[Paddlewise] 1 vs 2 piece dry suits

Woody asks:
<< Does anyone have an opinion of a 1
 piece vs a 2 piece dry suit?  >>

I think it depends on what you're going to use the suit for. I paddle alone
and in fall/winter conditions a fair amount, so I want the absolute maximum
safety I can get, in the unlikely event that I come out of the boat. The
Goretex drysuit has made an immense difference in my paddling season,
sttretching it from about 5 months to essentially 11-12 months fo the year.

Although I've never used a two-piece "drysuit" I can't imagine that they'd be
as "dry" as a one-piece suitPolys under the suit are, of course, mandatory.

But I'm also considering purchase of a Goretex or similar microporous drytop.
In fall or late spring, the drytop would offer adequate protection (with
adequate poly layers of course) and it would be much less cumbersome to wear.

I keep checking prices of drysuits and they don't seem to vary at all by
season of the year. The coated ones can sometimes be bought on sale, but
prices on the microporous ones just keep going up and up. 

As for tops with latex wrist cuffs and neoprene neck "gaskets", I have the
same reservations as Woody does. They aren't going to be watertight. Do you
want to be dry when the feces meets the fan, or do you want that 36 degree
water trickling (or streaming) down your neck? 

I'm very interested to see if any of the group has had favorable experience
with the neoprene neck gaskets. The idea has a lot of appeal, if it's safe and
effective.

  
I think of the expense of the drysuit as a very low life insurance premium.

Bill Hansen

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************