Re: [Paddlewise] Wet suits/dry suits

Hi group - I agree with just about everything Mike Daly wrote in his 
excellent post on wetsuits/drysuits. My own experience is slightly different 
from Mike's in that I probably sweat a bit more than Mike does, so even the 
Goretex drysuit doesn't keep me completely dry. After just an hour or so of 
paddling, and not extreme paddling at that, the polys which line the suit 
will be damp. After a few hours, they will be wet. Enough water accumulates 
just above the ankle gaskets so that I want to "vent" them just after getting 
out of the water, rather than dribble all that dilute salt solution onto the 
living room carpet (gross, I know, but what can ya do - ).

In cold or windy weather, I need to be careful to have an additional layer of 
dry clothes to put on if I stop paddling for any length of time, for example 
when I take a lunch break. Otherwise I could get chilled .

Even so, the goretex drysuit has been a wonderful thing to have. It's one of 
the best paddling investments I've made. I use it with appropriate poys 
underneath when the air temp or water temp is below 55 or so. For slightly 
more spring-like temps I use either a drytop or a wetsuit.

Whatever I wear and whatever the temperature, the PFD is always on top of it, 
zipped up. In summer the PFD is sometimes hot, but it stays on anyway.

My last word on drysuits - get a relief zipper if you possibly can. What a 
difference that makes!

Bill Hansen
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