An 'almost' related thread on dry suits: Does anyone have an opinion of a 1 piece vs a 2 piece dry suit? A two piece suit would seem to me to be the most convienient. I just can't see a 2 piece being very water tight. It looks like it would have to be cinched up tight enough around the waist to make you turn blue. Or am I missing something? I'd like to buy a two piece because of all the combinations I could then have with wearing other clothes with it (wet suit, semi-dry top, etc), but I'm afraid it would end up being just semi-dry (i.e. wet with less water flushing through it than a wet suit), and I already have a semi-dry combo I wear over my wet suit. I've also seen a 2 piece pant/top combo where the pant top and the inner tunnel of the dry top rolled together. Any experience with that? And finally: Best time to buy? Is spring a good time when people are trying to clear their winter stocks? Summer? Woody *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Robert Woodard wrote: > An 'almost' related thread on dry suits: Does anyone have an opinion of a 1 > piece vs a 2 piece dry suit? A two piece suit would seem to me to be the > most convienient. I just can't see a 2 piece being very water tight. It > looks like it would have to be cinched up tight enough around the waist to > make you turn blue. Or am I missing something? > > I'd like to buy a two piece because of all the combinations I could then > have with wearing other clothes with it (wet suit, semi-dry top, etc), but > I'm afraid it would end up being just semi-dry (i.e. wet with less water > flushing through it than a wet suit), and I already have a semi-dry combo I > wear over my wet suit. > > I've also seen a 2 piece pant/top combo where the pant top and the inner > tunnel of the dry top rolled together. Any experience with that? > I was tempted to get a two piece for the same reasons, however, the prevailing opinion in rec.boats.paddle was that you need two people to get you into a two piece if you want the seal around the middle to be watertight. If your spine can twist like a corkscrew, you're probable ok, though. They are evidently quite dry. I finally opted for a one piece and find it's quite a challenge to get out of singlehandedly. > > And finally: Best time to buy? Is spring a good time when people are trying > to clear their winter stocks? Summer? My suit was a special order, so it didn't matter when I bought. If you want things like booties (recommended) and a relief zipper (definitely recommended), and Gore-Tex (I recommend, in spite of the cost), you'll not find it on the rack. I don't know what things are like in your neighbourhood, but around here, drysuits aren't a big consumer item and you pretty well have to order one. That could mean full price. It is currently a bad time, I've been told, to order, since everyone else is and the manufacturers are filled with orders for custom versions of their suits. That could make delivery time long. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Woody wrote about dry suits --- > I'd like to buy a two piece because of all the combinations I could then > have with wearing other clothes with it (wet suit, semi-dry top, etc), but > I'm afraid it would end up being just semi-dry (i.e. wet with less water > flushing through it than a wet suit), and I already have a semi-dry combo I > wear over my wet suit. > > I've also seen a 2 piece pant/top combo where the pant top and the inner > tunnel of the dry top rolled together. Any experience with that? > My first dry suit was a Stohlquist two piece suit; the top had a long latex tunnel at the waist and the bottom had a long latex tunnel at the waist. They rolled up together --- had to be careful to get them lined up and to keep them lined up, and it took a lot of reaching around on a solo, but it was an excellent seal. Could swim it for a half hour and not produce any leaks. But it was very hard to get it right, and the latex seals were large and had to be treated and were subject to dryrot if proper care wasn't taken. Definitely a high maintenance item. Much prefer my once piece Gore-Tex. > And finally: Best time to buy? Is spring a good time when people are trying > to clear their winter stocks? Summer? If you do buy off season or late in the season, check the latex very carefully. If the suit has been lying around for a while, the seals could be dried out. Personal opinion: save up for the Gore-Tex, even if it means shortening your paddling season one year, it's worth the wait. Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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