Drysuit advise

I'm looking at stepping up from my wetsuit to a drysuit but stuck on sticker shock. Are there comfortable options under $400 new out there? If so where? I'm 5'10" and 225.

Thanks in advance, Aaron

I'm looking at stepping up from my wetsuit to a drysuit but stuck on sticker shock. Are there comfortable options under $400 new out there? If so where? I'm 5'10" and 225.

Thanks in advance, Aaron

On the pre-owned rack.


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Some options from China http://www.ebay.com/itm/221888442754 then Mithic Gear  (USA) a lot of models from $280 and up http://www.mythicdrysuits.com/collections/drysuits

stretch your budget and get a Kokatat SuperNova Angler (it has a with relief zipper!).  just do it!   

Look at a dry pants and dry top combo. I used that for years. Here are the pants:

https://kokatat.com/product/hydrus-3l-tempest-pants-with-socks-ptuhtp

Dry tops can be found fairly easily under $200 if you look around the web or in your local kayaking shop.

Your probably right about the super nova. Is that comfortable enough in warm weather? Any suggestions on where to get one for the best price?

Are separate top and bottoms a safe enough option for cold water fishing? I'm planning on the majority of my fishing being in the ocean.

I always surprised by how often someone says they don't want to spend very much on a survival suit.

No offense, Yakin Fred.  It's not you, it's a pretty common theme.

I've seen the Chinese dry suits and they pretty nice.  If you can't afford more, they'll do.

But fishing from a kayak tends to put a bit of strain on an immersion suit and warranties can be very important.  If you look around, you'll read a lot of posts praising Kokatat product warranties - factory repairs and complete replacement suits - and that's what justifies the prices.  Kokatat dry suits are a lifetime product.

If you find you had to replace a Chinese import in a couple of years because of pin holes or delamination, you'll have spent more on "cheap" suits than you would have paid for a Kokatat Angler semi-dry suit.

Are separate top and bottoms a safe enough option for cold water fishing? I'm planning on the majority of my fishing being in the ocean.

It's not how warm a dry suit is, it's about how much water it keeps out.  Warmth comes from base under layers.

Too much time and effort goes into worrying about whether a dry suit is hot in the summertime. This discussion and these questions come up a lot.  The answers are always the same: they're warmer than a T-shirt, both in and out of the water - but you're preparing for the water temperature, not the air temperature, and you can cool off a dry suit by pouring some of that cold seawater on it if you're too warm.

Check the rules for ORC where some of NWKA's best and brightest have listed the minimum safety/immersion gear for competitors:

3. While on the water each participant must:

   a. Wear immersion gear appropriate to Oregon coastal surface water temperatures
   
   We will accept the following forms for immersion gear....

      1.) Full Dry suit (or Full Semi-Dry suit)
      2.) Dry top (or semi-dry top) and Dry paints
      3.) Full Wetsuit
      4.) Farmer John and Dry top (or semi-dry top)
      5.) Waders with wading belt and Dry Top (or semi-dry top)

A dry suit (or dry top) has latex arm and neck gaskets as well as a wide, tight fitting waist closure. 

A semi-dry suit (or semi-dry top) has latex arm gaskets a tight fitting neoprene neck gasket as well as a wide, tight fitting waist closure.  The Kokatat Supernova Angler Suits that many NWKA members have are Semi-dry suits because they have a neoprene neck gasket.

Basically, don't show up in anything that you couldn't float around in the ocean in for 20-30 minutes.

No offense taken Tinker. I agree on the importance of safety. At just over $7200 invested in the two kayaks, custom fishing goodies, and a trailer my dumb ass failed to foresee that my wetsuit is just plain not cutting it. Now that I'm broke (wife not so happy) I guess I was just hoping there might be some insight on an affordable option. With all that said I think I'll eat the cost and buck up for the kokatat. After all it will for sure be the last money I ever spend on kayaking.  Lol

Your probably right about the super nova. Is that comfortable enough in warm weather? Any suggestions on where to get one for the best price?

my coastal experience is that it is not too hot except out in full sun with temp above about 70F...if I get warm I drop legs into the water.  I also wear light merino wool base layers top and bottom that keep me warm and cool...I have worn mine on outings as long as 7 hours, I think the Kokatat "generic goretex" is quite good and breathes.

Got mine from Kayak Academy few years back. They usually have sales or discontinued items. Just saw a Kokatat Tropos super nova with relief zipper for 415. Think this is the same one I got. No problems. Check sale items.-jed

Next Adventure probably has sales also, but KA closer to you.-jed

Judging by your size, you would probably want an XL size. I see KA has a T3 Super Nova in L for $479 listed as "New" in their USED section. Might give them a call and see if they might have another size. https://www.kayakacademy.com/pages/used-kayaks-used-dry-suits
Down the road you will know it will be worth every penny.

The layering is something that you need to get dialed in for yourself based on how your own body temperature runs. I'll wear either UnderArmor and/or smartwool and sometime a fleece layer if its really cold. I'm usually on the warm side with the fleece layer though. Don't forget... Good socks and footwear play just as big a part of the temperature equation as well!

Definitely keep your eye out on Ebay for a lightly used Kokatat suit. You should be able to find something <$400 on there.