Immersion gear II

"I don't layer under the bottoms.  It's extremely difficult to get a layer on down there without it bunching up."

Allen- I tuck my fleece bottoms into my socks, and tuck my top into my bottoms. This seems to keep me from bunching and wedgies in the dry suit.

I'm waiting for someone to come up with a cooling apparatus.  Kind of like using heat warmers in gloves in the snow.  I'd like to be able to add body coolers in my drysuit when it's warm out.

-Allen

Whenever I get hot in my dry suit, I just dump over and roll up, or lay in the water and scull. I call it "the air conditioner", and it's the only way I've ever found to cool off without taking the suit off! I'm not trying to boast, but that's really what I do (except for in the Willamette. I'd rather just sweat!). I would suggest hopping off the SOT into the water. It will cool you off, and give you good re-entry practice!

You know, that makes perfect sense.  But every ounce of my being tries to keep me from being IN the water.

-Allen

LOL.

I was impressed with Jeff's immersion suit outfit at PC. I'm want to try the dry top/neoprene wader/pfd combo. I'm looking for good dry top make & model suggestions. Would like to buy one but can't afford the $250+ price tag for a new one. Anyone have a used in good condition for sale?

In the sub $250 range I like Palm stuff. I think it's a little better quality than NRS, which I believe is the only other sub $250 dry top. Check out the  Palm Switch. Even though they're a UK company, MTI distributes in the US, and warranties and repairs are handled reasonably through Rainy Pass in Seattle.

Palm's stuff tends to be made from a heavier nylon than the G-Tex stuff. It's a little stiffer, but a bit better for abrasion, but not quite as good for mobility. I sell allot of Palm to WW guys for that reason.

http://shop.aldercreek.com/Outerwear-Apparel/Dry-Tops/Switch-Dry-Top-C70-i678602.html

I'm sure you've thought of this too, but those neo waders are going to be boiling in the summer.

In the sub $250 range I like Palm stuff. I think it's a little better quality than NRS, which I believe is the only other sub $250 dry top. Check out the  Palm Switch. Even though they're a UK company, MTI distributes in the US, and warranties and repairs are handled reasonably through Rainy Pass in Seattle.

Palm's stuff tends to be made from a heavier nylon than the G-Tex stuff. It's a little stiffer, but a bit better for abrasion, but not quite as good for mobility. I sell allot of Palm to WW guys for that reason.

http://shop.aldercreek.com/Outerwear-Apparel/Dry-Tops/Switch-Dry-Top-C70-i678602.html

I'm sure you've thought of this too, but those neo waders are going to be boiling in the summer.

Thanks for the info. I wear a wetsuit for summer salt, jump in the water when I get hot.

Would like to buy one but can't afford the $250+ price tag for a new one. Anyone have a used in good condition for sale?

Not to steer you away from Alder Creek, but Andy and Bax has some hellified deals on used tops in the basement. I scored a nice Navajo* top that is breathable, has nice seals, a skirt,heavy material and it's not pink for $30.   
  It really is catch as catch can though and from Coos Bay iit's a looong way to go to find out that they don't have anything worth a durn at that moment.

Ebay has also been very very good to me (although color choice can be somewhat of a challenge)




*I never heard of it either

"Steep and Cheap" (internet outdoor gear wholesaler) has had some smokin deals on dry tops (less than 100$).  I am looking for one also, If I find a deal I'll give you a heads up.

"Steep and Cheap" (internet outdoor gear wholesaler) has had some smokin deals on dry tops (less than 100$).  I am looking for one also, If I find a deal I'll give you a heads up.

I've been watching Steep and Cheap nearly every day since Yakintup got his.  Looking for one for my wifey.

"Steep and Cheap" (internet outdoor gear wholesaler) has had some smokin deals on dry tops (less than 100$).  I am looking for one also, If I find a deal I'll give you a heads up.

Uh-mazing deals! Yeah, that's where I got mine. Extrasport doesn't make them anymore , but there are other great deals on stuff like that, you just have to watch it a lot. A word of advice is to create an account and keep yourself logged in so when you find something you want, you don't have to scramble to enter all your info in. When I got mine, they were only offering about 3 in the size and color I wanted so it pays to be quick on the draw on that site.

"Steep and Cheap" (internet outdoor gear wholesaler) has had some smokin deals on dry tops (less than 100$).  I am looking for one also, If I find a deal I'll give you a heads up.

