Kokatat T-3 Angler Suit Review

I took a new Kokatat T-3 angler suit to Alaska last week, and wore it with Kokatat booties in place of waders, rain jacket, and boots.

I have to say it worked out perfectly. The fabric was plenty breathable. We hiked 6-10 miles a day through sand, mud, & bog with backpacks and fishing gear and I never over heated once. The T-3 material was plenty durable, even without the extra cordura reinforcements. I hiked miles with sand in my boots and the T-3 booties showed no wear.

The full coverage of the suit was perfect for staying dry in sideways rain and 30mph winds. This advantage also allowed me to wade deeper and access more river than the guys in waders. If I snagged a lure or fly on the bottom, I could just reach down and grab it, and the latex wrist gaskets keep me from soaking my arms or torso.

The soft neoprene neck gasket didn't chafe or irritate even after 6 days without a shave. In combination with a rain hat, I remained 100% dry through the worst conditions while the others in waders & rain jackets got wet.

As for the booties, all the guys wearing hard wading boots got nasty blisters. my feet feel great.

I definitely recommend the Kokatat T-3 angler to anyone fishing in cold/rainy conditions whether they are fishing from a boat, kayak, or from the bank. It's tough and highly functional.

Yeah dude, great review (I'm sold! How much$$ to get into one of those? - pun intended), but we would like to see what the suit looks like, not yer ugly unshaven mug! We've already had glimpses of that before!

yeah I'll have to wait until I get photos from the other guys. That was the only time I turned the camera on myself & the only bit of the suit in a photo on my camera....except this pant leg and booty:

I'd also mention that the angler suit is not a dry suit (no neck gasket). I would still wear my g-tex dry suit in the salt while kayak fishing.

Yeah dude, great review (I'm sold! How much$$ to get into one of those? - pun intended), but we would like to see what the suit looks like, not yer ugly unshaven mug! We've already had glimpses of that before!

I believe it retails around $600....but I'll need to double check that price when I get back to the shop.

more suit, less ugly mug...

50/50 suit/mug...

I use a Kokatat T-3 Super Nova angler and like it a lot.  I have never gone out without wearing it.  It has built in feet, a relief zipper, latex wrist gaskets and a neoprene neck gasket.  It runs about $600 from Outdoor play but you may find it elsewhere.  

REI has them and before making my decision I tried one on there.  REI is pricey.

I wear a long sleeve poly tee, a heavy gauge poly long john (with relief slit), then depending on the weather and water temp, an REI heavy gauge polypro upper or an enviroskin union suit.  I've only used the union suit once, but it is probably time to break it out for regular use.  

I've fallen off my kayak and purposely practiced reentry with the dry suit.  Falling out was probably the best test and only a few tablespoons of water entered at the neck gasket which was not cinched.  The wrist gaskets were perfect, as were the zippers.  

The only problem is on those occasions when the water is flat, the fish are quiet, and the day is fine, it would be nice to pull all the gear and smoke a cigar while kicking back and drifting lazily.  Not gonna happen in a $600 dollar plastic dry suit.

I do recommend this suit if you can bear the price.  

full suit w/ mug....trip report to follow.

Nanook, Big bend in rod + big Coho + ear-to-ear, sh*t-eating grin = mug not so ugly any more!   Good looking suit, too. Could go out to dinner in that around here!

Thanks for chiming in with your own review of the suit, demonick.  Your relentless and  pragmatic quest for the right info and right stuff, as has been documented in various threads here, has given weight to your opinion, despite your newness to the sport, IMHO.  My ears perked up to hear that the neoprene neck gasket kept water out, without even being cinched.
An errant hot ash dropping from a cigar could be an expensive burn hole in one of these, for sure.

A ? on the suit,,, On the ankle area, with a plastic foot i can't straighten my foot when getting in or out of these things, . In the ankle area is there enough width to get a stiff  foot through? Chest waders would not work for me because of this tight ankle issue..

   Royg

Well, I have small feet and chicken legs, so it seams plenty roomy to go straight foot in to me.

I do know that Kokatat can custom size stuff for minimal fees. I would think with a bigger sock/booty you wouldn't have a problem.

also- the material is much more supple (always wanted to use that word) than neo or g-tex waders.

I would think it to work well for you, but I'd try it in person before spending your money!

Jason

so, this suit won't keep you dry if you dunk in above the neck....just keep you kinda dry.

if i had air in the suit and bent over, it blew out the neck....this tells me that it is not totally dry....just semi-dry.

Will you fill with water and sink? probably not. Will you get wet in a swim? probably so.

I'd say you're better off for immersion protection with this suit vs. nothing, but I'm still going to wear a neck gasket dry suit in the salt. I'll wear the T-3 for everything else though.

Really good for those big dudes who can't stand the latex neck gasket.

A ? on the suit,,, On the ankle area, with a plastic foot i can't straighten my foot when getting in or out of these things, . In the ankle area is there enough width to get a stiff  foot through? Chest waders would not work for me because of this tight ankle issue..

   Royg

Roy-

If you send me specs on your foot, I'll call Kokatat and see what the options are for you.

Jason

The neoprene "gasket" works great and keeps all but a drop or two of water out (cinched snug). When I hulied  at PC on Friday I didn't get a bit of water past the neck seal and I was totally submerged two separate times.  I have actually been totally submerged in Huli conditions many times and have never get more than a drop or two past the neck (snugged down).  Would recommend this suit to anyone.