The Best Drysuit

I’ve been on a three-year mission to find the perfect drysuit. But given the classic dilemma:

Durable, lightweight, affordable … choose two.

I soon recognized that I was looking for two suits: 1) A dry and durable suit for my swiftwater and ice rescue courses, and 2) A lightweight and affordable suit for remote packrafting.

I only considered fully-dry suits, as opposed to semi-dry suits with a neoprene rather than latex neck gasket. I acknowledge that semi-dry suits are a great choice for a lot of ‘packraft-as-hiking-accessory’ trips. I’ve always preferred latex gaskets because I’m typically seeking whitewater and its good friend: capsizing.

1. Dry and Durable

I teach swiftwater and ice rescue courses in Alaska, which means that I spend a lot of time in cold water. Part of my role is to play the patient in scenarios: stuck on a rock in the river or hanging onto a tree with the lower branches cut out—highly abrasive positions. I’ve had to wait, immersed, as long as 15 minutes for my rescue.

My favorite staged rescue was hanging onto a tree in the water (strainer scenario) facing downstream, arms over the tree, legs under, mouth at water level. One of the rescue party was able to work his way down the tree toward me from shore, but his weight pushed the tree deeper into the water, and me with it! I had a big grin as my head went under water … curious to see how long it took the rescuer to notice what was happening to me (note: we had prepped the site and I could let go and swim to safety at any time if needed). I ran into the rescuer earlier this year and all he wanted to do was continue apologizing for dunking me. Lesson learned … keep eyes on the patient!

All this to say … a truly dry suit makes my job much more enjoyable.

Requirements in order of priority:

1. Truly dry
2. Durable

Cost doesn’t make the list … I’m using these suits for work and can justify paying top dollar.

2. Lightweight and Affordable

I’m looking for a second suit to solve a problem in the packrafting community: Packrafters paddling remote waters without a drysuit because A) they don’t own one (too expensive) or B) they don’t carry the suit that they own (too heavy). I can relate to both of these from my early years as a packrafter. And I believe that not having a drysuit has been a preventable cause of several packrafting deaths. My target was to find a suit for under $500 that weighs two lbs or less.

Requirements in order of priority:

1. Cost
2. Lightweight

Durability wasn’t on the list … I hate the carbon footprint of disposable gear, but if a suit is ‘good enough’ for a few remote trips, it could significantly reduce the paddler’s vulnerability and save lives.

The candidates

I tested the top models from NRS, Kokatat, and Immersion Research. I’ve also casually surveyed 100+ course participants/year about how their suits are holding up.

I included a few wildcards: a non-breathable suit and three breathable suits direct from China. As best I can tell, there are two manufacturers available via Alibaba, and I tested suits from both. This video provides a thorough analysis of why the direct from China suits are more affordable, and not in a good way.

Listed weights are what I measured when listed with the size of my suit. Weights that I’m pulling from online searches are indicated with a question mark. Prices are as-of 2024. Note that fabrics and construction quality on each model can change from year to year.

The best Dry and Durable suit

1. Immersion Research Devil’s Club

Test results:

• After 8 days, a leak developed in a foot seam. It was very easy to repair with Aquaseal and never needed repair again.
• After 20 days, another leak in a foot seam. Another very easy repair.
• Still completely dry after two years of hard use!

The Immersion Research Devil’s Club has no competition. It was incredibly refreshing to find a suit that could withstand my work—what a relief to know that I’d be dry at the end of the day. The foot fabric is so thick that I stopped wearing neoprene oversocks.

My measured weight is 0.5 lbs less than the IR listing. This might be a difference between 2022 and 2024 models.

2. NRS Extreme SAR GTX

Test results:

• Day 2, damp crotch. No obvious source of leak.
• ~14 more days, no other leaks, and dry crotch unless subjected to high water pressure.

I really wanted this suit to work out. It has knee pads! Drooooool. And external pockets!

