Is a Two Piece Drysuit System a Viable Option for Sea Kayakers

Is a Two-Piece Drysuit System Viable for Sea Kayaking?

A point of clarification

I am not referring to Kokatat’s Idol drysuit with SwitchZip technology that separates completely at the waist. While the Idol is a 2 part system, it’s still a traditional drysuit.

For the purpose of this article, my focus is on pairing a dry top with a separate pair of dry pants and if that is a good idea for sea kayaking – or when it might be a viable option.

So why a two piece option?

For sea kayakers, on the surface it makes little sense to have a 2 piece system when the whole reason for a drysuit is to keep us dry in the event of a swim. So wearing just a top or bottom would seem illogical.

And it essentially is – but there are times when a two piece system does make sense as an alternative.

Sea kayakers aren’t the only ones who use drywear. Dry pants (and bibs) work well for those who spend time standing in the water fishing. Dry pants like the NRS Freefall (now discontinued) and Kokatat’s Tempest have a tall neoprene waistband secured with velcro closures. While not perfectly dry, they do a great job at keeping water out – or limiting water that gets in – in a quick swim and are ideal for standing in the water for long periods.

Dry tops are a favorite with whitewater paddlers with solid rolls. Many will wear neoprene pants paired with a dry top – and while that’s an option for sea kayakers, full immersion gear is still the best recommendation.

Which brings us back to why even consider a separate top and bottom over a full drysuit?

Versatility

In addition to my full drysuits, I own a two piece drysuit system. The primary reason is versatility.

With years of experience and several reliable rolls, the chances of me swimming have significantly decreased. That means, while I still will always wear immersion gear, I have an option that might otherwise create added risk.

Mix and match

Given that I also spend a significant amount of time in flat water coaching, having a system providing me some flexibility I wouldn’t otherwise have – allowing me to choose from several different tops paired with two separate bottoms. That affords me the protection I need with the comfort I want based on the weather and how long I’ll be on – or in – the water.

Semi-dry AND dry options

Without question, a semi-dry neck gasket (neoprene as opposed to latex) is far more comfortable, but they do let water in if you spend enough time in the water. They also stretch over time making them more likely to allow water to get in than latex – and a shorter life-span.

For the vast majority of my coaching, I don’t need anything more than the semi-dry top and in the summer, the short sleeve option is a must. Yet, I always have a full dry top with me, just in case.

The two-piece option allows me to have the benefit of both and the ability to swap between the tops as needed – perfect when I am teaching several different classes in a day and courses or weather changes warrant different levels of protection).

I currently own 3 tops. One is a long sleeve semi-dry top with a neoprene neck gasket and latex wrist gaskets. A semi-dry short sleeve top is another one of the three. (A full dry top is the third.)

This flexibility allows for more comfort and convenience than a full drysuit offers.

For the average paddler, there are the same advantages – the ability to take a few tops on a mutli-day trip and change your immersion gear for the best combination of immersion protection and comfort with less to pack than multiple drysuits.

Pants OR Bibs

Dry pants feature a neoprene waist with velcro closure that will let in very little water even if submerged for a short time. The downside is they don’t seal as well with the top. Not great for paddling, but they are ideal when I am unlikely to be in standing in deep water or swim, yet I want to keep my legs dry or stay a bit warmer (especially when teaching rolling).

The bibs are essentially hip waders with no way to seal them off so they can fill with water unless paired and sealed properly with a dry top. Useless alone, (for the most part) but they have an over skirt designed specifically to roll together with the under skirt on a dry top (like rolling a drybag closed) creating a water-tight seal.

That’s increased versatility for more options based on my activities.

Size and fit

There is one other scenario where a two-piece system makes some sense. Not everyone fits the stock sizing for a traditional drysuit. While Kokatat does offer custom sizing (shortening or lengthening the inseam, torso, and/or sleeves – and I can help with that), there is an added cost.

Going with a separate top and bottom does allow you to mix and match sizing to get a more comfortable fit and potentially at a lower price.

Cost

This one ties into versatility. Having a separate top and bottom generally gets touted as being more budget friendly and it is, even if only slightly:

Kokatat’s Whirlpool bib is $520 and the Ōm dry top is $649. That’s $1169
Kokatat’s Legacy drysuit is $1399

That’s a $230 savings, Not much but still money in your pocket – and enough of a reason to go with a separate top and bottom.

If you opt for their Stoke dry top (Hydrus rather than GoreTex, $449) paired with the bibs, your cost drops to $969 vs the comparable Hydrus version of the Meridian drysuit at $1099. Less of a savings, but still a savings.

And of course, you could match the Stoke dry top to the Tempest pants ($265) for just $714. That’s $135 less than Kokatat’s Swift Entry drysuit, their least expensive model with socks and relief zipper).

Cost is a valid reason for choosing a two-piece drywear system, though the real cost savings with a two-piece system comes in when you start adding tops to a set of bottoms to mix and match – which may not make sense for average sea kayaker.

Note: all links are for men’s. There is a women’s version of each as well.

The Negatives

The two big downsides to choosing a separate top and bottom:

Leaks

To be clear, whether you opt for the bibs or pants, when mated properly, you will stay dry. Water getting in is more a function of improperly sealing the layers than the design. It’s that risk of not creating a good seal that creates the risk – human error. While that’s still possible with a traditional drysuit – I have lost count of how many paddlers I know who have failed to fully zip up – there is less chance with a drysuit than the two-piece system.

For more information on how to seal a dry top to either a pair of dry pants or bibs:

Nuisances

Most of the real negatives to me fall into the nuisance category:

It takes longer to get gear on and off with separate tops and bottoms
Water will get between the layers (even if it doesn’t get inside). That becomes am irritation when getting the gear off.
The over and under skirts (on the top and bottom used for sealing them together) means the two pieces can take longer (and more space) to dry

More to forget

The other ‘risk’ is that you are more likely to forget or misplace one of the two pieces and show up at a launch without your immersion gear than you are by forgetting a full drysuit.

So is a two-piece drywear system viable?

Absolutely.

Is it a system I recommend?

Not for the average sea kayaker. Most will not benefit from the versatility separate tops and bottoms offer and while you can save some money, that savings is minimal. Given that and the risks (even if you only consider the nuisances), a traditional drysuit is still the best option.

The exception is in sizing, IF you can pair a top and bottom to fit you without the need for a custom, drysuit.

For me, the combination of versatility and how I use the system does make sense, especially since I want the short sleeve option. IF I could get a short sleeve traditional drysuit, I’d grab one and a semi-dry suit and ditch the separates.

Whichever way you decide to go, I can help get you the right drysuit or top and bottom components.

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