Drysuit Question

[Victor]

I am ready to buy a drysuit and I have a question about the tunnel. I have discovered that my six pack is now a twelve pack and was wanting to know if the extra bulk of the tunnel around the already larger
midsection will have a big affect on my roll? Tunnel or no tunnel, that is the

Thanks, Victor

[Lupe]

TUNNEL!

Seriously, that tunnel will not have ANY impact on your roll, and having it keeps way more water out of the boat.

Really - it doesn't seem bulky.

Look forward to seeing ya' warm and cozy on lots of water this winter, Victor!

[Jim Krueger]

Victor,

Lupe is right on, the tunnel portion of the garment weighs next to nothing yet provides a very effective double seal against the water.


Jim Moose

[shelbyjohnson]

Concurr - tunnel for sure.

[GutIt]

Victor!

No matter if your sixer is now a keg!

The skirt tunnel will definitely have an impact on your roll. Meaning that you will always have a better chance because the tunnel won't let so much water slip through. A skirt will only seal so much as the wrinkles, creases, and all that it seals around. The tunnel will help keep that out of the equation. You won't have to get out and bail as much, and you will enjoy a drier and cleaner ride, and you won't have to worry about your roll with a boatfull of H2O so much. Way better than being concerned about any extra material involved with a skirt tunnel, which is none! And good question. No matter if you are going to pop for a full suit, a drytop, or a two piece, go with that. You won't regret, and if you don't do that, you probably will regret later. Also get a breathable (goretex if you can spring), and try to get a front relief zip if you are getting a full suit.

I wear a Size MXG (Medium Extra Gut!!)! My XG is the only thing that I have that is paid for!

But the skirt tunnel is a certain must, Victor.

[RomanLA]

In addition to the goretex and relief zipper, the built-in socks make a huge difference! You don't have ankle gaskets cutting off circulation and more importantly your feet stay dry all day! I got a great deal on a used dry suit without a tunnel. I haven't noticed much leakage, but I don't flip often either. If I was buying a new suit, I'd definitely go with a tunnel though! Personally, I like the kokatat gmer.

[DMG]

I asked almost the same question almost a year ago and got the same advice you're getting from every single person I asked. I gave that advice the appropriate weight, which was a lot, but eventiually decided on a drysuit without a tunnel. I don't regret the choice a bit and will buy the same type if I ever need to replace it. The reason is simple: I'm willing to pay any price to be able to install and remove my sprayskirt easily.

My torso is so short that the tunnel on my sprayskirt reaches almost to my armpits the way I usually wear it. Scrunching a neoprene waistband up high enough to get the sprayskirt on and fitting flat stretches my shoulders to the very limit of their range of motion. I actually got a very sore shoulder that lasted several weeks after putting on my shorty drytop one time and ended up ripping the inner tunnel out so I wouldn't have to deal with it any more. Now I put on my skirt and then put the drytop over the top of it like an improved splashtop. I traded dryness for ease of use and I couldn't be happier with it! With my tunnel-less drysuit, I just step into my skirt, pull the front up to my chest, and rotate it back and forth a few times to flatten it out. I never have to reach behind my back to smooth anything out. I couldn't be happier with it either!

The best part, though, is that whenever we get to a good wave where my friends want to play, I can pull up on a sandbar, jump out of my skirt, pop my head and arms out, and be doing sudoku puzzles in less than half a minute. An hour later when I see them dumping the water that got in their boats anyway in spite of their tunnelled drysuits, a just re-dress myself, slide my skirt back on, climb in my boat, and I'm in the water before them. It's very handy!

There's also a philosophical reason for my choice which is so full of obvious contradictions that you don't need to point them out to me. Kayaking is a water sport. You are supposed to get wet. When I went paddling with my drysuit on for the first time, I was almost disappointed. I felt like I was cheating! I got over it, but I do appreciate the streak of cold that runs down my back when I hit a big wave train. I also appreciate having to dump my boat periodically. If my boat stayed completely dry, it would almost seem to me that a crucial part of the kayaking experience was missing. But it's nice staying dry.

I'm just offering the contrarian viewpoint here, but there's no question that putting on a sprayskirt is easier when you don't have a tunnel on the drysuit to mess with. There is also no question that you will get much more water in your boat. If absolute ease of use is the one feature you simply cannot live without, as it is to me, then you might think about a tunnel-less suit. Otherwise I can't think of any particular advantages to it. I think the difference in bulk would be so slight you probably wouldn't notice it at all. As far as rolling goes, do like I do and inflate your drysuit with methane. The extra buoyancy will virtually guarantee a good setup and a successful roll. You'll be amazed!

Happy shopping!

~Dave

[Victor]

Thanks guys for the info and perspctive.

[JB2012]

What type of dry suit do I need for my canoe?

[hdh]

A big one with points on both ends!!!!


Thought everyone could use a joke

I bet Bobby would have smiled at that one.