Drysuit

[dericcio2]

Dear kiters,
Finally I have received my new drysuit prolimit nordic, I unpack it and uuuu amazing finishing perfect manschette, perfect shape and size but… fabric is extremly thin!
I am using drysuit since more then 10 years very happy with it and Never seen such thin material.
Before I had gul, prolimit hydrogen, tried wip forward.
All of these had this kind of strong nylon impossible to tear!
It does not make sense to save 100g weight and having that risk in cold water.
This nonsense continuous downsizing of all kite materials!
In future I will go back to neos!
Have you the same experience with drysuits?

[Brian H]

My new Ocean Rodeo Ignite is not thin at all but $$$.

[dericcio2]

It s not a matter of prive.. gul and prolimit as well in the past used thicker fabric… and were cheaper…

[Windigo1]

I have owned 3 drysuits, Gul, Kokatat and Level 6. All 3 had more or less the same thickness of fabric the Gul is 15 years old and still useable but there is some small leaks in the zipper seal. The newest is the Level 6 about 3 year old doing fine so far. Maybe this is unique to this brand.

[dericcio2]

Well After using it I understand the advantage of prolimit thin fabric. It is so smooth that the water slides off does not wet it and it becomes immediately dry even at 5c.
During my first session i was really impressed!

[McLovin]

D,

Glad it worked - trust the technology it's better every year. For me the OR Ignites is a nice upgrade, best attribute is the surround hood and high collar, with a brimmed hat underneath it's like having a personal luxury box vs. the bleachers open to the weather of my old HEAT...

Mc

[GregK]

It is so smooth that the water slides off does not wet it and it becomes immediately dry even at 5c.

This is called " DWR" or Durable Water Repellency. The outer nylon fabric is treated with a hydrophobic coating to prevent wetting and evaporative cooling.

[leeuwen]

If it’s a coating I wonder how long it will last.
In my experience with other (expensive rain) gear is that hydrophobic coatings don’t last that long.
Especially when it’s also exposed to “power washing” like circumstances I can’t imagine that a coating will last a season.
Off course the material should keep water tight regardless but the property that water just rolls off will be gone.

[dericcio2]

Of course there is a coating .. it is used in every waterproof equipment kite as well (skijacket touring jacket etc…) . When it is used up you need to invest 20€ For a waterbased pu coating like from mc nett.
But The coating alone works so well on this fabric because it is smooth and it does not trap water. I remember well my previous gul and old prolimit were not drying so fast

[GregK]

.. fabric because it is smooth ...

Finely - woven probably more apt.

Fabric by nature of it construction will have undulations, the size of which is determined by the fiber diameter and weaving tension.