Should you get a drysuit or a wetsuit for kayaking?

Paddling through the colder times of the year requires careful consideration about what you’ll wear on the water in order to stay warm, comfortable and safe.

Drysuit vs Wetsuit for Kayaking: Which Should You Choose?

If you spend any time kayaking in cooler conditions, you’ve probably wondered whether you’d be better off in a wetsuit or a drysuit. Both keep you warm in their own way, but they work on completely different principles, and the right choice depends a lot on where and how you paddle.

Broadly speaking, once the water temperature drops below 15ºC / 59ºF, sudden immersion places the paddler at risk of cold water shock, which in some situations can be rapidly, even instantly, fatal. More information can be found here: Cold Water Safety.

There’s a saying in paddlesports that we should dress for immersion, not the weather. However, personally I’d say this is generally only applicable when the water is cold. For the rest of the year, what we wear on the water is more of a balance between our personal preferences as well as the prevailing conditions. In the parts of the world where the temperature of the sea, rivers and other bodies of water are cold, wetsuits and drysuits become more of a necessity.

Let’s break it down.

What Are They And How Do They Work?

Wetsuits are made of neoprene and work by trapping a thin layer of water against your skin. Your body warms this water, and the neoprene insulates you to keep you relatively warm, even when you’re wet. They’re designed to let water in, but keep the cold out. In essence, they keep you warm because they’re wet. Hence the name wetsuit.

For paddling purposes, the “Farmer John/Farmer Jane” style sleeveless wetsuits tend to be more comfortable than full sleeved ones, as regular scuba, swimming or surf wetsuits aren’t really accommodating for the type of repetitive upper body movements we do in paddling. Paddlers will often wear these types of wetsuits in combination with a paddling-specific jacket called a cag, which is useful for keeping wind and spray off your torso and arms.

A touring drysuit with chest entry zip. This men’s suit additionally has a relief zip for those much-needed loo breaks during long days on the water. Many women’s specific suits have a relief zip along the bum.

Drysuits, on the other hand, are completely waterproof, single-piece garments; they’re made out of the same types of fabrics that waterproof items like raincoats are made of, and like those clothes, you wear a drysuit over your regular clothing.

They seal up using a large waterproof zip over the part of the suit that you essentially climb into, and keep water out of the neck and wrists with either latex or neoprene gaskets. Unlike a wetsuit, they keep you warm by keeping you dry, hence the name.

You get numerous styles of drysuit, some more specific to certain types of paddling than others. For example, touring style suits for sea kayaking and other journeying will often have hoods and sometimes use only a neoprene gasket on the neck for comfort combined with latex gaskets at the wrists, whilst white water drysuits never have hoods, and usually always have latex gaskets on both the neck and wrists, as the white water environment has a lot more dynamic water spraying the paddler.

A drysuit that uses a combination of both neoprene and latex gaskets is usually called a semi drysuit, because technically a neoprene gasket cannot be guaranteed to keep all the water out. These are a good option for paddlers who have a latex allergy.

Additionally, drysuits have numerous options for entry. Many have a zip across the shoulders, whilst others have these entry zips along the chest or waist. Some are entered via the legs. Depending on your flexibility, some may be more suitable than others. Once you’re fully in the drysuit, you zip this entry closed in order to seal yourself in.

Some paddlers opt for two piece dry wear; in other words, combining a dry jacket, that has latex gaskets, with paddling trousers that have built-in socks like a drysuit has. Both garments will usually have double waist tunnels that can pair together to keep water out, but these usually don’t keep water out for long if the paddler is immersed. As such, they’re not considered quite as safe as regular one piece drysuits.

It’s important to note that paddlesports drysuits are not the same thing as diving drysuits. Not even remotely!

Here I am wearing a two piece setup, consisting of a dry jacket and dry trousers which pair together at the waist. This is because this trip was on an exceptionally calm lake in the Lake District where the chances of immersion were pretty much nil.

The Case for Wetsuits

Pros:

Affordable: A decent wetsuit costs much less than a drysuit.
Durable: Neoprene can take a fair beating from rocks and sand.
Low maintenance: No fussy latex gaskets to care for or replace.
Simplicity: Just put it on and go; no layering or special undergarments needed.

Cons:

Always wet: Even the best wetsuit feels damp and clammy, and getting back into a cold, wet suit for day two is… unpleasant.
Can be a faff to get on: Whilst a lot of neoprene these days is quite stretchy, a lot of wetsuits can be a bit of a pain to get on, especially if they’re bone dry.
Sweaty: When you’re paddling on a warm day, they’re a bit gross and sweaty.
Limited comfort out of the water: Wetsuits are designed for immersion. Sitting in a kayak in cool air can still feel chilly because wind sucks the heat right out of wet neoprene.
Mobility: Thick wetsuits can feel restrictive and bulky for long paddling sessions.
Chafing: There’s no getting around the fact that neoprene rubbing against your skin all day can lead to chafing.

A wetsuit shines in situations where you expect to be in the water often during the warmer seasons, like surf kayaking, whitewater, or short coastal trips, and when air and water temperatures aren’t brutally cold.

