Drysuit options/ fabrics?

Hi,

I am going to bite the bullet and invest in a good dry suit rather than continue to use my waders and dry top.  I have been looking at the Kokatat suits as I have some other Kokatat gear which I realy like.  My understanding is that Kokatat has 3 fabric choices, Gore Tex, Tropos and T3.  Any comments on the pros and cons to these fabrics?  Is Gore Tex the best in terms of durability and breathability or is it just more expensive due to the Gore Tex trade mark?  Anyone have the current Kokatat Gore Tex front entery suit?  If so any comments positive or negative?  Should I consider any other brands like NRS or Stolquist?  I am hoping to use my REI dividend and my 20% off one item so the 3 brands mentioned would be preferred. 

Thanks,

Thomas

T3 stands for Tropos 3 layer.  I believe what Kokatat calls Tropos is standard 2 layer.

I personally prefer the Goretex and that's what I normally use (Goretex Front Entry).  I tend to sweat more and overheat, so I went for the most breathable.

I also have a Tempest set.  I've only used it once, but it did feel less breathy to me.  But I have the Tempest set for a different reason.  The 2 piece setup is friendlier on Alaskan trips.  Strip off the top, keep the pants on and change over to a lighter weigh sweather or rain jacket and you're good to go on land.

-Allen

I have just gotten a T3 from Kokatat and I really like it. I have the Latex neck gasket and the "footies", I use a pair of NRS shoes with rubber soles on top of the footie. The suit comes with lots of options, It does breathe well for me, and take all the layers you would wear on your coldest day  of fishing(is there such  a thing? Rich goes steelheading when there are ice floes coming down the river).

 Anyway, the goal is to make sure that you have plenty of movement even when layered up. People usually buy shoes 1 or 2 sizes up to accommodate socks, but the depends on the suit you buy, with or with or without footies, so bring your socks too. This is well worth the effort to get a comfortable suit.

BTW some Koatats come with a neoprene neck gasket which my DH likes. He has a Tropos 2 layer. However, as I spend as much time in the water as fishing, I like the latex. 

What type of setup do you guys suggest for the salt in the (summer) and what type of setup on lakes (summer)?

Would a full Drysuit be a bit much for summer conditions?

I know Dress for immersion, but I have a feeling I may over heat in my T3 Super Nova Angler Semi-Dry during the summer.

SD

What type of setup do you guys suggest for the salt in the (summer) and what type of setup on lakes (summer)?

Would a full Drysuit be a bit much for summer conditions?

I know Dress for immersion, but I have a feeling I may over heat in my T3 Super Nova Angler Semi-Dry during the summer.

SD

Its not hard to get a little warm in a dry suit in the summer on the salt, mostly happens paddling A to B, but I cool down by dragging my feet in the water, splashing water on my lap and wetting my hat etc.  Has work so far for me no problem, it doesn't take much as the ocean is pretty darn cold.

I am hoping to use my REI dividend and my 20% off one item so the 3 brands mentioned would be preferred. 

I was thinking the same thing.

I do have a question as for the suits at REI and dressing for immersion.  Are the T3 and Gore Tex suits equal in this regard because both have latex neck and wrist gaskets?  REI writes in their specs that the T3 would be less suitable for a cold swim and I can't figure out why.  I know the Supernova would be less suitable because of it's neoprene neck. 

I have use the Supernova T3 for about a year.  I wore it on a 90+F day on Puget Sound and was quite comfortable.  Now I only had a tee-shirt, light pants, and heavy socks on underneath, but remember the air temperature over the water is considerably cooler than that over land.  I've also worn it on cold days with a union suit, then more fleece, very heavy socks and been comfortable.  It is possible to add/remove torso layers while on the water, but something that should be reserved for calm conditions.

The neoprene neck gasket is probably more comfortable than the latex, but when you first fall into the water it leaks a few tablespoons of water.  Once you bob to the surface with your PFD no more leak.  I think the leak is a combination of being submerged and thrashing about

I consider my T3 one of the best purchases I've made and wear it whenever and where ever I go out, salt or fresh. 

Nick, How "quiet" is the fabric on your Supernova T3?  Holt told me that one of the reasons he chose his NRS drysuit over other models was because the fabric (I think Goretex) was soft and quiet when pedaling his Revo.
I'm with Holt on this feature, as any "rub-rub" fabric noise when paddling would be annoying.
I'm looking to get a suit made from a "quiet" fabric.

