New Patagonia Gore-Tex Kiting Suit

[mdksniper]

I suggest using the overall straps (OR Soul comes with them and they are internal) and if that does not work go to either a seat harness or nitrous like board short harness. I make the switch when I break out the drysuit for this very reason.

Thanks.

I'll give this is a shot. I had the overall straps on, but they weren't too tight. I'll tighten them up a bit next time.

[NHKitesurfer]

I suggest using the overall straps (OR Soul comes with them and they are internal) and if that does not work go to either a seat harness or nitrous like board short harness. I make the switch when I break out the drysuit for this very reason.

Thanks.

I'll give this is a shot. I had the overall straps on, but they weren't too tight. I'll tighten them up a bit next time.

And make sure you criss cross them or they will slide off your shoulders, even if tight..

[redman333]

I have a question. I have a couple wetsuits I use now that I bought used a couple years ago to see if I'd like the whole winter riding thing. I do like it mostly except having to get out of the wetsuit to go home and that in between time where I freeze. It's also a pain to get off. I am wanting to get a new wetsuit or dry suit this year. I am leaning towards the dry suit based on what people say about it being nice to get off and drive home dry and warm afterwards.

My question is how will it hold up against a decent wipeout. I have had a couple wrecks with my kite when either the neck seal gives way or the ankle seals do. This lets in a decent amount of water. Being its a wetsuit it doesn't really bother me much since it warms up pretty quick but on a dry suitor imagine this wouldn't be a good thing. So do these stay sealed?

Also how's the durability for kiting? I don't want to spend $700 this year and have to buy another next year. I know Patagonia says they will repair or replace but what if the harness wears into it will that be considered a defect or wear and tear?

[mdksniper]

I have a question. I have a couple wetsuits I use now that I bought used a couple years ago to see if I'd like the whole winter riding thing. I do like it mostly except having to get out of the wetsuit to go home and that in between time where I freeze. It's also a pain to get off. I am wanting to get a new wetsuit or dry suit this year. I am leaning towards the dry suit based on what people say about it being nice to get off and drive home dry and warm afterwards.

My question is how will it hold up against a decent wipeout. I have had a couple wrecks with my kite when either the neck seal gives way or the ankle seals do. This lets in a decent amount of water. Being its a wetsuit it doesn't really bother me much since it warms up pretty quick but on a dry suitor imagine this wouldn't be a good thing. So do these stay sealed?

Also how's the durability for kiting? I don't want to spend $700 this year and have to buy another next year. I know Patagonia says they will repair or replace but what if the harness wears into it will that be considered a defect or wear and tear?

I've only used it one time so far so I can't attest to the durability of the suit, but I took a lot of big spills on Sunday because of the strong, super gusty conditions with large chop and I was even swimming a lot trying to find my board. There wasn't a single drop of water in the suit. I was amazed afterwards considering I had the neoprene drysuit (also by Patagonia) which wasn't dry at all.

The Gore Tex Kiting suit, as it stands right now is totally worth it to me. I'm pretty sure they don't distinguish between a defect and wear and tear. I've read stories of people having Patagonia jackets that are like 25 years old with a zipper needing to be replaced and other problems you would get with basic wear and tear and Patagonia always attempts to fix it, and if it can't be fixed, they will give you a gift card (of equivalent or greater value of the original item) towards a new one.

You can ask them about the guarantee on their site and how it relates to their wetsuits/drysuits. They have a live chat thing on their site. Let me know, because I'd be interested in hearing what they have to say.

The only reason I could afford to buy the suit in the first place is because I got a refuned from Patagonia on my neoprene suit and REAL was selling the Kiting Suit on their site and they offer PayPal as a payment option. Well, it turns out when you buy something over 100 bucks with "paypal credit" you get zero percent interested on 6 months financing. Pretty kick ass way to buy stuff now.

[quicky]

I use one of the early Ion dry-suits. Compared to my wife's Ocean Rodeo dry-suit it's much warmer and more water-tight (not baggy at all). I used a hand-stitched by a dude in Oregon Promotion semi-dry 5/4 which held up well for 10yrs running. The only thing i don't like about the Ion is the plastic zipper.

[madworld]

I use one of the early Ion dry-suits. Compared to my wife's Ocean Rodeo dry-suit it's much warmer and more water-tight (not baggy at all). I used a hand-stitched by a dude in Oregon Promotion semi-dry 5/4 which held up well for 10yrs running. The only thing i don't like about the Ion is the plastic zipper.

