Re: [Paddlewise] Waders

From: Steve Cramer <cramer_at_coe.uga.edu>
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 14:44:00 -0400
ralph diaz wrote:
> From: "Shawn Baker" <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
> 
> > Steve Cramer wrote:
> > >I don't have a dry suit, so I wore my neoprene waders with a drytop
> > and some poly. Worked a treat. 
> >
> > Yup.  I've had the exact same experience.  With a double-tunnel drytop,
> > neoprene-tunnel sprayskirt, and a good PFD over top, keeping the layers
> > aligned, I get about 1/2 cup of water after 45 minutes of swimming in
> > flatwater and waves (can't speak for whitewater).
> 
> Out of curiosity, what is the neoprene thickness of the waders?  From my
> understanding of the cold water workshops that have been run down in the
> Chesapeake area (Greg Welker or Jack Martin correct me if I am wrong),
> neoprene wet suits faired poorly when tested in 40 degree water for any
> length of swimming or hanging out in the water.  I believe that was in
> conjunction with drytops.  

I think my waders are about 4mm. Maybe 5mm. Definitely thicker than a
farmer john. But this setup is not like a wetsuit; more like a drysuit.
There's no reason you can't wear a layer of fleece under your waders
(and I do), which should give you _much_ more insulation than the same
fleece under a layer of coated nylon.

The water I was in was not that cold, however, probably around 50F.

-- 
Steve
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Received on Tue Apr 10 2001 - 11:42:40 PDT

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