Recently I purchased a Kokatat gore-tex Meridian dry suit. Let me tell you this thing is the cats meow! I have always worn two piece systems consisting of dry or splash pants and a dry top. The first thing I noticed was the decrease of bulk material around my waist. The suit is designed to allow extra room for flexibility while sitting in your boat. One sweet thing about this suit are the gore-tex socks. Man oh man do they keep your pigs warm. There is also a skirt tunnel with a neoprene waist band to help seal water from getting past your spray skirt. Kokatat's suits come standard these days with an across the chest zipper. I found this system easy to take on and off. There is one thing about this design though. One must get used to the sensation of feeling the zipper under the PFD. I'm not saying it is bulky at all. It's simply a new sensation to get used to if you have never worn a suit. Once you start paddling you don't even notice it's there. The gore-tex material breathes extremely well and the exterior abrasion resistant nylon is extremely tough. I have been paddling a majority of the winter wearing this dry suit and a fleece union suit (highly recommended) that also helps to keep me toasty. When I wore two pieces I usually layered up more. The suit really holds in the body heat that is generated while you paddle. I tend to like Kokatat products because they have always been extremely dry for me. Their designs are simple and seriously effective. They may not have the color selection or style of other companies but they go well beyond serving the purpose. One more thing I would like to add, to all the dudes out there considering a dry suit go with the relief zipper. It beats ditching the suit and dealing with a cold lizard. Ladies not sure what the designers have in store for you. Guess your stuck with the old funnel trick. I'm kidding they have a drop seat in the womens version for ya :) Oh yeah, don't forget to burp your suit. Cheers and happy paddling. -

-Joshua Trapp

http://www.kokatat.com/product_detail.asp?code=gmer