dry suits, wet suits, what to wear?

Just tried on some of the NRS paddling pants at REI - welcome to the sauna suit! Didn't seem to breath at all, particularly with the ankles cinched up and the neoprene waist tightened. But that may be a function of being inside in a store. Wonder how they would feel on the water?
I could see that the waders might breath a little more as the top could be opened a little bit. Mattk, have you tried both waders and paddling pants to be able to do a direct comparison?

I don't like paddling pants for the reason you mentioned. If I'm boating in NorCal salt water, the waders are perfect because the water is cold and coastal air temps are rarely very warm. If I'm in a lake in the summer, I'm in shorts.

The NRS wading pants are comfortable when air temps are below 75 degrees. If I were in cold waters and warm air temps, I might want to try the breathable waders. I like the integrated socks and suspenders. NRS pants have a tendency to slide down leaving a gap between your top and pants. Water always finds it way in before you can pull them up.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

I was thinking that would be the case (gap between top and bottom) - waders, here I come!

Waders sound fine, but paddling pants, like Kokatat paddle pants with integral feet, reach half way up your chest. They do not have to leak between your top and bottom. I really like mine.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

In SF Bay, Half Moon Bay, have used the Kokatat Hydrus 3L SuperNova Angler Paddling dry suit for two seasons with excellent results. It is Gore Tex so breathable. It requires layering for warmth. Rarely, it can get warm if you are relatively over-layered i.e. in a marina before heading out to sea but cools down very quickly when the ambient temperature drops or the winds pick up. It is bone dry.

I think in the cold waters in norcal, having a dry suit is important in the event of submersion as it increases your time to hypothermia from around 10 minutes to around 45 minutes (or so I've been told).

It is pricey, but I feel it is worth it for the safety reasons alone.

You do raise the key point - safety in cold water. I think I will take my time getting out in the rough stuff (need to be a lot more comfortable with the limits of the TI, and myself for that matter), but when I do be I will be prepared with one of these suits. For the moment, have Caddis breathable stockingfoot waders that are quite comfy, for less challenging situations.
Thanks for the input.

I use a 3/2 Quicksilver wetsuit in 45f degrees water with 45f-50f air temperature. I stay very warm. The price of a dry suit is very expen$ive.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Hi guys! I'm new to Hobie - the only way to try them out here in Norway is to buy one - and today my husband and I ordered a Tandem Island
I'm so excited I can't stop myself from reading up and planning what kind of equipment to get, and after hours of reading tests and forums, this thread looked like the right place to ask for help..!

I've grown up paddling a tandem Nautiraid, and later on a slighlty less sturdy Feathercraft - but both kayaks have kept me dry and relatively warm. In other words: I'm used to wearing the same kind of clothes I would on land, and have never worn either a dry suit or a wetsuit.

We'll get the Tandem Islander during the early Norwegian summer, but even in summer, there's no guarantee there'll be sun We'll be using it on a freshwater lake where the waves never get big, but the wind can get considerable - so it will be potentially cold even from the get-go. And my goal is to use it (almost) every weekend, for daytrips and for shorter training trips alike, so I'm thinking the best thing is to get clothes that'll make it easy to get out even on windy, rainy grey days.

What would you recommend? The water will be from 30-65 F and the air from 35 to 70 F during the season (spring through fall).
I'm thinking (again, without having tried a Hobie) there's little chance we'll fall in the water, as the waves don't get big - but maybe I'm mistaking? And how wet does your feet get - will they be wet most of the time?
So many questions... Fingers crossed you can help me out!

Arina

Welcome and congrats on your purchase Arina!
Your feet will get very wet launching and from the water that always sits in the drivewell. Also with a TI at speed the splash factor is high, especially for the person in the front seat. Sprayskirts, tramps and haka cut down on the splashing but you will still get very wet at times.
Whilst our temps aren't as cold as yours we do kayak all year round. Keeping our feet warm proved to be the biggest challenge and we tried various 'waterproof' socks with limited success. My favourite cold weather gear is a quality breathable spray jacket and a pair of bib'n'brace paddling pants WITH INBUILT SOCKS! Cold feet are no more. You can layer up underneath depending on the temp. I've found merino wool garments to be the best under the waterproof outerwear. In winter I might wear two pairs of socks, leggings and and a couple of tops. On warmer Autumn/Spring days a pair of launch socks works well if it's too hot for the paddling pants.
With your cold water temps though, a drysuit may be your best option.

