Paddling Gear...
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10444
Printed Date: 31 Oct 2025 at 12:47am
Topic: Paddling Gear...
Posted By: wylddeuces2
Subject: Paddling Gear...
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2011 at 9:05pm
|
I have been shopping online and searching a good price on a drysuit. Anyone
looking, i strongly advise
http://www.kayakacademy.com/pages/store/drysuitinfo.html... i got a new drysuit by Kokatat for just under $500. They have a lot of
great stuff and good prices! No huge retail overhead is how they are
able to keep their prices very competitive. ------------- To each their own. If it makes you happy it cant be that bad, im happy for you! For what does matter...is what makes You happy! |
Replies:
Posted By: Aquaholic
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2011 at 9:38pm
|
I'm assuming that for that price its not Goretex? ------------- |
Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2011 at 10:56pm
|
Sounds like a Trops drysuit. Tropos by Kokatat is good stuff and a great entry level drysuit that will last you for years. Save the money for Gortex later when you know you will be staying in the sport. ------------- Nomad |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 4:37am
|
kyle your picture cracks me up! ------------- |
Posted By: wylddeuces2
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 5:39am
|
Am i gonna stay dry, thinking maybe i should rethink, or am i gonna tare it apart with my swimming being a newbie?
------------- To each their own. If it makes you happy it cant be that bad, im happy for you! For what does matter...is what makes You happy! |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 6:13am
I would recomend getting a gortex drysuite.... They are well worth the money, and if you decided to sell it later- there are many people willing to buy a used drysuite.  and as a newbie, you will most likely be swimming a lot!------------- |
Posted By: PaddleGirl
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 6:14am
|
you should stay dry... at least for the most part. mine is not goretex, is pretty old, and i just get a little damp in some places. usually don't notice until i am changing my clothes.
i think it's time for an upgrade for me though.
|
Posted By: Monk
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 9:03am
|
I know NRS has a mixed reputation, but for ~$550 the Inversion is a pretty good deal. I'm getting a little bit of early stage delamination, but I stay dry and it is fairly breathable. |
Posted By: water wacko
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 9:35am
|
Why Kokatat is tops in my book... I won't count the quality and durability of the suit and the cool color choices. I won't count the easy-in goretex booties, either. Hey, the pee-zip comes on every suit. Let's s ay all that stuff balances out between companies... Kokatat is number one because when I send my suit in, for a nominal fee ($35?) they pressure test the whole suit, patch all the holes, they even put new gaskets in if I need them. Year after year. $35. Can't beat it.
To make the gaskets last longer I use 303 so they stay slippery and I use bee's wax on my zippers, even works on old booty zippers. ------------- "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 9:58am
OR you can get a but flap :) for me, as a woman, I love it!! and plus if you have to go number 2 you don't have to take off your whole drysuite! Genius!  ------------- |
Posted By: Aquaholic
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 10:02am
|
Originally posted by dave
I second what dave said. First off I had no clue they offerd a lower cost suit that still breathes so why spend the big money when your still just getting into the sport. Kokatat makes good sh$t so i wouldnt worry about it tearing on swims. Sounds like a Trops drysuit. Tropos by Kokatat is good stuff and a great entry level drysuit that will last you for years. Save the money for Gortex later when you know you will be staying in the sport. ------------- |
Posted By: Aquaholic
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 10:04am
|
Originally posted by jella Me too! kyle your picture cracks me up! ------------- |
Posted By: warlickone
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 5:37am
|
Gore isn't really necessary, the kokatat quality will be there. Excellent choice.
Even gore dry suits aren't totally dry. Pretty close. I get water in under my wrist gaskets and sometimes through the neck gasket, so even if the gore is dry, I can get wet through the gaskets. But, it's ok. It's a water sport, right? Before they made gore dry suits, everyone used coated nylon which didn't breathe at all. This worked well. Yours will be better than the best thing available ten years ago. You'll be fine in it. Jim |
Posted By: mokelumnekid
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 10:08am
|
I have the Kokatat Tropos 'TMER' drysuit with bootiies and the spray-skirt apron, relief zipper, that I got used (but it was like, barely used, virtually new) for $425., and so far so good. Swam in the Sky in it on a very cold day a few weeks ago and it was great. In fact have done practice swims in it. When I'm done boating, I step out of it with my tuxedo on and walk straight into the casino, just like James Bond! Next time I'll get the GoreTex just because, but for my first dry suit, I'm a happy camper , esp at that price-point.  |
Posted By: Aquaholic
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 8:45pm
|
Originally posted by warlickone I'd recomend going to a smaller gasket size if your taking on water thru the gaskets.Gore isn't really necessary, the kokatat quality will be there. Excellent choice. Even gore dry suits aren't totally dry. Pretty close. I get water in under my wrist gaskets and sometimes through the neck gasket, so even if the gore is dry, I can get wet through the gaskets. But, it's ok. It's a water sport, right? Before they made gore dry suits, everyone used coated nylon which didn't breathe at all. This worked well. Yours will be better than the best thing available ten years ago. You'll be fine in it. Jim ------------- |
Posted By: jzgold
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 9:52pm
|
Originally posted by jella OR you can get a but flap :) for me, as a woman, I love it!! and plus if you have to go number 2 you don't have to take off your whole drysuite! Genius! I've always wanted the butt flap, I wonder if there are any woman's dry suits I could fit into?? 6'1? |
Posted By: mokelumnekid
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 9:55pm
| Can ya get a butt flap and a relief zipper? Let er rip baby! |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 10:19pm
|
Originally posted by jzgold
Originally posted by jella I've always wanted the butt flap, I wonder if there are any woman's dry suits I could fit into?? 6'1?OR you can get a but flap :) for me, as a woman, I love it!! and plus if you have to go number 2 you don't have to take off your whole drysuite! Genius! You have no idea how awesome it is!!! ------------- |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 10:19pm
|
and I'm sure you could totally find it!!!! ------------- |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 10:20pm
Joe who are you? Do i know you?  ------------- |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 10:22pm
|
dude... Dry suite all the way. gortex.... and freaking but flap! ------------- |
Posted By: jella
Date Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 10:23pm
hahahaaa! I'm sure you can get both... Just a little extra money, just like the extra pockets you can get too! Totally worth it! yeah baby!  ------------- |
Posted By: wylddeuces2
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2011 at 5:50am
|
gortex drop seat $840 (thats with 10% off for picking up instead of shipping) http://www.kayakacademy.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?search=action&category=DSW0&keywords=all ------------- To each their own. If it makes you happy it cant be that bad, im happy for you! For what does matter...is what makes You happy! |
Posted By: wylddeuces2
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2011 at 5:51am
|
they also offer 15% off for accessories.
------------- To each their own. If it makes you happy it cant be that bad, im happy for you! For what does matter...is what makes You happy! |