wet-suit or dry suit

Seloth

So I've taken up kayaking in college for the first time in years,But seeing as I want to get back into it I'd wish to have my own gear.

ow last time I got a wetsuit I was 16 but tis a bit small on me now so I'm planning on getting a new one.

I was thinking about a dry suit though,But are these grand for kayaking or would I be better off getting a wetsuit?

Thanks:D

pmccormack

Dry suits designed for kayaking work really well, other ones such as sailing suits tend to be less fitted in design.

Main difference is that a wet suit you can pick up for €60-300, where as a dry suit will cost you €300-900.

Choice depends on how much you are willing to spend but if you have the money dry suits are good.

Cheers
Paddy
www.irishcanoekayak.com

Tobias Greeshman

If you have the money I'd personally get a dry-suit, they can be quite expensive but if you look after them they'll really last you ages. My own one is an entry level kokotat one and I've had it at least two years now.

If you can afford around the €300-350 mark then you should definitely be able to pick one of the entry models up. Also if you keep and eye on irishfreestyle forums or are in a club I'm sure there'll be people selling excellent second hand dry-suits around that price-range.

irishlostboy

another age-old kayaker discussion.
my 2 cent.
if you are still swimming, wetsuits absorb impact and do not snare up on rocks making them a much better option to swim in.
drysuits are ideal for providing entertainment with people not venting their suits properly so when they swim they look like spastic michalin men floating off down the river unable to rescue themselves. also provide great "sea anchor" effect when they rip, fill with water and assist in getting you bet in the more interesting water conditions, followed by no insulation worth a damn once they have failed, further assisting hypothermia. drysuits are more fragile and need more maintinance than a wetsuit, and when they fail, consequences are more harsh.
all the above is dramatic, but true. also mildly funny if like me you have a stunted and warped sense of humour.
there are other options. ever noticed those dry-top things? they can be used with or without a wetsuit. so, combos you could try:
longjohn wetsuit, thermal top, dry top. keeps you warm when in boat. keeps you pretty warm after a swim. provides lower body protection. minimises lack of mobility in the arms. also, once you have stopped swimming in cold water you can ditch the longjohn and slap on a pair of board shorts, and you are sorted for the milder months. or just slap on a pair of thermal leggings and waterproof pants, and that will do nicely for a non-swimmer in winter. if you are then wanting to do harder rivers where you feel you may get a stuffing, back into the longjohn and enjoy the warmth and security of neoprene padding on your bony arse.
that is what i do anyway.
i write this not to rubbish the far-overhyped obsession with drysuits, but to point out that they are not always the only choice a paddler has, and what you should choose should match your skills and experience, as well as your bank balance.

yomchi

Dry suit all the way!
The best thing I've bought as I build up my gear. I got one for 410 in the great outdoors.
As a beginner I'm capsizing as much as the next beginner so having that extra bit of dryness allows me to remain comfortable enough to stay focused on the lesson or enjoy the rest of the trip.

MugMugs

irishlostboy wrote: »

another age-old kayaker discussion.
my 2 cent.
if you are still swimming, wetsuits absorb impact and do not snare up on rocks making them a much better option to swim in.
drysuits are ideal for providing entertainment with people not venting their suits properly so when they swim they look like spastic michalin men floating off down the river unable to rescue themselves. also provide great "sea anchor" effect when they rip, fill with water and assist in getting you bet in the more interesting water conditions, followed by no insulation worth a damn once they have failed, further assisting hypothermia. drysuits are more fragile and need more maintinance than a wetsuit, and when they fail, consequences are more harsh.
all the above is dramatic, but true. also mildly funny if like me you have a stunted and warped sense of humour.
there are other options. ever noticed those dry-top things? they can be used with or without a wetsuit. so, combos you could try:
longjohn wetsuit, thermal top, dry top. keeps you warm when in boat. keeps you pretty warm after a swim. provides lower body protection. minimises lack of mobility in the arms. also, once you have stopped swimming in cold water you can ditch the longjohn and slap on a pair of board shorts, and you are sorted for the milder months. or just slap on a pair of thermal leggings and waterproof pants, and that will do nicely for a non-swimmer in winter. if you are then wanting to do harder rivers where you feel you may get a stuffing, back into the longjohn and enjoy the warmth and security of neoprene padding on your bony arse.
that is what i do anyway.
i write this not to rubbish the far-overhyped obsession with drysuits, but to point out that they are not always the only choice a paddler has, and what you should choose should match your skills and experience, as well as your bank balance.

Some pretty serious "What if's" there.... along with some pretty serious scare mongering !

