Let me start by saying that the dry suit is your best solution for cold weather sailing. We were just out on the Chesapeake Bay yesterday, and the dry suits sure came in handy.
I have a Gul, and my buddy has a Gill. The other major brand out there is Kokatat. While my Gul hasn't given me any reason to be disappointed, it doesn't carry the warranty that the Gill or that Kokatat does. I chose the Gul Infra mainly based on price. Got a screaming deal on a display unit on the last day of a boat show. Paid about 1/3 of what the Kokatat I was looking at sells for. Never having used one before, and having only just gotten into kayaking, I figured lower price would mean that I'd be less upset if the cold weather sailing turned out to not be as much fun as I expected. Having now been out several times in cold conditions, it's worth the effort & investment. Winter brings some awesome winds! We were out for several hours yesterday, with no extra equipment, other than the dry suit. Just had jeans & a t-shirt underneath. Finally came in when our feet got cold. Could've stayed out longer if we'd donned more than cotton socks as insulation.
IMHO the dry suit is worth getting. Which one will depend on how much you want to spend. When replacement is necessary, I'll be looking at the Kokatat GoreTex, but that's just me. If taken care of, most people report that their dry suits last for a good long time.
Happy sailing,
- Jim L
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