Dry Pants

[SouthernKevlar]

Does anyone use Dry Pants while tripping, rainy day camping and other damp outdoor activities?

Although I have a drysuit for when I am doing some winter paddling and expect possible immersion, I just picked up a used, like new NSR Freefall Pant at a great price. My thought is to use it in cold/cool damp (rain, fog and mist) weather for paddling and camping. Currently I use Gore-Tex rain pants and still end up with my pants legs and base layers wet or damp; I am hoping that the socks on the dry pants will prevent that this winter.

I also will be trying them out for flyfishing on shallow mountain streams where it is rarely over knee deep. I want to see if they will have any big advantages or disadvantages over my waders.

I am curious if anyone here had used dry pants as an alternative for other gear and how it worked out.

 

[recped]

I've been wearing (semi) dry pants for about 15 years, I have the Kokatat version which is similar to the NRS. Like you I have a dry suit which I use in the Spring or when I expect that a swim is highly likely.

I like them a lot and pretty much wear them all the time. They will develop leaks in the "socks" and sweat will collect so they are not 100% dry. Of course if you go for a swim or accidently step into a deep pool they will take in a lot of water no matter how tight the hook & loop waist closure is. I combine them with NRS Work Boots and thin wool socks. Depending on the temperature I will combine with long johns or just go with the knee high wool socks.

 

[Monel]

I've put a lot of miles on rivers wearing Simms wading pants. Very durable with neoprene feet.

Only two downsides are they get hot quickly when it warms up. I also worry about unexpected immersion, especially on big rivers where getting to shore is out. I envision removing them before re-entering my boat. I really should swim test them.

Otherwise they are great. Makes launching and landing at deep cut banks a snap.

 

[Mason]

On my last trip in northern Canada (Nunavut), which involved a fair bit of upstream wading, three of the four of us were using dry pants (guess who wasn't). Temps were mild, and I just waded in my pants, which dried out very quickly. The dry pants are also good for coming to shore in deep water, e.g. big rocks with deep holes between (I just had Muck boots, below the knee). Again, if I were just using hiking shoes and pants, I'd get wet but I'd dry out quickly. In colder weather that would be less than ideal.

 

[scoutergriz]

I've put a lot of miles on rivers wearing Simms wading pants. Very durable with neoprene feet.

Only two downsides are they get hot quickly when it warms up. I also worry about unexpected immersion, especially on big rivers where getting to shore is out. I envision removing them before re-entering my boat. I really should swim test them.

Otherwise they are great. Makes launching and landing at deep cut banks a snap.

I've accidentally tried to swim in waders a few times and found 2 things, if you wear a belt and there is air trapped in them they can act as flotation, forcing your legs up and your head down- not a good situation.
The other thing is that they can fill up, creating massive resistance in the water, and far too much weight to lift out of the water when you get to shore- I literally had to slit my $300 neoprene waders to the stocking foot to release enough water to allow me to crawl onto shore.
I now never wear any type of wader in any boat...

 

[NikonF5user]

On my last trip in northern Canada (Nunavut), which involved a fair bit of upstream wading, three of the four of us were using dry pants

Do you recall what brands / models? It seems like the only options with booties are the Kokatat Hydrus 3l Tempest Pant and the NRS Freefall - seems like there must be more out there that I am missing...

 

[Mason]

They were Kokatat, but I don't know what model.

 

[recped]

There may be others but those are the only two that I know of that are paddling specific.

In the past I have seen true dry pants (no socks) with gaskets at waist and ankle, they are intended to be paired with a a dry top (an alternative to a full dry suit.

.

 

[NikonF5user]

In the past I have seen true dry pants (no socks) with gaskets at waist and ankle

I am hoping to be able to line and wade without getting wet feet - hence my interest in dry pants with booties - but it seems options are quite limited in that field. It's interesting that the Kokatat website says it's meant for entry-level paddling, which makes me wonder whether it's as well-built as is my dry suit...

 

[recped]

Entry Level translates to the level of rapids you are running and the likelihood of swimming. For Kokatat it also means NOT Goretex and not priced like Goretex.

These semi-dry pants will not compare to a full dry suit in terms of the build but if they did they would likely be 3 - 5 times the price.

Lining/Wading (and kneeling in a couple of inches of bilge water) is exactly what these pants are intended for.

FYI - Depending on how much you sweat you will have some amount of moisture collecting in the booties and you will eventually get pinholes that you may want to seal the seams from time to time. The Kokatat pants I am currently using have about 400 days of paddling use, the left leg is in pretty good shape, the right leg leaks a bit in spite off being resealed a couple of times.

 

[samb]

I wear dry trousers throughout the cold weather as they keep my legs and feet warm when wading. In the UK they come with water proof fabric feet. I don't like these as they are bulky in my shoes and don't seem to last well. Usually within a few months they leak. At that point I have the feet replaced with latex rubber feet. These are much less bulky so easier to get into shoes and more comfortable as there are no seams and folds. They also last longer and can easily be replaced. A pair of dry trousers would expect to last three or four years with mostly weekly use and occasional all week use. The cause of failure is usually delamination at the most creased areas.
As scoutergriz says, they are not good for swimming. If swimming is likely I will wear my dry suit. Getting a knife out to cut my dry trousers while swimming does not appeal, but I know people who have done it.
Sam