: A near death experience, trying-on a dry-suit in a changing booth, a few
: years ago
: left me huddled in a corner at home, clutching my wet-suit against my chest
: and sucking my thumb.

: Then I learned you're supposed to trim that #*@!!! neck gasket.

: Well, after lengthy therapy, I'm ready to give it a try again.
: But first, this time, a few questions for the dry-suit masters.

: If I go back to the scene of the crime, can I try on a dry-suit
: for size without the neck gasket in place?

: I read some of the posts in the archives about tightness and trimming
: gaskets and now I'm feeling like maybe I'll just wear the old wet suit.

: Can you take the neck gasket off and trim and test fit without the
: whole dry-suit? How expensive are spare neck gaskets?

: Anything more comfortable on the horizon????

: Man, I hate neck ties! Guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and
: learn to love neck gaskets. How tight do they need to be to be waterproof.
: Any test,like, one finger in the gasket's okay, two fingers and you
: black-out?

: I've seen the one piece union suit style polypro base layers. These make
: sense so you don't get "cold crack syndrome", but what about more
: layers?

: Do you just put them on and let them ride where the may or do folks use
: suspenders to keep things in place?

: I've done a fair amount of research and figured that since I overheat easily,
: to spend the extra for Gore Tex. Since these things are called dry-suits I
: thought
: I get one with the relief zipper instead of using the old wet-suit warming
: method.

: I'm looking a Kokatat Gore Tex GMER with relief zipper and integral gore tex
: socks.

: I assume you have to get over-sized water shoes to use with these socks,
: since you'd want regular socks inside. Is this so? How much bigger do you
: need to go? I don't want to win a Bozo the clown contest!

: Thanks,

: Rob

Hi Rob,

I'd suggest taking a look at Stolquist's bPOD dry suit, think you'll like it, better price too. Has a non-latex neck gasket that's way more comfy and nearly as waterproof as the latex one also comes with dry socks so you don't have to try to stuff your ankles thru a latex gasket either.

Bill H.