Is it worth buying a drysuit?

Question

Is it worth buying a drysuit?

Answer 1

Absolutely. I whitewater raft in icy water in the winter and spring a lot, and I would probably not be here today if it weren't for my dry suit. Your survival time in cold water is only a fraction of what it is in the warmer waters of summer. It's not just about comfort.

Answer 2

Yes! Keep in mind that there are 2 different kinds of drysuits: those for diving and those for "surface sports" such as paddlesports. For sailing you'll most likely want the latter. These sorts of suits are made of Gore-Tex or similar waterproof breathable fabric with latex gaskets at the neck, wrists, and ankles (or some come with built-in socks). Being fairly lightweight, they allow a lot of mobility. However, they don't provide much insulation on their own, so you'd wear layers of fleece underneath.



Common brands:

Kokatat (http://www.kokatat.com/)

Palm (http://www.palmequipmenteurope.com/)

NRS (http://www.nrsweb.com/)

Answer 3

yes all the instructors i know have them they work well and keep you dry

Answer 4

Yes, a good dry suit is the way to go.

Answer 5

Yup. You can't beat the thermal protection they provide. In a wind, your wet suit will chill fairly quickly. A dry suit will keep you toasty. Is it worth it to you? I dunno. Personally, I'll use my wetsuit in winter only when I know I have shelter I can get to quickly post dive ( I ice dive). If I'm on a wind swept, exposed, frozen lake, damn straight I'll dive it in my dry suit. It's almost like wearing a parka. You pay a small price in mobility though. Dry suits tend to be a little stiff either because you have a tri laminate or vulcanized rubber ( which are thin suits) and are wearing thermals under or you have a crushed neoprene like mine, that are just plain thick but wearing shorts and T under it aren't uncommon in below freezing surface temps or almost freezing water temps which is what I do or I'd cook because that crushed neo is friggin' hot.

I'm not sure if a ships chandlers will stock one, but in diving shops you can find dry suits that also have integrated dry gloves. Think of a space suit. Same idea with the seals on them. A twist and click to lock them in place. The gloves are water proof and attach to the suit in a similar fashion. They're a thin, latex like material, that you can wear a normal thermal type glove under and provide pretty good dexterity. Handy (pardon the pun) for dealing with rigging. This type of suit can also be ordered with an integrated latex hood, resulting in only a small part of your face exposed to the environment.