Nick1979 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I am wondering what dry suits people use and how happy they are with that they have? I may be on the market for one soon, moving up from my semi-dry paddle suit. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 (edited) Hi Nick, I have two expedition suits. https://kokatat.com/product/gore-tex-expedition-dry-suit-dsuexp Both have performed extremely well. I had mine customized for a reasonable upcharge to exclude the hood. Cheers, David Edited February 26, 2017 by David M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I have a Kokatat expedition dry suit with cordura fabric for the legs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Foster Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I own the lowest-priced Kokatat model in the "fully-dry" category, which uses Hydrus 3L fabric instead of GoreTex. https://kokatat.com/product/hydrus-3l-swift-entry-dry-suit-dsuhse Kokatat doesn't advertise it this way, but you can order it through your favorite retailer with a relief zipper and booties, both of which I'd consider to be essential. Pros: saves a few hundred $, same Kokatat warranty and workmanship, fully-dry neck and wrist gaskets. Cons: The latex neck gasket is fully exposed, without any neoprene to wrap around it. It makes you look like you've got a Turtle neck, and not the classy Steve Jobs kind. I get pretty steamy in mine, but I don't have enough experience in a GoreTex model to compare the effectiveness of the breathable membranes. All in all, I'm happy for the additional paddling opportunities that owning a dry suit provides. 99% of the time (i.e., 100% of the time when I'm right-side-up), I wish I was wearing a semi-dry suit or cotton shorts and a t-shirt. It's what you're going to be doing the other 1% of the time that dictates what level of features you need and want to pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I started out with the Kokatat GoreTex Front Entry suit, and recently upgraded to their Meridian model, primarily to eliminate the velcro collar and cuffs. I like the GoreTex suits, although I tend to be a little rough on them (lots of pin holes). I REALLY like the idea that I can send it to Kokatat for a small fee to have it tested and/or repaired to factory standards. You may want to make a trip to Kittery Trading Post's New England Paddlesports Show if you are serious about purchasing a suit. It is good to purchase "locally", and you could get a decent discount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I started out with a Stolhquist Gore-Tex dry suit that I really loved, but the fabric delaminated after several years of use. In the interim, Stohlquist had stopped using Gore-Tex. I contacted Gore and they told me to pick out any suit in the Kokatat line and they'd send it to me as a warranty replacement. I offered to pay the difference to upgrade to the Expedition suit, but they refused to take any money and just sent me the Expedition suit I wanted. I've had two other garments replaced under their warranty, both of which were around 10 years old when they were replaced. Neither of the replacements has had any issues, probably because the newer versions of Gore-Tex are more durable than the old ones, and perform better as well. That's why I buy Gore-Tex products; they have the best warranty in the industry and they absolutely stand behind products made with their fabrics. A Gore-Tex garment is essentially a lifetime purchase unless you manage to damage it or just wear it out. So, the bottom line is buy a Gore-Tex drysuit, which probably means a Kokatat, since I think they're the only ones on the market currently. Their reputation is as solid as Gore's, so you can't go wrong. They're absolutely worth the extra money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Charette Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I have the Kokatat Expedition dry suit and I have been very happy with it. Basically you cannot go wrong with any of the Gore-Tex dry suits from Kokatat. I would recommend sticking with the Gore-Tex, but other than that the higher priced models are just offering more bells and whistles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhabich Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Kokatat Gore-Tex Meridian here. Like the overskirt that goes over the tunnel on your sprayskirt...keeps out a lot of water when you roll. Don't feel the need for the extras on the Expedition...just as happy not to have extra weight/stiffness of the sleeve pockets. Definitely Kokatat, definitely Gore-Tex. Customer service, both for warranty and repair, is unmatched. They've earned our support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billvoss Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I've owned a total of six Kokatat Gore-Tex suits. Three of which were delamination warranty replacements. All of them have had relief zippers and Gore-Tex socks. (Consider socks mandatory.) Three of them were Front Entry. If price is important that is the model I would recommend. One was a Meridian which basically adds an overskirt and neoprene "punch through" collars and cuffs. I did not find the other added features very useful. Now I own two Icon Dry Suits which move the zipper to the shoulder, which also makes the overskirt even drier than the Meridian's overskirt. Because I wear my Dry Suit year round on the ocean, the additional Cordura fabric is a mixed blessing. It should breath even better and be more resistant to damage than the lighter shell fabric. However, on very hot days it seems a bit hotter than the lighter Gore-Tex shell fabric. Other than that hot weather nit, I really like my Icon suits. Of course my paddling always includes rolling, and often includes surf or other rough water. Your needs might be different. Add-ons: I had a pocket added to the sleeve of a front-entry and liked that. I never used the chest-pocket on the Meridian because it was under my PFD and not a a dry pocket. I have never had a built-in hood. Their reputation is great in the rain. However, a neoprene surfer's hood has a much better reputation for rolling in cold water. Some people swear by "Coast Guard Gaskets" which are heavier and designed to be trimmed. Regular gaskets are designed to be trimmed at the neck, but stretched at the wrists. Check the Kokatat "Gizmo Custom Suit Configurator" and compare your measurements with stock suit measurements. I was close enough that I went with stock sizes. However, some people benefit greatly from custom sizing. Playing around with add-ons and custom colors can also be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1979 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 Thank you, sounds like Kokatat is really a good choice. Does anyone have any input on the Stohlquist Amp suit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgr Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 A friend had a similar stohlquist which failed on a grand canyon trip. They replaced the suit with a current model. Sweet protection also makes goretex drygear that is sold in the US. Zoar outdoor in charlemont carries it, as well as Colorado Kayak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1979 Posted March 19, 2017 Author Share Posted March 19, 2017 (edited) Last question - has anyone used the NRS Cruix suit? Thanks Edited March 19, 2017 by Nick1979 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 8 hours ago, Nick1979 said: Last question - has anyone used the NRS Cruix suit? Thanks It looks to be in the price range of Gore-Tex without the warranty. I really don't see the upside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 14 hours ago, jason said: It looks to be in the price range of Gore-Tex without the warranty. I really don't see the upside. If you're partial to the color green, it may be the only game in town... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1979 Posted March 20, 2017 Author Share Posted March 20, 2017 Thank you all for the answers, I will be ordering a Kokatat gore tex front entry suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inverseyourself Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Excellent choice! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 8 hours ago, Brian Nystrom said: If you're partial to the color green, it may be the only game in town... Not true Brian! Kokatat has two different greens available in their line up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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