Advice needed!

[Jaredpcci]

I'm in the market for some cold weather paddling apparel. I don't want to wear a full dry suit so I'd like find a good dry top and a pair of dry pants that work well together. I paddle open, solo canoes so I won't have a spray skirt, etc. I've looked at the tops and pants from NRS and like the fit and styles. Anyone have any experience/advice?

Thanks,

Jared

[Al Donaldson]

Jared:

We've had good luck (same application -- open canoes, cold weather, kneeling and sitting) with the Kokatat brand dry pants. Currently are using an older version of the tempest pant with socks and find them to be excellent: they even work well for standing in the creek doing chainsaw work. The material is quite light and so does not hamper motion or kneeling. The articles are well-made, with taped seams that keep out water well.

The built-in socks are a bit large (good for my size 12/13 feet) but may need a size larger (than your normal size) boot or paddling shoe to fit well. (Note: for canoeing, don't try to use the pants without some kind of footwear, as the sock portion is made of the same material and thickness as the rest of the pant and might wear out quite fast by itself.)

In colder weather, they are roomy enough to fit well over a pair of wetsuit pants. (I'm 6'3" and 180# and am using a Large pant -- there is perhaps an extra two inches of length in the leg for me, so a taller person would fit. We have one local paddler who is quite short, and the additional length does not present any problems when paddling.)


While I have not needed service, I have heard good things about Kokatat's responses.

AND, a biggie (for me , at least) the items are made in the US. Currently NRS is selling these for $172. From our experience, they are well worth that expense.

For our uses, a dry top makes no particular sense, as we paddle in odd enough weather (read that to mean everything from normal cool weather to raging blizzards, often in the same day...) that we need more versatility, so we use a combination of wetsuit jackets, splash jackets, multiple layers of insulation, old motorcycle enduro gear and the occasional parka or two (Iowa weather, you know...).


HTH

al

[Shep]

For the record, a Drytop and Dry pants are NOT equivalent to a Drysuit. If you swim, you will get water inside. I'm not saying you need a drysuit, but if you do, there is no easy alternative. These words of advice brought to you by a year-round class III open-boater, class IV swimmer.

Shep