Re: [Paddlewise] Evaporative cooling with Goretex

In my experience, paddling in ~50F water and 40-70F air temps with
either a coated nylon or a gortex dry-suit, the gortex is vastly
superior, much more comfortable.  For me, the problem with coated nylon
is that it doesn't breath, and I overheat.  You still have to have
insulating clothing on under the drysuit to prevent hypothermia if you
end up being immersed any length of time, and because of that I end up
being overheated in a garment that doesn't breath.  I end up having to
drain perspiration out of the ankle and wrist gaskets periodically with
the coated nylon.  The goretex hasn't failed me yet as far as being
waterproof.  I test it quite thoroughly with regular rescue practice and
instruction, as well as practice rolling and surfing.  My current
goretex drysuit is 5 years old.

Dave Carlson

Dave Kruger wrote:
> 
> rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:
> 
> > Re: what to wear, wet suit, dry suit------
> >
> > [This] outfit (Goretex jacket; neoprene farmer john) is right on
> > as a great insurance policy at minimum financial outlay and with maximum
> > flexibility.  [snip]
> 
> > I also have a coated nylon dry suit (Stohlquist).  And I get funny
> > here.  While I accept Goretex for a jacket, I still don't trust it for a
> > dry suit.  With a jacket that is going to let water in a bit anyway via
> > the non-latex neck and via the waist (snug but not watertight), I can
> > accept that the Goretex may not work well at some point.  In a dry suit
> > where your whole existence depends on it not letting anything in,
> > goretex failure would be catastrophic.  I think a fully coated suit is
> > warmer than a Goretex one since it does not breath.  The action in
> > Goretex that lets body moisture through perforce lets out body
> > heat...that is the way the process works.  If I am wearing my dry suit,
> > conditions are really cold and I want to keep in body heat.  Of course,
> > it may also be that I have a perfectly good suit and want to justify not
> > spending $500 for a Goretex replacement.  :-)
> 
> Hmmmm, Ralph, you are making me think again, darn it!!  <G>
> 
> I don't own nor have I used a fully coated dry suit, so my comments may be
> off the mark.  Nonetheless, I think if I had access to one, and an
> equivalent Goretex unit, I might use the latter, and expect to be warmer,
> *in the long run.*  Here's my rationale, though I'd be interested in the
> experience of others (since I have none with fully-coated stuff):
> 
> Ralph makes a good observation:  that evaporative cooling from body
> perspiration, passing through the Goretex, will increase cooling.  In my
> experience, most of my sweating occurs when I am working hard, and I am
> *plenty warm* at those times.  So evaporative cooling is not a problem
> then.  Sometimes, after working up a sweat, and stopping for a while
> (lunch, etc.), I cool off a little.  Usually I put on a warmer hat or
> something.  During those rest breaks, the Goretex is still transpiring
> water, so evaporative cooling is a significant heat-transfer mechanism (re:
> conduction, anyway), but because I temporarily don some warmth, evaporative
> cooling is not a problem then, either.  When I go back to paddling, I
> generate some warmth, and evaporative cooling is again not a problem.  At
> the end of the day, my insulating garments are a little moist, but are
> still highly functional in insulating me,  **because the Goretex has
> allowed my body moisture to escape.**
> 
> That's where I think the Goretex would be vastly superior.  In a fully
> coated garment, I think all my insulation would be a *lot* wetter, and I'd
> have to shed it while setting up camp and unpacking (etc.), and deal with
> drying it out somehow.
> 
> The other factor which may negate any advantage the fully coated stuff
> might have is that rain, paddlesplash, etc., will wet the outside of either
> garment, giving lots of evaporative cooling from non-anthropogenic water.
> 
> So, what is the experience of others?  Is the fully coated stuff warmer,
> despite what I *think* will happen?  (A good theory is just a good theory;
> experience judges theory.)
> 
> --
> Dave Kruger
> Astoria, OR
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