Drysuits

Looking for a suggestions and opinions of the different brands of drysuits.

Kokatat! Get the relief zipper.:)

Regardless of what brand you get, take it from someone who could directly blame a visit to the emergency room on the lack of a relief zipper....

...get one installed pronto.

This seems like a car wreck, you don't really want look but can't help yourself.

So, I'll bite.
What happened?

I knew you were the stunt double for Alien, but acid piss too, damn.

So, do they have a relief zipper for women, too?

Yes, they do. There is a local girl here that has a "rear" relief zipper. It kind of looks like old school pajama rear.

zippers on these suits are ... well ... very robust. Any issues with them in light air when you want to be far forward laying on the hulls?

I know the difference in design (if you end up in the water, needd drysuit, not spray suit) , but during something like the tybee, does it make a huge difference using the full drysuit vs a spray suit?

During the Tybee, on the leg around the cape, I had to piss incredibly bad. I had to piss so bad that I couldn't hold it anymore. It was a pretty demanding day, and I was chugging down powerade/water like it was going out of style.

So I had to piss. I had to take off everything to get to the zipper. Life jacket, harnesss, drysuit, then my stuff under the drysuit. 3 miles out in the ocean hanging onto the back of the boom to support myself so I don't fall off with my piss going all over the boat was not fun.

Not only was it not fun, it took 10 minutes or so of Trey laying the boat down flat so I wouldn't fall off doing this maneuver.

Fast forward to the next day. Gonzo blasts coming between condos and I'm in and out on the trap back and forth all morning. Yesterday's ordeal getting in and out of the drysuit, and how many minutes it cost us, was fresh in my mind.

So I didn't drink enough out of my camel pack. I didn't want to get full again and have to piss and lose us more time.

4 hours or so of coming in and out on the trap and after the second pitchpole (first was a capsize) I was toast.

Also, the only reason I'm not afraid of looking like an idiot is so other people are aware of what can happen when you don't drink enough water when you're on the boat for a long time. Urinating is part of the process.

In retrospect, yeah, I'm a dumbass. I cost myself the pride of doing the whole race, and set back our time an hour at the least. I'm just glad that I'll never be that stupid again, and hope others aren't either.

Its all about personal preference. Some people like keeping the salt and spray off all the time. Some get colder before others. During the southern legs, most people wear wetsuits/spray tops/rashguards. As you get more north, the drysuits start coming out on the balconies to air out <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Mary (and the other ladies),

There is drop-seat zipper available on the ladies' Kokotat front entry suit. It is a horseshoe shaped flap with a zip that starts at the back of the thigh, goes up to the waist area, across, then back down to the back of the other thigh. If you look closely at this picture, you will see the end portion of the zipper.


The drop seat zipper feature, available only on women's suits, cost about $160. One or two uses and you're happy to have paid it.
Here is the link to the womens suit:
Link

There is another, more challenging option that requires a front relief zipper and the use of a special urinating funnel tool that is ergonomically shaped for the women's anatomy.

Kotata. seems to be the ticket. does anybody know if they will make a custom suit? accorging to their sizing chart on the web site. I'm not 6'2"..do they make a compact ballast size. Thanks for the suggestions on the relief zippers. probally should get both front and rear just to sure.

Yes, they will tailor a suit to your dimensions...I have no idea what it costs though.

The first year I did the Tybee, I wore the drysuit from Islamorada to Tybee and was very comfortable. The 'taking a potty break' thing, even with a relief zipper, is still a bit of a time consuming, and uncomfortable thing...although you tend to not worry so much about 'missing' with so much water flying around anyway. I would often find myself holding out and arriving on the beach having to make a mad dash to a restroom.

Last year I wore the drysuit only for two days and have decided that I will wear the drysuit A) when I expect it to be quite cold or B) will be sailing in a pretty desolate area (like between Fernandina and Tybee). The drysuit is simply safer since it will extend your survivability and if a problem arises in a desolate area, I would expect one might come to appreciate that benefit.

During the other legs, I'm wearing one or two layers of fleece under a pair of bibs and breathable spray top. It's really comfortable and offers a particular benefit for relief without much fuss.

I'll mention the 800lb gorilla in the room.

I have not used them, but know others that have when they didn't have a zipper.

one word

Depends

Let's just hope that they didn't have drysuits with booties but had an ankle seal (that you could open)

http://www.biorelief.com/store/stadiumpal.html

hi daryl, i used to buy the cheaper drysuits and found out that they wear and tear very quickly and that they are not very comfortable. since years now i wear the Musto drysuits. The first was a HPX model which i replaced after 8 years of heavy duty by the MPX model. i still use the HPX for guest crew. I realy love the "breathing" characteristics of the goretex fabric. i can advise you to go for the rubber feet since you can wear warm socks in them. do not let the cost put you off. in the long run they are cheeper and much more comfortable.

Kirk!

Shake a leg!

Tip: Don't ever buy a used drysuit-- or wetsuit, for that matter. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

There is a new suit on the market from Kokatat...made from Tropos instead of Goretex...it is a light weave ,but is still breathable. The suit has a neoprene neck collar, latex wrists and Tropos booties. Front zip & men or women's relief zip. About $400. One of my recent crew bought it and it seems really good, am considering as my next drysuit. Crew found it on REI's website...search for Tropos, not Drysuit. There was some kind of deal on 1st orders on their website, so he got it for ~$370.



Mike.

I couldn't find anything to fit short, fat people and I'm too cheap to pay that much anyway! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Still, I need something. Hopefully this will work. http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductD..._-na-_-datafeed

Even has a relief zipper, I think. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I think this is what you had in mind. http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductD...vcat=REI_SEARCH

yup, that's the one my crew has...but if you register & buy on-line, you get 15% off your first purchase....

Mike.

Why not do this combo?

http://www.rei.com/product/47897995.htm

http://www.rei.com/product/47897275.htm

That is more or less what my crew sail with, in the north sea. Just as waterproof as my 4 year old HellyHansen "drysuit", keeps him dry and gives him the opportunity to regulate his clothing to the conditions. He has not taken a bath with the suit yet, but it should be no big issue as we are rarely far from land. His jacket is the kayak style, with a hood, which he really like in heavy rain.

I hope santa comes with a pair of trousers like that for christmas. Would go well with my kayak jacket..

Piss Off Wetsuit Cleaner.
http://www.freakfish.co.uk/curl-wetsuits-piss-wetsuit-cleaner-p-411.html

Very happy with the suite, particularly the relief zipper! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Gill has a new one coming out this spring but the MUSTO is still the best one on the market. You just have to decide what your leisure time is worth and how much you love the sport.

Geez Gary- When is your avatar picture from, 1982?

OK.... So I'll bite... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Why not "Depends" ?
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />