Drysuit selection (fabric, not design)

Don't want to discuss the obvious need of relief zippers and such, I want the nitty gritty on material. GoreTex or the other stuff?

Here is the issue, my mileage has most definately varried with GoreTex performance. While I love their windblocker material, their waterproof material hasn't served me very well in the past, and, the mantra in Prince William Sound is "In PWS, rain gear isn't made of GoreTex".  It eventually soaks thru and then you're wet and cold with no way to dry it out. Rain gear is made from rubber coated fabrics by companies named Helly Hansen, Grundens, and the like.

So now I'm looking at drysuits. It's gotta be able to get wet, for extended periods of time, support multiday trips w/o returning to a warm place to dry out.

If I am going to spend 500.00 to 1000.00 on a drysuit, I want the best possible perfomance I can get.

So let the comments fly!

Thx

dan

I have a Goretex kokatat and love it.  I have fished for hours in the rain and have never been wet inside. I have had Goretex raincoats that after hours in the rain have felt damp on the inside. I believe the drysuits are constructed differently and the raincoats were not kokatat brand. One thing I do in the winter rains here is wear a raincoat over my PFD and drysuit if I start to get cold from the evaporative cooling of the rain on my dysuit. 

If there is one thing I do not like about my suit is that the "pants" part is made of black fabric.  It gets toasty in the summer sun.  I wish I would have got a lighter color.

If you can spend the money get the Goretex!!!
I have an all black Mustang Goretex dry suit and even on a sunny day I don't feel like I am roasting and on a 40 degree and raining day was the only time I wished I had more than just a base layer on under it.
I am a fish guy and wear Tuffs and Grundens every day. Actually just wear bibs when I am really getting dirty. Usually just an aporen in the plant.
But the point is that Goretex dry suits really are dry! Seems like everyone that has a Goretex Kokotat really likes it. I have not used any of their products but I am 100% happy with my Mustang Suit. It is the MSD 575.

The couple of times I have used my Kokatat suit with the T3 material I am impressed. So far Im not getting too hot in it and it seems to be keeping me dry. I guess time will tell how well it holds up. Kardinal has had his suit for awhile and it looks to be holding up good.

So kokatat or mustang if you're dropping bucks for goretex?


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?tw1vul

I absolutely love my Mustang suit. With that said they are not really set up for civilian sales. I have found a couple places to get the suit online. Best price I found was $1080. Not sure what the Kokatat suits go for.
I think the Mustang suit is possibly the most durable suit I have seen as it has a heavy amount of padding and kevlar reenforcments but it is not designed for kayaking. The neck seal is not a traditional seal and I wear mine fairly open most of the time. All the seals are neoprean not latex which I like. Mine is the all balck Tac Ops 575.
With all of that said their customer service sucks, though I haven't had anything go wrong with my suit I wanted to send it in for longer socks and got no where.
If you are over 6'2" I would recomend the XL. I just barely fit into the L. The cut of the suit is also much more fitted than most other suits I have seen.

Not sure this answers your question ...  Both are great suits. 

Not all Goretex is the same, despite having the same label.  That said, I have a non-gortex suit coming soon... made with eVENT http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/1516-eVent-versus-Goretex-Pro-Shell-The-Battle-Lines-Are-Drawn.html

Not all Goretex is the same, despite having the same label.  That said, I have a non-gortex suit coming soon... made with eVENT http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/1516-eVent-versus-Goretex-Pro-Shell-The-Battle-Lines-Are-Drawn.html

Who is the manufacturer?

I have a Kokatat T3 SuperNova Angler "paddling suit".  They don't call it a "dry suit" because it has a neoprene neck.  The fabric is "Tropos 3".  I've used it a 100 times or more and at least my butt is wet every time for hours at a time and it has never soaked through.  I love the extensive cordura reinforcements - large elbow patches, the entire lower portion from waist to shins in the front and waist to behind the knees in back.  I can drop a hook or rockfish in my lap and not worry about punctures. 

I have the same suit that demonick has.  Breathability is great.  After pedaling 5+ mph for over a mile, beached the boats and took off my PFD, there was steam coming off my suit, and it was 65 degrees out.  My shirt underneath was still mostly dry.  I call that good performance.  If you can't afford goretex, then the T3 is good stuff.

Not all Goretex is the same, despite having the same label.  That said, I have a non-gortex suit coming soon... made with eVENT

Gore-Tex is actually one thing, it's the laminates put on underneath that makes them different. Specifically to paddling gear w/ Gore-Tex, is actually all the same.

The Tropos angler suit is bomber and while the cordura can be a little hotter it is worth it. I've put hooks through my suit and it sucks! That being said I did upgrade this year to a full Gore suit and the breathibility is incredible. You can really feel the difference. Bill is spot on, our "hot" coastal temps are not an issue.

I got the Mustang Survival MSD 575 WR like FG but in bright yellow (I'm not a Seal Team member). It's covered with Kevlar in all the right places since it's designed for professional water rescue guys.

http://www.mustangsurvival.com/professional/water-rescue-drysuit

I found a demo unit (never been worn) from a local rep in WA and got it delivered overnight for $650. I bought a large and it's very spacious. I'm only 5' 9" and 180 lb but this thing could fit a guy 6' 2" 230 lb easy. Another rep had an XL. I can probably find one if you're interested, I've got several key contact numbers. It's an awesome suit, the neck system alone is worth it, so comfortable and easy to get into and out of.

Just make sure to close the relief zipper before wading in to trailer your boat, damhik. 

Being of pure mediterranean stock, i.e., thin-blooded, I tend to run cold.  Even in summer I am more often cold than hot on the water.  Personally, I'd rather sweat than be cold, so I enjoy the lesser breathability (wind penetration) of the Tropos 3 over the Gore-Tex. 

Another option is the 3ply eXhaust nylon suits from Level6 http://www.levelsix.com/2010/02/level-six-exhaust-nylon-fabrics/

I use the Poseidon suit and have been nothing but comfortable.
I don't plan on squeezing into neoprene ever again.