I am looking to find the best bang for my buck when it comes to drysuits. I am a new river guide that would like to invest in something for the shittiest of days but will still be affordable and durable. I know the Kokatat Goretex suits are best, but are the NRS worth the cheaper price?
Should have access to pro deal if ur a guide, or wait until you do to save some coin. Looking to upgrade my 8 year old kokatat this spring and will probably stick with them. Both have good warranties and are places that try and make as much possible locally - so cant go wrong. Gore tex does have a lot of proven history though 😉
I'd rag the shit out of any rookie guide (that wasn't a kayaker) that bought a new dry suit. You're supposed to wear custy farmerjohn wetsuits and fleece and neoprene booties, like the rest of any first year raft guides. Earn your gear (and money) first, and figure out if you even like whitewater. I've seen many first and second year guides get kitted out only to see them move on back to "real jobs" or school or "life" and then desperately try to fire sale all their gear. Just sayin...
Or if you're rockin it trustafarian style buy the Kokatat GMER.
I've had 2 nrs suits that both started wetting out within a month or two of boating. They replaced them both but the replacements did the same thing. Felt kind of shitty about sending it in again knowing they would just send another new one so I've just lived with a crappy drysuit. Can't argue with their warranty policy but I'd rather just have one that works.
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I did the same thing with dry tops a few years ago, on the third one, they gave a full refund of the price, and I put it towards a kokatat. Never thought twice when it was time to buy a dry suit.
I have worn both( and others). The Kokatat is the better choice. You will be money ahead with that suit and appreciate the comfort. The suits breathe, and move with you. OS suits are good as well and about the same price. They are a little tougher, but you cannot go wrong with Kokatat. I wear my OS at work and a Kokatat for my personal use.
Get the relief zipper. You can find some used that are in good shape once in a while.
And if some "salty" two season guide wants to bust your balls- tell them to ram it. First- its America- you can do what you want, Second- its a safety issue- good gear means you can do your job as a guide, Third- while they are talking about you behind your back, you will be warm....
And if some "salty" two season guide wants to bust your balls- tell them to ram it. First- its America- you can do what you want, Second- its a safety issue- good gear means you can do your job as a guide, Third- while they are talking about you behind your back, you will be warm....
My NRS drysuit has been great. This will be it's sixth season and I wear it 30+ days a year. I'm not perfectly dry after swimming or rafting huge water all day, but I am mostly dry. It breathes about as poorly as Gore and all the other, very similar, WPB fabrics out there. I've replaced gaskets, but everything else has held up great. It was priced at $400 on closeout. Next season I'll sell it for $200 and probably do it again.
BryanP and Wyosam's experiences are almost identical to mine with NRS suits. Less than a season (maybe 10 days use?) on each suit and I was getting soaked through. They replaced the suit twice. When the third NRS suit did same, I got a refund and put it toward a Kokotat. Loved the Kokatat instantly.
After 5 years with the Kokotat suit I sent it in for some repairs (wear and tear/my fault holes). After they repaired the damage, they pressure tested it, and found a materials defect, and replaced that suit. I thought I was going to be paying for reasonable repairs, and they wound up sending me a new one- FREE.
If you're guiding in CO get a couple of solid seasons in first. Weather may be a little shitty rain here and there, but just layer up with polypro, neoprene, and a splash top or rain jacket. Even on Pro deal a dry suit can be $600.
If you're gonna be up in the PNW then it may be worth it, but I'd still say get a couple solid seasons in before you make the investment and spend your money on the cheaper option of poly pro and neoprene
I have a 9 year old Kokotat GFER suit and have had great results with it. I float in an IK, like to hit as big of whitewater as I can find (that I am comfortable swimming in), and I am always comfortable and dry in the suit.
I have sent the suit in twice for minor leaks and gasket repairs, but it always comes back water tight. The first time I sent it in for repair I had one hole that I could locate and would leak just a little bit throughout the day. They had a single charge to pressure test the suit and fix all of the holes found for somewhere around $20.00 then, plus shipping. When I got the suit back I counted a total of 23 patches on the inside of the suit! I see that they found the large hole that I knew about, along with 22 other small pinholes (likely from walking through rosebushes & other bushes along the banks).
Kokatat, all the way. Proven durability. Get a used one and replace the gaskets if a new one is too expensive.
Sidenote- I can’t imagine a scenario in the history of raft guiding where wearing a farmer john spared someone of moment of hazing. Running clean lines is the only way to shut ‘em up. Get gear that makes you want to go paddle.
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