Evaporative cooling is a critical safety issue. However, the evaporative cooling of a wetsuit is not just a function of exterior cloth v no exterior cloth. Evaporative cooling of a wetsuit is minimized by: 1) wearing a waterproof (or at least a waterproof coated) top; 2) wearing a spray skirt; 3) and being in a kayak (not a sit-on-top) -- of course there is no evaporative cooling when one is submersed. Given these other variables to limit evaporative cooling, the durability of exterior nylon on a wetsuit can offset the evaporative cooling disadvantage. Note: Total evaporative cooling can also be minimized by wearing waterproof hear gear (I carry a $2.75 latex swimmers cap to had to students when if they get cold after/during rescue practice). Eric -----Original Message----- From: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com [mailto:rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 9:13 AM To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] wetsuits Matt Broze wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bhansen97_at_aol.com <Bhansen97_at_aol.com> > <snip> > > > >Double nylon (?? - cloth, anyway) facing is important - facing on the > outside > >to minimize abrasion damage to the suit, and facing on the inside to make > the > >suit more comfortable and make it less difficult to get off. > > Nylon on the outside holds water and is colder after an immersion and > recovery because of evaporative heat loss. > Matt Broze > http://www.marinerkayaks.com I am glad that Matt brought that up. I have had several neoprene wet suits (each discarded as I gained a bit of weight re-distribution or the neoprene plain shrinking, which it does). The only good one, which I still have, is the Seda one. I believe that Seda is the only manufacturer who is still making wetsuits with naked rubber on the outside for just the reason that Matt mentions, evaporative heat loss. While the naked rubber has no protective cover, it dries in a jiffy. Also it will wear reasonably well on its own. At worse you will get a few small pieces flaking off which will make you look like a true veteran paddler instead of a neophyte. Oh yes, the Seda suits have ridiculous long zippers that come well down to the crotch and will allow you to pee, albeit you do have to open from the top down. So a semi-relief zipper in a sense. ralph diaz > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > *************************************************************************** -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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