For dynamic water kayaking, drysuits are particularly useful as prolonged exposure in rough water can present significant safety risks to the paddler in the case of immersion. Whilst I did not capsize in these 11 foot waves in Wales, I wore a drysuit just in case!

A typical chest entry style paddling drysuit

The Case for Drysuits

Pros:

Stay dry (mostly): A well-fitted drysuit with solid gaskets keeps water out completely, even if you capsize.
Comfort on and off the water: Staying dry makes a huge difference when you’re paddling in cold air and wind.
Flexible insulation: You can adjust your underlayers to match the conditions, from light thermals in spring to heavy fleece in winter.
Ideal for long days or multi-day trips: You can paddle all day, step out of your kayak, and still be dry and comfortable.

Cons:

Expensive: Drysuits can cost several times more than a wetsuit, with the most breathable fabrics, like Gore-Tex Pro, carrying very premium price tags. My own Kokatat Odyssey suit cost me £1900. That’s a fair chunk of change!
Maintenance: Latex gaskets can tear or degrade and need occasional replacement. Zippers need careful care and lubrication, and the fabrics themselves require care and may need re-proofing from time to time to remain waterproof, although this is fairly easy to do at home with products you can purchase in most outdoor shops. Drysuit socks are particularly vulnerable to damage but are easily replaceable; proper paddling footwear should always be worn over a drysuit to protect the socks.
Hot in warm weather: Without proper venting or light layers, a drysuit can feel like a sauna. This makes them particularly tricky during the shoulder seasons.
Not indestructible: Sharp rocks or other abrasive environments can puncture or tear the fabric, and then you’re wet and miserable. This type of damage is generally repairable though, so the suit will not be a write-off if this happens.

Drysuits are the go-to for cold-water sea kayaking, touring, and white water paddling, where immersion is rare but conditions can be life-threatening if you do fall in. Cold water shock can cause almost instant death in some circumstances, so these risks should be carefully considered.

Drysuits are particularly popular with sea kayakers here in the UK, as most of our coastal waters are generally cold all year round. Here, we’re preparing to launch for a circumnavigation of the Isle of Arran in Scotland in early spring, so drysuits were pretty much essential.

The Persistent Myth of the Sinking Bag of Death

A common argument against drysuits that you’ll encounter on discussion forums online and amongst some paddlers is the idea that if you capsize, and somehow water gets into the drysuit, it’ll pull you down into a watery grave. This idea however simply holds no water (pun very much intended).

Water is neutrally buoyant; this means that a bag of water will float in water. The same applies to a drysuit. Whilst it’ll certainly be very uncomfortable, and will make any kind of re-entry into your kayak potentially more difficult due to the added weight, you will not be pulled under the waves into Davy Jones’ clutches.

Speaking from personal experience, I was paddling once in The Bitches, a famous tide race in Wales, and one of our group had an accidental capsize breaking into the fast flows. During our preceding lunch break, she’d used the relief zip on her drysuit, but hadn’t quite closed it properly. As such, when she capsized, water got in. But she was still safely able to get back into her kayak.

There are videos on Youtube demonstrating this, if you’re curious enough to search. The greater risk in the case of a drysuit flooding is that it’ll make you cold very quickly; during winter, or if immersed in very cold water any time of the year, this does present an immediate risk to the paddler.

Which One Should You Choose?

Casual summer paddler? A light wetsuit or neoprene separates are likely all you need.
Whitewater or surf paddler? A wetsuit (or a drysuit if it’s very cold) gives you warmth while wet and repeated protection during inevitable swims during the warmer parts of the year. During winter, you should almost definitely be using a drysuit.
Sea kayaker or winter tourer? A drysuit is a game-changer. Staying dry keeps you safer, more comfortable, and better prepared for long days in unpredictable weather. This is particularly true here in the UK where our sea temperatures are generally cold.

In short:

Wetsuit = Wet but warm (budget-friendly, good for frequent immersion)
Drysuit = Dry and adaptable (expensive, ideal for cold air and multi-day trips)

If you can, try both. You’ll quickly learn which feels better for your style of kayaking and local conditions. Many paddlers end up owning both wetsuits and drysuits! You can also combine different items according to your expected conditions; for example, I’ll often pair a dry jacket with neoprene leggings in the summer.

A Final Note to Consider Regarding Cheap Gear Online

A lot of folks are increasingly ordering very cheap gear from online stores like Ali Express. Whilst this is totally understandable considering the high price tags of a lot of paddling gear, it’s important to note that just because something looks good on the internet doesn’t mean it’s actually going to be any good. Because drysuits are ultimately a piece of safety gear, it’s worth considering whether saving money is a gamble you want to take when the consequences could be significant.

The video below shows the differences between a drysuit made by Canadian paddling gear manufacturer Level Six, and a counterfeit suit that, whilst certainly looks the part, actually lacks significant safety features that would make it very unsuitable for use. The taping on the interior of this suit was absolutely useless, and, unsurprisingly, the suit fails a pressure test.

This isn’t to say that everything from these online stores will necessarily always be rubbish, but it’s also important to consider the differences between items designed and manufactured by companies that specialise in paddlesports equipment and therefore choose specific features because they’re necessary, and companies that just imitate those designs without actually understanding the features of the garments in the first place.