Spray skirt recommendations

[Nick1979]

I am in a search for a new spray skirt that fits my kayak better, as my current one is too tight. Since I will be getting a new skirt, I can reconsider what might be the better option for me - a full neoprene skirt or a touring skirt with a neoprene deck and a breathable tunnel? Which type do most people use here? I am not a rolling junky and don't play in surf. 

Thanks for the tips

 

 

 

[billvoss]

Full neoprene skirt is the most popular around here.

My first year I bought a neoprene deck with nylon tunnel skirt for my sea kayak.  It came with suspenders to help hold up the nylon tunnel.  Suspenders are not needed with a neoprene tunnel.  I found the suspenders annoying.  A year or two later in a white water kayak I did a wet exit where I couldn't pop the skirt because of shallow water and ended up pulling and kicking myself out of the tunnel leaving the skirt attached to the kayak.  I remember being very glad I was not wearing a skirt with suspenders that day.

Wet exit review (roughly best to worst options):

1. Grab pull loop, straighten arms, lean forward, then pull up. (Skipping the lean forward step and just pulling is harder, but also usually works).
2. Grab emergency release strap if skirt is so equipped.
3. Grab side of skirt and release that way. (Practice a few times while upright, wonderful on some skirts, horrible on others).
4. Lift your knee to pop skirt. (Practice a few times while upright, wonderful on some skirts, horrible on others).
5. Grab skirt behind you to release edge.  (Nice option on skirts with a rear bungee knot.  Practice a few times while upright...)
6. Leave skirt on kayak pull out of  tunnel instead leaving skirt and kayak behind.  (Not an option with suspenders).

Quote

I am in a search for a new spray skirt that fits my kayak better, as my current one is too tight.

When I purchased my white water kayak used off Craigslist it came with a skirt.  I took everything home and sat in my first white water kayak wearing my first full neoprene skirt and I could not get the skirt on the kayak!  I called the seller certain I had been given the wrong skirt.  He instead gave me some quick instruction on how to put on a tight skirt.  The full procedure goes something like this:

1. Optional: If you have a very tight neoprene skirt, dunk the skirt under water first.  A wet skirt is slightly more relaxed than a dry skirt.
2. Hook the back of the skirt on the coaming.
3. Run your hands forward on both sides making sure the skirt is over the lip of the coaming on both sides as you run your hands forward.
4. When you get roughly a third of the way forward instead of hooking more skirt over the lip, just maintain gentle tension so that what is already hooked stays hooked.
5. Maintaining that tension slide your hands to the front of the skirt near the grab loop.
6. Lock your arms straight.
7. Using your core muscles with your arms locked, lean forward to stretch the skirt past the front of the coaming and get the skirt to hook over the lip at the front of your coaming.
8. Pull each of the sides individually over the sides of the coaming.
9. Check all around the coaming to make sure the skirt is firmly over the lip everywhere.
10. Make sure the grab loop is out and accessible.
11. Have fun.

Good luck.

 

[Jim Snyder]

I have several extra skirts all Seals 1.7 you could try but I'm way up here in NH. 

Edited June 16, 2017 by Jim Snyder

[SeaKayakNE]

I have enjoyed my immersion research shockwave skirt.  It's made of thick neoprene and is super durable.  My wife uses a snap dragon which she has enjoyed however I have had others tell me/show the snapdragon skirts don't last long, they tend to wear in the back quite a bit. 

[Nick1979]

Thank you all for the thoughtful comments. I have settled on a Snap Dragon skirt. Does anyone have their "flirt" tunnel models, where the tunnel is a bit shorter for added comfort? I am debating between the shorter "flirt" style and full length tunnel. 

[jason]

Julie has one with the shorter tunnel and seems to like it.

 

[prudenceb]

Flirt. Exp model.