Re: [Paddlewise] What to wear wet suit, dry suit

I disagree that one cannot be warm in neoprene.
Sid Taylor
-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Martin <jcmartin43_at_radix.net>
To: Darian Dunn <dunnd1_at_yahoo.com>; Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Cc: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Date: Saturday, February 13, 1999 5:58 AM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] What to wear wet suit, dry suit


To add one thing to what the Daves --- Seng and Kruger --- have 
said: whatever you decide on, and especially if you're new to cold 
weather kayaking, make sure the system you buy for cold water 
actually works in your worst case scenario before you take it out 
kayaking.  Do some wet exits, reentries, paddlefloat recoveries, 
and swim the suit with an experienced paddler as a spotter with 
you in the water and dry clothes and a warmed recovery site  --- 
even a warm car --- immediately available.  Spend at least ten 
minutes --- and 20 to 30 is better --- swimming the suit or gear to 
make sure you're safe.  If you choose neoprene, don't expect to be 
warm; it's survival you're after, not comfort.

Re the Gore-Tex Kokatat suits --- they're the best bet by far.  And 
the new neoprene booties are fantastic!  Keep the seals in good 
shape with "303" and you have a long term investment.  Should 
anything go wrong, Kokatat stands behind their products 
completely.

One thing you didn't ask --- and haven't received a response that 
I've seen --- is what to do for your head and hands.  In my opinion, 
the best head and neck protection --- areas where you'll lose 
something like 75% or more of your body heat when exposed in a 
cold water swim --- is a full head and neck hood made of one of the 
Malden Mills Thermal Stretch or Rubberized Thermal Stretch 
materials --- and, for a hood, I'd opt for the latter although I have 
had no problems with the regular Thermal Stretch.  Either is a lot 
better than neoprene 'cause you can hear through it, it's warm and 
comfortable when dry, and really does give adequate protection 
during a swim, a wet exit, reentry or roll.  And you need to have it 
on when you're doing cold water stuff, so dry comfort is important.  
(Some folks feel they will be able to pull hoods on if they get 
knocked down in a cold scenario; maybe, and maybe not.  It's not 
a risk I'd take.  The cold shock of a sudden swim could easily 
incapacitate you before you can recover your gear.)

And you didn't ask about gloves.  There, neoprene seems best by 
far.  And expensive isn't always best.  The absolute best neoprene 
gloves I've ever used were $8.95 at WalMart --- dunno, "Ozark" 
something-or-other.  I have bad circulation in my right index finger, 
in particular, and these gloves keep my hands functional.  (You'll 
hear advocates of the "in contact with the paddle" school advocate 
the use of pogies, and they're right --- it's important to keep a good 
feel of the paddle.  For me, my hands would be useless without the 
thermal protection of gloves --- paddle sensitivity notwithstanding --- 
and I'm not sure how the pogie-paddlers would fare in a protracted 
in-water experience.)

For what it's worth.

Jack Martin
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