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Current thoughts on dry suits?
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rtz



Joined: 31 Oct 2010
Posts: 296
Location: Oklahoma City

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:39 pm    Post subject: Current thoughts on dry suits? Reply with quote

Anyone using one? Which one? Like it? I've been looking at the Ocean Rodeo stuff. All I really see is the different prices. Yes; I look at their comparison chart; but that still doesn't make the choices or price differences crystal clear.

Any other brands to look at?

Are the built in socks a must have option? Or is there a draw back to having them?
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dvCali



Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 1314

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Current thoughts on dry suits? Reply with quote

rtz wrote:
Anyone using one? Which one? Like it? I've been looking at the Ocean Rodeo stuff. All I really see is the different prices. Yes; I look at their comparison chart; but that still doesn't make the choices or price differences crystal clear.

Any other brands to look at?

Are the built in socks a must have option? Or is there a draw back to having them?

If you want I have an Ocean Rodeo and I can sell it. It proved to be unnecessary in the Bay Area for me. It needs to have a new gasket installed (I have the gasket).
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Drysuits for sub 42 degree air and water.
A separate overlapping bootie lasts longer and can be replaced when needed.
What air and water temps?
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The SEARCH function will lead you to MANY such threads chock full of useful information on this topic. You'll miss a lot of good information if you don't search the archives, because many of us just aren't willing to retype the same old stuff repeatedly. Just click on the Search button at the upper left corner of this page and follow your nose.
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dvCali



Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 1314

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Current thoughts on dry suits? Reply with quote

rtz wrote:
Anyone using one? Which one? Like it? I've been looking at the Ocean Rodeo stuff. All I really see is the different prices. Yes; I look at their comparison chart; but that still doesn't make the choices or price differences crystal clear.

Any other brands to look at?

Are the built in socks a must have option? Or is there a draw back to having them?


Here is some info on the Ocean Rodeo. It works well with a harness, although it is a bit bulky, and keeps you completely dry. I used it with a full fleece suit (also from Ocean Rodeo) and I was very, very very nicely warm all the time.

It made December to March sailing a breeze. You go to the beach wearing your fleece suit as an undergarment, change into your Ocean Rodeo, go sailing, come back and change back into your pants/jacket without having lost a degree of warmth. I did not buy the socks, a pair of booties (I always wear booties) did the trick to avoid that water passes through the bottom gaskets.

The main, only, negative are the rubber gaskets. You have to change them every 2 years and it is a lot of work, and it gets old. Otherwise it is a great piece of equipment. If I get around changing the gasket I would still use it in winter in the Bay Area. When the temperature is in the low 50 upper 40 it makes big difference. But a 4/3 plus thermal layer seems to be doing the trick in the Bay Area very mild winter.

Again: it is on sale, drop me an e-mail if interested.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The latex cuffs (neck, wrists, and ankles) on my Kokatat Goretex dry suit are still sound at over 10 years. I use 303 Protectant on them annually, as directed. HOWEVER, I use the suit only a few times a year, if that, as it's expensive overkill except at the very fringes of the season. By May and 50 degrees water temp, my older neoprene dry suit does fine. Its neoprene cuffs, like the rest of the suit, look almost new because I wash it in "official" neoprene shampoo after each WSing trip. As the water temps reach the upper 50s, I set that suit aside and go into a reasonably dry steamer, followed by a series of wetsuits of ever-lesser coverage, thickness, and warmth. It's a GREAT feeling to be dressed juuuuust right! Too warm, and I feel very fatigued. Too cool is dangerous.
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rtz



Joined: 31 Oct 2010
Posts: 296
Location: Oklahoma City

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dllee wrote:
What air and water temps?


Water in the 40's and air in the 50/40/ mid/high 30's range. Mainly so I can stay out longer.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MANY, MANY options. And they extend not only each session but also the entire season, at both ends. It's a great example of how throwing money at some problems really works.

I can't imagine anything more comfortable than a feather-light
Goretex Kokatak suit, but I haven't tried the Rodeos (because of complaints about the clamminess of nonbreathing suits) or the higher-tech neoprene suits with integral gloves and hoods (because I don't do gloves or attached hoods).
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outcast



Joined: 04 May 2004
Posts: 2724

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hard to swim in a drysuit
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=zw0MgkO7VXw
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wsmtbskate



Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 124

PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll second the Kokatat Drysuit option.

I've had mine for 5 years, great suit. You can send it back to the factory for repairs and alterations.

I have latex gaskets at the ankles, actually sent it back to the factory to swap socks for gaskets. I use split toe booties, so didn't want the socks. The seal on the ankles does well when matched with a high top booty that helps seal the gasket better. I'll get a little bit of leakage when using low cut booties that don't overlap the gasket. Also, will get leaks from the neck gasket if I have a major crash where the air in the suit is forced out when plunged underwater quickly. Usually I'm quite dry and comfy with the only rate limiting thing being cold hands (still haven't found gloves/mitts that I like that keep me warm without limiting range of movement or cause cramping too much).

also, one plus of the kokatat is that you can get the duel zipper model where you can urinate (if a guy) out the front lower zipper without having to get out of the suit Smile

keep in mind that as Outcast said, dry suits are not good at all for waves as you can't swim in them...think floating marshmallow.
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