shift" which is identical except for colors and the integrated sprayskirt tunnel. https://www.stohlquist.com/apparel/drysuits/shift.html Here's an immersion test of the Shift doing kayak rolls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zzMoBFXIsE He first tests it in dry mode; does some more rolls with it in standby or vented mode to see what will happen. Of course water gets in when it is vented. But not in dry mode.

I've swim tested my Ocean Rodeo Ignite and I assure you, it's a real drysuit just as watertight in full immersion as any other. It's plenty warm when layered -- and it's got as much room for layers under it as other drysuits. And if you can wear your PFD over your rain gear, you'll have no issue with putting your PFD over the Ocean Rodeo, which I do when I go out in it.

 

[yknpdlr]

When I took the NY state sponsored swiftwater rescue training course last year, they had orange and gray Kokatat dry suits for all of the students to wear. They seemed to work pretty well and all were in pretty good shape, save for a couple with torn cuffs that were replaced. Easy to swim in stayed and dry inside. But the instructors all had black Mustang brand rescue suits valued at well above $1K

 

[yellowcanoe]

lol Kim, you are too much!

Ocean Rodeo is a Vancouver-based company which specifically designed its drysuits for kite surfing in the winter in the oceans there. Pretty sure it gets cold there.

Ocean Rodeo licensed their tech to Stohlquist for the kayaking market and the same exact drysuit is marketed by Stohlquist as the "Shift" which is identical except for colors and the integrated sprayskirt tunnel. https://www.stohlquist.com/apparel/drysuits/shift.html Here's an immersion test of the Shift doing kayak rolls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zzMoBFXIsE He first tests it in dry mode; does some more rolls with it in standby or vented mode to see what will happen. Of course water gets in when it is vented. But not in dry mode.

I've swim tested my Ocean Rodeo Ignite and I assure you, it's a real drysuit just as watertight in full immersion as any other. It's plenty warm when layered -- and it's got as much room for layers under it as other drysuits. And if you can wear your PFD over your rain gear, you'll have no issue with putting your PFD over the Ocean Rodeo, which I do when I go out in it.

Continuing in cynic mode I note that the Stohlquist video is very much more informative! But I would never order it from Stohlquist as womens pear shape is not offered. Looks like the Ocean Rodeo is also male oriented.

 

[Canotrouge]

Like I said before you want service, reliability, dry and made in the US of A, buy a kokatat and and don’t look back, especially with what you said in term of sizing, kokatat a are fully custom able!!

 

[MWMomma]

Any information on the Immersion Research Aphrodite? And someone mentioned Sweet drysuits? I have seen the Ocean Rodeo, and it is indeed a dry suit. But they are not cut for curvey women, and the salesperson brought one out and said that due to my short stature I would have so much suit I might not find myself!

 

[Canotrouge]

Any information on the Immersion Research Aphrodite? And someone mentioned Sweet drysuits? I have seen the Ocean Rodeo, and it is indeed a dry suit. But they are not cut for curvey women, and the salesperson brought one out and said that due to my short stature I would have so much suit I might not find myself!

I will repeat my self here but read my previous comment. Kokatat will make you a suit that will fit you properly and that is somewhat a important thing cause if you end up swimming and you have too much suit where you don’t need it and not enough where you need it it can really affect your survival!!

 

[Brasenia]

I'm in the market for a new drysuit right now as well. I'm leaning toward the Odyssey Dry Suit from Kokatat (but I'm open to a well-priced (discontinued) Expedition suit as well). For remote tripping with cold weather and portages, I can't find a better option. Yes, it's expensive, but break that price out over the next six-eight years (maybe more), and it feels more doable. The hood is really nice, and I like that this one is detachable. Some people consider the suspenders to be a bonus, but I consider them essential if you're going to be peeling off the top to hike long portages. And pile lined collar!? If that doesn't seal the deal...

I'd love to know if someone has put one on (better yet also paddled in it).

For footwear, I've been wed to the NRS Boundary Boot when not in a dry suit.

 

[Turtle2]

I have worn my coverall type drysuit,but never portaged with it. I would roast!

 

[alsg]

I'm in the market for a new drysuit right now as well. I'm leaning toward the Odyssey Dry Suit from Kokatat (but I'm open to a well-priced (discontinued) Expedition suit as well). For remote tripping with cold weather and portages, I can't find a better option. Yes, it's expensive, but break that price out over the next six-eight years (maybe more), and it feels more doable. The hood is really nice, and I like that this one is detachable. Some people consider the suspenders to be a bonus, but I consider them essential if you're going to be peeling off the top to hike long portages. And pile lined collar!? If that doesn't seal the deal...

I'd love to know if someone has put one on (better yet also paddled in it).

For footwear, I've been wed to the NRS Boundary Boot when not in a dry suit.

The Ocean Rodeo will let you pay over 12 months no interest.

 

[Keeled Over]

Hello folks,

My paddling window (outside of steelhead season) has always started in mid May and ended at the beginning of October. I have wanted to extend this by a bit - maybe start in April and run till the end of October.

I went to Lows and up to Grass Pond last week and it got me thinking about a dry suit. I am a bit puzzled about the dry -vs- semi dry suit. It appears the difference relates to the closures. For a person looking to extend their season as outlined above do you feel a dry or semi dry would be the way to go? I was thinking semi. I do scuba dive and have been in Lake Superior in a wet suit in March so I figure I could stand a little water getting in.

Also, what are your thoughts on the socks - with or without?

And how does a paddling suit fit in this mix? Is this more similar to a semi dry?

Do any of you folks fish for steelhead in the winter in a dry suit? Could be a better option than waders. Probably get some stares.

I heard alot of Kokatat mentioned in this thread, so I figure I'll start there. One I had seen that I think could make sense if this - couldn't attach the photo - sorry.

Kokatat Men's Supernova Semi-Dry Suit​

Not tied to this one - it just fit the bill for what I thought might be a good option - plus it's on sale. Plenty of names above to pick from however.

Thank you for your input!

 

[alsg]

I'm not an expert but here's my take.

I like socks on a dry suit.

I don't understand the use case for a semi-dry suit. Either the water/air are cold enough to warrant a dry suit or they aren't. My personal opinion is it's just a way to have a lower price point than a full dry suit. If you are submerged in cold water, you'll want a full dry suit.

Paddling suits seem geared to kayakers.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I am a bit puzzled about the dry -vs- semi dry suit.

The only difference seems to be the neck gasket. Dry suits have latex neck gaskets, which are tight but uncomfortable for some folks and also eventually rip. The Kokatat SuperNova semi-dry suit has a cinch-able neoprene neck gasket, which is surely more comfortable but may let in a teaspoon or two of water if you tip over.

https://kokatat.com/supernova-semi-dry-suit-mens/

I've had three dry suits and have swum many times in freezing snow melt whitewater. You don't take in much water at the neck, even with an open collar, when falling out of an open canoe because your life jacket will keep your neck above water. Neck gasket tightness is more important for kayakers who will go completely underwater when dumping or rolling and when playing in big waves and whitewater holes.

I like built-in socks rather than tight latex seals around my ankles. For the huge price difference, I'd definitely go with a neoprene neck gasket suit if all I was doing was extending my season in an open canoe in flat water.

Here is a video that explains the difference between dry and semi-dry suits:

 

[ErktheRed]

I’ll add this small but important comment. If you, or whomever decides to get a drysuit, dry top/bottom, treat the gaskets with 303, or any protectant you choose, every few months. Many people never do, it’s fine, those that do, extend their season and their suits lifespan.