gyork Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Looking for a lower-half paddling garmet for the shoulder season. Hydroskin pants vs. non-neoprene paddling pants. Pros/cons and your recommendations please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I have Kokatat dry pants but rarely wear them as the transition from neoprene to dry suit is such a fine line here in New England. I still do like the dry pants once and a while. Good to have just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 the Rolls Royce of lower half paddling wear is the Gore-Tex Kokatat bib with relief zipper and booties. , but its so expensive that few avail themselves of it. I'd love to have a pair but its hard to justify since I can make do pretty well with the various alternatives: (drytop and paddle pants etc) Otherwise I like surfskin paddle pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Gary:I think of Hydroskin as more of a summer item and would only use it in cooler weather and water in benign conditions. I really like Surfskin for cool weather as it is relatively windproof and warm. However, when out for several days and unable to fresh water rinse it, I have found the fuzzy inside seems to become abrasive perhaps due to salt and cause chaffing. I agree with Doug about just shifting to a drysuit, but dry pants seem like they would be great for paddles where the risk of swimming is not high.Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Kokatat makes a Tempest Pant out of the T3 material. It is high waisted and has socks. It works well as a planned outfit on the water with any double tunnel top. Alternatively, you can put them on top of whatever else you had one as a wind break, warmer alternative. When worn swimming in white water, TWICE, I got about 1/2 cup of water in each foot. That is with a drytop, neoskirt and life jacket. If not worn with all three, you would probably get more in during a swim. Unlike a bib, if the pants were to get flooded, you could easily slip them off, even when in the water. Flooding during a swim was my original concern with the pants but I have not found that to be the case.The current version is only available for men. 2013 version available after Jan 15 will be available in the new version of T3 - Hyrdrus 3L or Gore-Tex AND available in women's sizes. Nice thing about the T3 and the future Hydrus 3L and of course the Gore-Tex is that they all carry the same lifetime warranty.I personally don't like a gasketed pant - the gaskets just are so annoying. Plus if I am cold, I don't like my feet wet.Peter likes the bib's but they are pricey and really shouldn't be used without a drytop which makes them a piece that doesn't get used much. A bib could not be removed while on the water if they were flooded as the bib top would be under a life jacket and with a skirt on. Therefore to be used safely they must be used with a drytop. Truthfully by the time I wear a drytop, I usually just get in my drysuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 by the time I wear a drytop, I usually just get in my drysuit. I love my dry top! When I use my dry top it's normally over a short sleeve shirt and swim trunks. If I had to guess I get 20 paddling days a year in it. When it turns into the season that I am not willing to swim in my shorts, dry top and short sleeve shirt I move directly to my dry suit. (This said if they made a Knappster http://www.kokatat.com/products/jackets/gore-texr-knappster-men.html in my size I would likely wear that instead of my dry top). -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 (This said if they made a Knappster http://www.kokatat.c...ppster-men.html in my size I would likely wear that instead of my dry top). In the summer I have found a thin poly long sleeve shirt and a short sleeve paddle top to be a great combination. You can roll sleeves up and down for temp control. Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Allen Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 The benefit to the paddling pants (even one's not attempting to exclude water with latex gaskets or booties ) is that you can layer underneath and they're usually very windproof. Of course, don't swim and expect to stay dry. There have been a few days this summer on extended paddling trips where I wish I had them. Instead my choice was either shorts or a full drysuit.bestPhil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick stoehrer Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 TOP -Peak UKStorm Pants - excellent dry pants/bib - very comfy and dry. once the feet wear out, have them replaced with latex booties.BOTTOM -Reeds Aquatherm Fleece Dry Cag - warm, comfy, cozy. perfect.they are both available in the states through Kayak Waveology in a variety of sizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick stoehrer Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 ooop....lest you think i'm wearing my pants on my head (they don't fit - it's a giant melon)...reverse that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 The latex booties caught my attention...I've been wondering if there is a alternative to leaky Gore-Tex booties. We both have the Gore-Tex booties on a couple different garments, they both leak, so our preference currently is for any garment that has a Velcro strap around the ankles....you can always use most any strap for much the same purpose. if needed I suppose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 The latex booties caught my attention...I've been wondering if there is a alternative to leaky Gore-Tex booties. We both have the Gore-Tex booties on a couple different garments, they both leak, so our preference currently is for any garment that has a Velcro strap around the ankles....you can always use most any strap for much the same purpose. if needed I suppose...Are you positive they leak. I thought my Gor-Tex socks attached to my dry suit and on my dry pants leaked as well so I had a conversation with Suz. My issue was actually sweat. Instead of simply a thin ski boot sock under the Gor-Tex covered by a neoprene booty, I added a fairly thick wool sock over the thin ski sock. Wha-la, problem solved. The moisture wicked away from my thin ski socks and my feet now stay dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Are you positive they leak. I thought my Gor-Tex socks attached to my dry suit and on my dry pants leaked as well so I had a conversation with Suz. My issue was actually sweat. Instead of simply a thin ski boot sock under the Gor-Tex covered by a neoprene booty, I added a fairly thick wool sock over the thin ski sock. Wha-la, problem solved. The moisture wicked away from my thin ski socks and my feet now stay dry. I too had the same issue where I thought that they were leaking and a change in socks fixed it. The nice thing with the Gor-Tex socks is that they are tested when the suit is tested and they can repair them. The feet in my old dry suit never had to be patch for pin holes (other than the one hole from where it got slammed in the trunk). I babied the feet (didn't walk on them without shoes, changed on foam mats etc, my hips developed pin hole as that's where the suit rubs against the boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 ...not to worry I know whereof I speak....unless I break a sweat every time my feet touch water... heh... heh.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Spider, you could 'test' the feet to be sure with just putting on gray cotton socks (will show you where the water is coming in as the wet spots show up better than on black or white). Put the feet of your drysuit on and then put them in a bucket of water. Works well in a big home depot type 5 gallon bucket. You don't have to put the whole drysuit on for this. Sit there for a few minutes or just until you feel wet. You can then mark them with a white or silver sharpie and then use aquaseal to seal them up. Of course if you glue up over an area that is delaminating, you can no longer send it in to Kokatat for their review/replacement. If it is glued, they can't see if it delaminated.Personally, if I get leaks in my suit, I send it back to Kokatat for leak test and repair. Even I am hopeful that my suit delaminates and they send me a new one:)Pin holes develop for sand/scree in your shoe (usually people who wear crocs or tevas with their drysuit find they get them quickly) or walking on the bare sock and getting pin holes. Or, someone who just walks a lot in their drysuit like ww paddlers who carry their boats for a few miles to a spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 ...gray cotton socks (will show you where the water is coming in as the wet spots show up better than on black or white). Have we told you lately how much we appreciate you being a member of the Network and sharing your wealth of knowledge about both gear and kayaking in general? Thanks for the testing tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 nice idea about the grey socks...last time I tested them by filling up the bath tub and sitting on the edge. Till my feet got wet then I seam sealed all the seams waited till it dried then folded the suit nicely and put it away..I think it's been about a year now. ( previously they were tested)though getting back to the paddling pants, just trying to point out that the booties might not be a deciding factor...in some ways many rain pants might do a satisfactory job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pintail Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 <nice idea about the grey socks...last time I tested them...>I <must> remember to test my grey socks, too! ;^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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