Timo Noko wrote:

In article ,
Brian Nystrom wrote:

Richard Ferguson wrote:


I assume you will wear a wet suit.

Are you kidding? A wetsuit is NOT suitable for the kind of conditions
one may find in The Great Lakes area in the winter. A dry suit is the



Brian knows already that this arctic wet/drysuit controversy is over.

This is now widely recognized as the ultimate truth on this matter:

Ultimate truth??? Be careful, you may get hurt patting yourself on the
back so hard!

Your system works for YOU because it's custom made to fit you and your
paddling needs and you're willing to endure being wet and smelly in a
cold environment for weeks on end. Personally, I can't think of any good
reason to do so when there is an alternative like a
waterproof/breathable dry suit with suitable underlayers. It's far more
comfortable, works in a broader range of temperatures and the
undergarments do double duty, reducing the bulk one must carry. Most
importantly, it will keep you DRY, which is critical to warmth, safety
and hygiene in a cold environment. At the end of the day, I can shed my
dry suit, throw on shell gear and I'm dry and good to go. Can you say
the same?

You've decided that your system is best for YOU, but that hardly means
it's best for every paddler. The "ultimate truth" is that it's not. Most
people are simply not going to be comfortable in 6mm neoprene in a
kayak. The argument about catastrophic failure of a dry suit is a
"tempest in a teapot". Theoretically, it can happen, but the reality is
that dry suit materials are very strong and they resist abrasion and
tears very well. For most paddlers, the odds of a dry suit failure are
probably about the same as being struck by lightning.

I'm glad you're happy in your neoprene "dry suit"; I'm just as happy in
my Gore-Tex one, and probably a lot more comfortable.

--
Regards

Brian