Nick, How "quiet" is the fabric on your Supernova T3?  Holt told me that one of the reasons he chose his NRS drysuit over other models was because the fabric (I think Goretex) was soft and quiet when pedaling his Revo.
I'm with Holt on this feature, as any "rub-rub" fabric noise when paddling would be annoying.
I'm looking to get a suit made from a "quiet" fabric.

Rather than Gortex the NRS Mission Dry Suit I have uses eVent material, and yes it is nice an quiet. holt

I bought the Gore-tex Kokatat and love it except for the neck strangulation of the latex gasket.  I remedied this with a device made by OS Systems in Scappoose, OR.  Its a piece of thick tygon tubing with a coupler in one end that allows you to wrap it around your neck and connect it into a "hoop" (it is loose on your neck) under the latex gasket. This keeps the gasket from strangling me and I am a very happy man. The gasket is still tight to my neck, just not super tight. If I ever was in a situation where I needed the gasket to be super tight on my neck, a little tug takes care of the problem.

My suit has the built in stocking feet so I use the NRS  Cross-4 neoprene shoes.  With wool socks, I was dangling my legs in the Willamette in January without my feet getting cold.

-Craig

I bought the Gore-tex Kokatat and love it except for the neck strangulation of the latex gasket.  I remedied this with a device made by OS Systems in Scappoose, OR.  Its a piece of thick tygon tubing with a coupler in one end that allows you to wrap it around your neck and connect it into a "hoop" (it is loose on your neck) under the latex gasket. This keeps the gasket from strangling me and I am a very happy man. The gasket is still tight to my neck, just not super tight. If I ever was in a situation where I needed the gasket to be super tight on my neck, a little tug takes care of the problem.

I use something similar which I got when I bought my drysuit at the Kayak Academy.  I think they hand made those ones there.

-Allen

Well, there's another sale at REI with another 20% coupon in the book.  Now that I have the Hobie with drive I'm considering noise the suit might make (annoying) as I'm pedaling and the heat that I'll generate.

I've looked at the NRS Mission - $849.95 minus $169.99 ($679.96)
http://www.rei.com/product/790981

The Kokatat T3 Swift Entry $630.00 minus $126.00 (504.00)
http://www.rei.com/product/799496

and the Kokatat Tropos SuperNova $489.00 minus $97.80 (391.20)
http://www.rei.com/product/783910

Any new thoughts from those that own these?  Especially the cons.

Thanks

Greg

The guy in the T3 with latex neck gasket looks like he is strangling---wonder if that's a smile, or a grimace???  I have the 2-piece option,Goretex bibs (Kokatat) and Tropos jacket with neoprene (fold-over) collar.  I have a size 16 1/2neck, and the latex gasket was a nightmare.  Pencil-necks would be happy with either.
   I have not found the tropos to be any less breathable than the Goretex, and the 2 pieces mate nicely with a roll-n-fold kind of join.  Water proof (so far).   It's especially nice to have dry feet with the Goretex built-in socks, I hated having cold feet back in the wetsuit days.

I hate to be the odd man out, but after extended online research I found the Stohlquist Body Pod to be the best bang for my buck. It has a neoprene neck gasket that does not leak, relief Zipper, Front entry, and the guy at the paddle shack link is selling them for less than $500. I wasn't going another season without one after paddling last winter in a wetsuit.


http://www.stohlquist.com/dyn_prod.php?k=&p=STO56501


http://www.paddleshack.com/Specials_Stohlquist09.html

What type of setup do you guys suggest for the salt in the (summer) and what type of setup on lakes (summer)?

Would a full Drysuit be a bit much for summer conditions?

I know Dress for immersion, but I have a feeling I may over heat in my T3 Super Nova Angler Semi-Dry during the summer.

SD

summer ocean is a hard call, on a windless day it can just get hot!! and then the wind can come up and chill off 20 degrees in a half hour. I have worn shorts on occasion in the ocean in the dead of summer, but i am never that far from shore where i fish. but then you gotta watch out for getting your legs torched by the sun and get driven crazy by the kelp flys.. and i suppose dying.
I prefer a thin splash bottom and top in summer with layers under depending on temp. some type of head wear is important too, to keep the beating sun of the melon, especially important if you are follicley challenged as i am.


Summer lake here is shorts, t-shirt, hat, sunscreen and PFD..and take your splash gear in your dry bag, sucks launching at 3:30 pm in 75 degree weather and being an hour away from the launch at 6:30 and it clouds up, gets windy and the temp drops(been there).

I have no personal experience with a drysuit but some i have seen look like you could cook in the summer