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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/31/99 9:56:49 AM Pacific Standard Time, Bhansen97_at_aol.com writes: << 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'm about to buy my second Goretex "semi-dry" paddling jacket since my first is finally ready to give up the ghost after 5 seasons of heavy use. The latex wrist seals are (of course) completely dry in surf and river. The neoprene waist band, over a neoprene spray skirt, is amazingly dry, but naturally will let in some water during rolls and rescue practice -- considerably more with a nylon skirt. The neo neck seal is like any other paddling jacket seal -- it will keep out most of the water if snugged up. Although this is not always the case, I am often amazed at how little water gets in during classes where I might do 3-5 wet exits along with assisted and solo rescues, plus a few rolls and Eskimo rescues. I will often have just a 3-4 inch wet band in my base layer around the neck and waist, while the remainder of my top will only be damp from wicking or body moisture. It is not a dry top and cannot be expected to function as one, but for most of the year in most of the areas and conditions most people paddle, it provides a high level of protection from water flow-through and evaporative heat loss. And it has the advantage that it can be vented at the neck, which allows a person to wear sufficient insulation for the water without requiring constant roto-cooling to stave off hyperthermia. Harold *************************************************************************** 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- I have been raised in the 1 piece camp. If I'm going to wear a dry suit, I want to be dry. Period. When the water temp is 40 or so, I don't even like the idea that a 2 pc suit may leak. My personal experience has shown me that the 1 piece does not leak. Whether I'm in the water for 2 minutes or 20. Whether I'm wading in the waterway or swimming around. When paddling during less extreme seasons, I have wear fuzzy rubber if needed, unless its mid summer in which case its capilene, polypro, etc. My one universal piece of clothing that I always take along regardless of the season is my Storm Cag. It holds off the wind & rain. Debbie Reeves Sandy Hook, NJ > ---------- > From: Robert Woodard[SMTP:woodardr_at_tidalwave.net] > Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 1999 4:11 PM > To: Paddlewise > Subject: [Paddlewise] 1 vs 2 piece dry suits > > 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/ > ************************************************************************** > * > *************************************************************************** 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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