I assume the durability is great. The issue, as best I can tell, might be that the fabric has a lower water pressure tolerance than the Devil’s Club. That, or the stitching around the crotch leaks. The dampness is not a wear and tear issue. If your time in the water doesn’t involve clinging to a rock and waiting to be rescued, then this is a great suit.

3. OS Systems

Test results:

• ~10 days, no leaks

I got this non-breathable gem from eBay. It has a bulky cut and no frills, but is both durable and dry. The non-breathable fabric is not as much of an issue as I expected, probably because I am working in cold water and not as aerobic as I would be paddling. My suit lacked a relief zipper, but that’s all it would take to put it on regular rotation.

4. A random suit from China, LKVER

Test results:

• 4 days without any leaking, and then I wore some holes through the thigh while hanging onto a strainer in the scenario described earlier. Repaired with Aquaseal.
• ~14 days, slightly damp but no obvious leaks.

This direct-from-China suit is made of heavy-duty material with reinforced zones. The fit is … entertaining:

I’m pretty darn good at wading into rivers because I do it a lot: I demo wading techniques in class all summer and frequently use the techniques on personal trips. I was surprised at my poor progress demonstrating a solo wading technique wearing the suit for the first time. I thought, “Wow, I really misjudged the current … I expected to make it much farther than this.” Back on shore, I realized that the problem was the crotch of the suit hangs much lower than what I’m used to, and was catching more of the current in shallower water. I call this my Hammer Pants suit. If you don’t know the reference, here is a learning opportunity.

But there is real potential here. I would size up, to limit strain on the seams. And you aren’t really going to know what you will get until you get it. But for the cost …

5. Kokatat Meridian

Test results:

• 30 minutes, holes in knees.
• 1 day, damp ankle and butt.
• After factory repair: still damp, especially at the knees.

The bottom of the list? Seriously? I was surprised too. I had only owned Meridians up to this point, this was my fourth. True, they never lasted as long as I hoped, but I assumed that was normal. To be clear, the holes in the knees were absolutely my fault. But the NRS and IR suits would not have developed holes with the same use.

I rushed the suit to Kokatat for a factory repair job in time for my teaching season, but it remained damp. My impression is that the fabric can withstand even less water pressure than the NRS suit, meaning that I’ll get wet through the fabric any time I’m perched on a stationary object in strong current.

The bummer is that the Meridian fits me the best. I love the fit and that the fabric is supple. I’d love to give Kokatat another shot, but not with the $1499 price tag.

The best Light and Affordable suit

1. Kokatat Swift Entry (Hydrus 3.0)

Full disclosure … I’ve never worn this suit! This recommendation is based on feedback from course participants. The Swift Entry is the most popular suit that I see in class and it is the primary suit for many packrafters.

At < 3 lbs and $850, I believe this is the best weight/price ratio for a high-quality suit. And for a not-so-high-quality suit? Read on…

2. Direct from China!

Test results:

• Six days without leaks.
• Day 7: catastrophic seam failure at crotch.

I purchased two basic suits, basically Swift Entry knock-offs, and had very high hopes. The price and weight are amazing and the fabric seams to be pretty good. But the build-quality is a potential deal breaker.

One of the suits held up during several multi-day trips but then the crotch seams blew out catastrophically when moving from a standing to kneeling position. The second suit is still in good shape, but given its similar construction, I don’t trust that it will last.

The other issue is that all of the direct-from-China suits have strange cuts … long torsos and short legs (the Hammer Pant suit), or long legs and tiny feet. Tight shoulders. I can make this work, especially by sizing up, but it isn’t ideal.

So, this becomes a math problem. Which will last longer: one Kokatat Swift-Entry suit or three direct-from-China suits? Based on what I hear from course participants, I’m going with the Kokatat option.

Disclaimers and notes

I have no relationship with any of these brands.

I wasn’t able to test all suits in similar conditions.

I only tested 8 suits.

I’d like to be told that I missed a better Light and Affordable option.

I’d like manufacturers to send me more suits to test. 🙂

I’d like to spend less time clinging onto rocks and trees in glacial rivers to earn my paycheck.