Ridiculous, the north ion suit is different and the insulation is in the suit intself, the ocean rodeo suit is a bag drysuit, you can make it as WARM as you want by the amount of fleece you were in side the suit.

[NHKitesurfer]

I have a question. I have a couple wetsuits I use now that I bought used a couple years ago to see if I'd like the whole winter riding thing. I do like it mostly except having to get out of the wetsuit to go home and that in between time where I freeze. It's also a pain to get off. I am wanting to get a new wetsuit or dry suit this year. I am leaning towards the dry suit based on what people say about it being nice to get off and drive home dry and warm afterwards.

My question is how will it hold up against a decent wipeout. I have had a couple wrecks with my kite when either the neck seal gives way or the ankle seals do. This lets in a decent amount of water. Being its a wetsuit it doesn't really bother me much since it warms up pretty quick but on a dry suitor imagine this wouldn't be a good thing. So do these stay sealed?

Also how's the durability for kiting? I don't want to spend $700 this year and have to buy another next year. I know Patagonia says they will repair or replace but what if the harness wears into it will that be considered a defect or wear and tear?

Many sessions with my OR Soul and not a drop of water, and I've taken some nasty spills like one this weekend when my chicken loop popped off the harness as I was boosting, catching me off guard, causing me to crash pretty hard. Treaded water for 10 minutes (lines were a mess and I decided to just drift to shore). I do have a buddy who got water in his, he says from body dragging (he said like a gallon) but my bets are on him not having a good seal between skin and latex seal or he did not zip up one of the zippers all the way.

[CaptainArgh]

...Many sessions with my OR Soul and not a drop of water, and I've taken some nasty spills like one this weekend when my chicken loop popped off the harness as I was boosting, catching me off guard, causing me to crash pretty hard. Treaded water for 10 minutes (lines were a mess and I decided to just drift to shore). I do have a buddy who got water in his, he says from body dragging (he said like a gallon) but my bets are on him not having a good seal between skin and latex seal or he did not zip up one of the zippers all the way.

You must be hair-free, like a baby's bottom!
I have a Soul, like it, but I'll still get seepage around the ankles and wrists. More so if I have a swim like yours. It isn't sloshing water, but enough that I can wring out my base layer wrists and ankles at the end of a session. My guess is any bit of body hair just prevents a waterproof seal. ?
Still recommend the suit as I haven't come across one that works better and the Soul has nice kite specific features.

[NHKitesurfer]

...Many sessions with my OR Soul and not a drop of water, and I've taken some nasty spills like one this weekend when my chicken loop popped off the harness as I was boosting, catching me off guard, causing me to crash pretty hard. Treaded water for 10 minutes (lines were a mess and I decided to just drift to shore). I do have a buddy who got water in his, he says from body dragging (he said like a gallon) but my bets are on him not having a good seal between skin and latex seal or he did not zip up one of the zippers all the way.

You must be hair-free, like a baby's bottom!
I have a Soul, like it, but I'll still get seepage around the ankles and wrists. More so if I have a swim like yours. It isn't sloshing water, but enough that I can wring out my base layer wrists and ankles at the end of a session. My guess is any bit of body hair just prevents a waterproof seal. ?
Still recommend the suit as I haven't come across one that works better and the Soul has nice kite specific features.

Did you trim your seals (I have not)? When I put the suit on I make sure there are no wrinkles in the seals. I also wear booties and gloves and always place them over the drysuit seals, never under them.

[CaptainArgh]

...Did you trim your seals (I have not)? When I put the suit on I make sure there are no wrinkles in the seals. I also wear booties and gloves and always place them over the drysuit seals, never under them.

Nope. Have not trimmed the seals. The neck seal starts out kind of tight, as do the wrists, but after a bit I don't notice it. So I haven't taken the knife to them (and don't plan to).

I also put my booties and gloves over the seals. I smooth out the wrinkles.
I can't feel any water seeping in and it is not at all noticeable, cold or uncomfortable when riding. It's just at the end of a long session, I can't deny there are some wet ankles and wrist sleeves. ? Enough that I can wring them out and have water streaming down. I don't think it is sweat as when I layer too heavily, I will notice that moisture at my chest and back. This definitely seems like seepage. I have noticed it on my prior OR SurfDry and my Oneil Boost before that.

I'm a thin guy so maybe it is the contours of my boney wrists and ankles that just are not compatible with dry suit seals. I have heard other people have the same complaint. (wet ankles/wrists)

Thanks for the tips, though!