Hi Arina, also congratulations on your puchase - you will NOT be dissappointed...!!

I too was a member of this forum for a long time before my purchase and it is THE best place to get information on all aspects of Hobie kit and a wealth of knowledge regarding your TI.

I live in Scotland and sail both East and West coast. I also work offshore so have a good knowledge of the kind of conditions you are likely to face and my advice would be DRYSUIT DRYSUIT DRYSUIT - no matter what time of year. Yes, that probably seems a bit extreme but the temp of the water really doesn't vary all that much throughout the year and you have to consider worst case scenario i.e. you end up in the water and on your own, sounds dramatic but quite a reality. Drysuits these days are extremely comfortable. I have used winter wetsuits but like you say if it's windy then they're not the best as you are predominately static.

I have the Typhoon PS3300 - expensive but the middle zip allows me to don it alone (which is normally the case). My wife also has a drysuit for the odd occasion that she joins me and she has a palm suit with a 'relief' zip in the seat of the suit as opposed to the front for a man and although never had to use it - it's a consideration. Hope this helps....

PS. The female drysuit is shown here - http://www.southampton-canoes.co.uk/clothing/dry-suits/palm-element.htm

PPS. This may help many to understand - today's news. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39808225

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2015 Tandem Island - Golden Papaya "HALIBOO"
(retired) Outback - Hibiscus Red

Thank you so much, Stringy and Haliboo!
I'm so eager to get my hands on it and try it out, so I best prepare what I can while I wait for our TI to arrive.. I do think a dry suit sounds good - and for the odd days with little wind, clear skies and sun, I guess a cheap wet suit could be a smart addition. It seems many wear wool or base layers underneath their wet suits - I thought wet suits were supposed to be wet...? The seller didn't recommend a dry suit (or dry pants and a jacket, for that matter) because he thought it would be too warm - and this surprised me, also because at their price, they'd make a better sale

I suppose paddling shoes is a must have no matter the wather conditions - and a pant or suit with inbuilt socks.... Thanks, I'll definitely go for that! I'm glad you pointed this out, stringy, as I initially thought the feet/inbuilt socks would be hard to get comfortable in with paddling shoes/socks (they do look like gym socks rather than shoes ) over them. And thank you Haliboo - I know the Scottish weather briefly, and it's similar to the Norwegian! Most of the videos I've seen of the TI includes turqouise waters and sandy beaches, and I'll be keeping the TI in the water, securely fasted to our pier, and hopefully for most of the year as long as the lake is ice-free. I haven't seen anyone lower it from a pier, but I'm hoping we'll be able to assemble it in water, so it won't be to heavy..

Big thanks!
Arina

Welcome aboard Arina, you won't regret your purchase! Plenty has been said regarding clothing, which should answer your question, but I feel I can help your decision regarding clothing with this basic fact... In my TI, on quite flat water (eg waves no more than 2 feet high) I have seen the sail get wet 2 feet ABOVE MY HEAD in the front seat!

Please note, this is NOT a complaint! lol. You can lessen (but not eliminate) airborne spray with a set of spray skirts, but it is a reminder that you are no longer in "just" a kayak any more

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

Ha ha, thats sounds great, tonyscott! I can't wait - fingers crossed we'll get it sooner rather than later this summer..!
I'm thinking I can just as well go for both variations: a wetsuit for late spring and summer (hey, I'm a redhead and need heavy SPF anyway ) and a one- or two piece dry suit for the rest of the year.

Now I'm just hoping the T2 will be easy to assemble so we can get it on the water as soon as possible. If we run into problems, luckily I feel certain I can get some help and learn all the tricks here

After reading through this thread I think that Goretex pants (waders) with sock feet will be my best bet. They seem to be considerably cheaper than a drysuit and also more versatile. My question is

What brand do I buy?

What features do I want? and

Where do I buy them from (In Australia)?

The camping and fishing type stores only seem to carry standard PVC waders. So is there a retailer with a range is these or do I buy online.

Thanks

Brad

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Brad K
Papaya Tandem Island - "Dry Reach"
Lengthened Jet Ski trailer
"Kayaking Bob" Spray Skirts
Trampolines