Re: [Paddlewise] Doug's Ultimate Drysuit

ralph diaz wrote:

> > > - ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Doug Lloyd" <dougl_at_islandnet.com>
> > > > Also, I do remember my Storm Island
> > > > trip. The breathable Sympatex was terrible -- like wet matte coldly
> > > > clinging to your skin. I had to wear my old nylon Wildwasser paddling
> > > > jacket over top just to survive.

> Ralph wrote:
> > > My experience in paddling in a coated non-breathing dry suit along with
> > > people in Goretex ones was that at lunch or other breaks they had to put
> > > something on over their Goretex suits where I did not.  But that was in
> > > exceedingly cold air conditions in the high teens with wind blowing.

And then Dave wrote:

> > I'm having trouble with the problem as it is being described:  that
> Goretex
> > allows more evaporative cooling than nonbreathables ... and that is a
> "cause"
> > of insufficient insulation, prompting Ralph's buddies to don another layer
> when
> > on a lunch break, and Doug to layer on a nonbreathable.
> 
> Dave,
> 
> Doug was talking about a Sympathex BREATHABLE garment.  So, there is no
> contradiction between his experience and the one I relate.

I recognize that.  I think you'll see that word in the excerpt of his post I
included.  And, in fact, there is no doubt that his Sympatex layer's
breathability contributed to his being cold.  The Wildwasser layer
(nonbreathable) helped keep him warm by limiting transpiration through his
outer layers.  I think you snipped the critical part of my post.  I'm going to
repeat its thrust:

With equivalent fleece underneath, a breathable outside layer will run cooler
than a non-breathable outer layer.  (I think we all agree on that.)

The solution I advocate is:  put on another layer underneath the Goretex. 
You'll warm up ... and at the end of the day, you'll have relatively dry
fleece.  I think it is misguided to blame the Goretex for inappropriate choice
of underlying insulation.  Doug could have put on more insulation under his
Sympatex, if he had the room (Doug is a big guy, and fills his drysuit, I bet),
and so could Ralph's paddling companions.

For me, the principal advantage of the Goretex is this:  With a nonbreathable
drysuit, your fleece gets saturated during the day, making it of limited value
while dodging around camp unless you wear your drysuit while cooking, making a
fire, seting up shelter, etc.  Hence, a "dry" set of garments for camp, and a
"wet" set for paddling.  With a breathable outer layer, your fleece is damp at
the end of the day, but not saturated, so you can wear it ... sans drysuit ...
while moving around and doing camp chores en route to bed, and it will be dry,
ready for the next day. 

Less fleece to tote, and it will be drier, on and off the water.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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