Insulation under both the coated and the Gore-Tex drysuits is going to be damp after strenuous paddling. Gore-Tex works when the vapor pressure of the water inside the garment exceeds the vapor pressure of the water outside the garment. As a result you have close to saturated air and damp insulation under the drysuit. Damp fleece is not a good an insulator as dry fleece. My experience using my Gore-Tex drysuit in MN in the winter provides anecdotal evidence to support this. On New Year's Day and on a Dec 4 paddle with air temps near or below 32 F. I was warm paddling and chilled very quickly when I stopped. I warmed up when I removed all my damp insulating layers and put dry fleece on. Dana > -----Original Message----- > Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 16:14:06 -0800 > From: ralph diaz <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com> > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Drysuits > > JSpinner_at_aol.com wrote: > > SNIPPEDD > > I hear coated is bad when out of the boat from wind > chill on the suit > > that is over wet clothes. I haven't experienced much of > that but I have seen > > people in GorTex huddled behind me in the wind. > > I am not certain why anyone would say that the coated stuff makes you > feel cold because of the wet insulation underneath. Your > experience, my > experience, points to this being a fallacy. Wet stuff is > not going to > chill unless it is exposed to air...coated is fully air > proof. Goretex > is not since it does have pores that breath and let heat out with the > moisture being transported outward. That is why normally people with > about the same metabolism will want a bit more insulation under a > Goretex dry suit than under the coated one at least as far as the > question of feeling chilly outside of your boat. > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I also find that I can't stay dry in a Goretex drysuit, paddling vigorously in the Pacific Northwest. I suspect that the high humidity here limits the effectiveness of Goretex, since the vapor pressure outside is relatively high. Nonetheless, the Goretex still works much better for me than when I tried a coated drysuit in the past. I find that if I'm going to wear a drysuit, I might as well wear neoprene underneath it! Since any moisture I generate tends to gravitate toward my seat, I find that neoprene is particularly important there. So my solution is to use the following progression as the weather gets colder: 1) 2mm neoprene pants with a pile top; 2) add a paddling jacket; 3) substitute a 2-3mm farmer john wetsuit for the neoprene pants, still with pile top and paddling jacket; 4) neoprene pants, pile top under a drysuit; 5) farmer john wetsuit, pile top, under a drysuit. The pile top can be short or long sleeve, for more flexibility. A warm hat or balaclava allows me to adapt for a range of temperature on a given day, taking it on or off. The combination of neoprene under the drysuit keeps me warm and safe in the coldest weather here, and is much more comfortable for paddling than going to heavier neoprene. Bob Apter ----- Original Message ----- From: Dickson, Dana A. <dana.dickson_at_unisys.com> To: <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2000 8:38 AM Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] PaddleWise Drysuits > Insulation under both the coated and the Gore-Tex drysuits is going to be > damp after strenuous paddling. Gore-Tex works when the vapor pressure of > the water inside the garment exceeds the vapor pressure of the water outside > the garment. As a result you have close to saturated air and damp > insulation under the drysuit. Damp fleece is not a good an insulator as dry > fleece. My experience using my Gore-Tex drysuit in MN in the winter > provides anecdotal evidence to support this. On New Year's Day and on a Dec > 4 paddle with air temps near or below 32 F. I was warm paddling and chilled > very quickly when I stopped. I warmed up when I removed all my damp > insulating layers and put dry fleece on. > > Dana > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Bob Apter wrote: > I find that if I'm going to wear a drysuit, I might as well wear neoprene > underneath it! Since any moisture I generate tends to gravitate toward my > seat, I find that neoprene is particularly important there. I made myself a pair of shorts using Polartec Thermal Fleece (lycra on the outside, fleece on the inside) that I find good in damp conditions. They provide a bit of space between your butt and the seat where water (in very small quantities) can remain out of direct contact with your skin. So if it's only persperation you're dealing with, they're nice. I think you can buy this type now (couldn't when I made mine) and you definitely can get the rubbery version of these today in good paddling shops (especially those that cater to the WW crowd). Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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