Uh-mazing deals! Yeah, that's where I got mine. Extrasport doesn't make them anymore , but there are other great deals on stuff like that, you just have to watch it a lot. A word of advice is to create an account and keep yourself logged in so when you find something you want, you don't have to scramble to enter all your info in. When I got mine, they were only offering about 3 in the size and color I wanted so it pays to be quick on the draw on that site.

Or work night shift.  You should see how few of folks are logged in at 3 am. 

Steep and cheap looks like pretty good deals. It's last years or two years old from what I can tell.

How long did you have to wait for a dry top to pop up?

Actually, those Atlas E12 W snowshoes are from 3 years ago.

I'd just make sure everything is first quality, make sure you know what features apply to what year the good was manufactured. It looks to me they buy overstocks after the season. It's kind of like TJ MAX for dudes.

Just make sure the sleeves are the same length etc.

In the sub $250 range I like Palm stuff. I think it's a little better quality than NRS, which I believe is the only other sub $250 dry top. Check out the  Palm Switch. Even though they're a UK company, MTI distributes in the US, and warranties and repairs are handled reasonably through Rainy Pass in Seattle.

Palm's stuff tends to be made from a heavier nylon than the G-Tex stuff. It's a little stiffer, but a bit better for abrasion, but not quite as good for mobility. I sell allot of Palm to WW guys for that reason.

http://shop.aldercreek.com/Outerwear-Apparel/Dry-Tops/Switch-Dry-Top-C70-i678602.html

I'm sure you've thought of this too, but those neo waders are going to be boiling in the summer.

Thanks for the info. I wear a wetsuit for summer salt, jump in the water when I get hot.

In January I'm going to post a special 15% discount for NWKA @ Alder Creek online store. You will just enter ANGLER15 at check out.

I'll post it here when we do it in the next week or two.

I got the dry top right before extrasport took them off their website earlier this year. I had to watch it A LOT, I'll admit. I was checking it at work so I was on the site almost all day sometimes, waiting for that specific top. It took me about two weeks of watching it religiously to get it. It seems like the put the paddle gear up in the warmer months because I haven't seen much lately. You can also sign up for email updates that will give you hints of what they'll put up for the day, or, if you're really dedicated, you can have them email you every time a new deal is up(which is about every 20 min.).

In January I'm going to post a special 15% discount for NWKA @ Alder Creek online store. You will just enter ANGLER15 at check out.

I'll post it here when we do it in the next week or two.

    

"Steep and Cheap" (internet outdoor gear wholesaler) has had some smokin deals on dry tops (less than 100$).  I am looking for one also, If I find a deal I'll give you a heads up.

Thanks for the heads up when you find a deal.

Andy and Bax has some hellified deals on used tops in the basement. I scored a nice Navajo* top that is breathable, has nice seals, a skirt,heavy material and it's not pink for $30.   
  It really is catch as catch can though and from Coos Bay iit's a looong way to go to find out that they don't have anything worth a durn at that moment.

Ebay has also been very very good to me (although color choice can be somewhat of a challenge)

*I never heard of it either [/quote]
Looks like Alder Crk & Andy & Bax are in the same neighborhood, so the next time I'm in Portland I'll be checking out both places. Looking forward to the Alder Crk sale, may just pick up one of these at that time. Nanook - at which store do you work? Thanks guys. Off for Coos Bay now.
-Paul

you should check out our store at Jantzen Beach/Hayden Island. It's got much more stuff than the shop closer to andy and Bax in SE Portland. That shop is more or less just advertising for the bigt one at JB.

I work at the Jantzen Beach store 95% of the time.....one random day a week I'm at the SE shop.

There is also Portland Kayak Co. in SW Portland that would be worth checking out. I think they have stohlquist and immersion research wich are both pretty good brands. I've used allot of IR stuff and been real happy with it.

I'm not sure what the $$ range on that stuff is though.

Speaking of, I have an IR dry top size L i think that I might be able to sell. I can't officially wear anything but Kokatat anymore.

and thats 160 dollars for you men to relieve yourselves. i could emagine what it would cost to put a larger one in the back for us ladies.

Marilyn

PS. for us washingtonians theres a place in Seattle called Seattle Fabrics that carrys the neopreme rubber and the different weights of gortex and zippers. I havent went up there yet to check out colors and stock availablity.

$12 for a freshette out the front zip, AND you get to stand up to pee.