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Which drysuits are people finding most comfortable/appropriate for packrafting? I plan on paddling my Skeena primarily in Rockies alpine lakes, with maybe the odd class 1 once a season. It looks like Alpacka had a drysuit more geared towards packrafting some years ago, but not anymore. Ideally I’d like one with the following features:
– Semi-dry suit with neoprene collar (I get seriously claustrophobic with things around my neck, and those latex collars just don’t seem to work for me).
– On the lighter end. This may allow shorter timeframes for full immersion, but as noted, plan on using it on flatwater where water temperature is low.
– Drop seat for bathroom breaks.
– Front closure?
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Mountain Equipment Co-op has several paddling jackets/pants combinations, as well as one-piece drysuits to choose from – that’s probably your best bet in Canada (though I haven’t used any of them). One has a spandex collar, which sounds intriguing.
I took a gamble on a no-name drysuit I found on Amazon a few years ago for a ridiculously cheap price and it works well enough for me. It’s not available anymore though, and it doesn’t have the features you’re looking for.
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Not sure about designs explicitly for packrafting. I have a kayak touring setup already. I have a Stohlquist EZ drysuit with a neoprene neck gasket and front zip. It works well for me and I don’t get leakage when inverted, but the neoprene neck does not fit as wide a range of neck sizes as a latex one. A friend using one had problems getting the neck closed up enough for a half-decent seal.
Would be worth looking for a women’s design suit and trying some on. I don’t know of any suits that tick all the boxes you have though- there are very few with neoprene neck gaskets.
I also have a Level Six drysuit with latex gaskets- very nice suit but zip over the shoulders so I struggle with it when alone so mostly use it when paddling with others. The latex neck doesn’t really bother me too much as I have trimmed it so it is snug but mostly forget about it while paddling.
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