I arrive to the river on a Sunday morning with my comfy bottoms and fleece top, get into my drysuit, paddle the river / play the river. Capsize quite a bit. Get out the other end warm and dry and get out of my dry suit and straight into the car.

irishlostboy

MugMugs wrote: »

Some pretty serious "What if's" there.... along with some pretty serious scare mongering !

ya, cos after 13 years boating i dont have a clue right? :rolleyes:
hey, every scene described i have seen/ been involved in. not to mention the any of number of "i cant go boating, my drysuit seals are fukt .."etc i have heard.
but hey, i only play the devils advocate. buy what you like. but if someone asks for an oppinion and we dont all join up into a "agree with popular consensus" circle jerk, dont try come out with accusations of "scaremongering" when someone points out some view which differs from yours. leave the internet hardman talk to 4chan.
if there was a "right" oppinion on this subject, there would be no market for long john wetsuits or dry tops in ireland now would there? and regards an oft sighted reason of mobility for avoiding wetsuits, the day i see a kayaker move as much as a surfer i will personally eat my wetsuit. most "mobility" issues irish paddlers have is the one around their waists caused by over indulgence in beer and only paddling one day a week
drysuits are great kit when all is going right. never said differently. personally i cannot afford it. instead i own 3 drytops in various states. that way i can always have a dry clean and in repair one when i go boating. as i usually paddle more than once a week this suits my personal priority best.

adrianshanahan

Hey,

With the exception of possibility of surf kayaking if you can afford it a drysuit allows for by far the best comfort / experience while boating.

The Dry top and long john type combo falls a long way short of the performance of an actual drysuit no matter what way you cut it.

As for a full steamer wetsuit for boating, don't bother save your cash until you can afford something better.

Adrian

MugMugs

irishlostboy wrote: »

ya, cos after 13 years boating i dont have a clue right? :rolleyes:

Clearly

irishlostboy wrote: »

but if someone asks for an oppinion and we dont all join up into a "agree with popular consensus" circle jerk, dont try come out with accusations of "scaremongering" when someone points out some view which differs from yours. leave the internet hardman talk to 4chan.

The level of "defense" you have shown over the slightest of comments on your own post makes me kinda wonder if you really believe your correct yourself.

You are scare mongering ! Pure and simple. It's a fact. Deal with it. Accept that you are and move on. it's ok..... !

Ever wonder why Drysuits are so popular and the Long John / Dry Top craze isnt ? That would be because people with sense dont listen to people like you

yomchi

Drysuits certainly do create discussion

The first thing the instructors in WWKC club encouraged me to buy was the clothing and said the best thing to buy was the dry suit as I had a few quid saved.

After doing the club rescue course on Sunday gone I now realise how much of a good buy it was. We were the entire day down on the Glenmacnass river, it pissed rain all day, we did our fair share of defensive swimming and rescue scenarios. We got off the river at 6 and I was bone dry and warm which enabled me to stay involved in all of the activities. Most of the guys had wet suits and dry kags and come 4pm they were starting to feel the cold big time. So the dry suit was an absolute life saver for me.

Truley

There's already been a debate on the safety of drysuits here on Irish freestyle. Also on the UCD forum. Personally I would never recommend them to a beginners as they are a big expense for someone who may not stick to the sport. Also if you are taking regular swims the risk of tearing the suit is high, which essentially renders the suit useless straight away.

Also the risk of tearing yourself. I remember being black and blue after a bad swim down the Glenmacnass. Would have been a whole lot black and bluer if I hadn't the protection of neoprene.

yomchi

Some good debate in that thread there Truley.

But surely a tear in your dry suit is as dangerous as your BA getting caught in branches or your boat getting pinned? There's an inherrant risk that comes along with moving water and a person swimming in it with gear on, no?

Truley

yomchi wrote: »

There's an inherrant risk that comes along with moving water and a person swimming in it with gear on, no?

Yes but I think people's point is there is less risk without a drysuit. And for beginners I would always advise the safest possible equipment and gear until they are more experienced, have reached a level where they understand what they are getting in to and they are not taking regular bumps and swims. I would feel the same about any advanced whitewater gear, you wouldn't believe the amount of beginners and freshers I have seen with rescue BAs, slings, cowtails, throwbags, and not a clue about what they're for or how to use them properly. I feel the same about drysuits, you have to know what you are letting yourself in for and a beginner does not.

yomchi

Fair point

wet-paint

Jesus Lost boy, insecure much? Take a chill, you're way too defensive.

Drysuits are better for keeping you dry, but it's about the layering underneath that keeps you warm.
Wetsuits have much better impact protection, sure, but wearing a dry cag and wetsuit? That's just nonsense.
If you're going to be swimming a lot, get a wetsuit, and a cheap as chips centre cag. All it needs to do is have a separate tunnel to keep out the water, and the wetsuit does everything that cag would do then.