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BEST SPRAY SKIRT The Sea Tour Extreme from Snapdragon  The most popular spray skirt among our survey respondents was a hybrid. The Sea Tour Extreme combines a neoprene deck for a tight fit on the cockpit coaming and a fabric tunnel for comfort. The perimeter of the deck is stitched to a stout -inch bungee. If the spray skirt is properly sized for the particular kayak, the bungee will provide a watertight seal, stretch the deck to keep water from pooling and still be easy to release.In addition to the grab loop at the front of the skirt, there’s a back-up release in the form of a strap across the foredeck. Though the grab loop is solidly constructed and unlikely to fail, it can be inadvertently tucked under. The deck strap can keep that oversight from turning into a tragedy. The strap, once an option, will be a standard feature in future models. The forward end of the deck has an additional layer of fabric to protect the area most often abraded by the paddle. The Sea Tour Extreme’s tunnel is a waterproof/breathable fabric and its back and deck seams are taped. Inside the front of the tunnel is a 12-inch-by-7-inch pocket with a Velcro closure and a grometted drain. Elastic suspenders support the tunnel and bungee and lock adjust its opening. Snapdragon reports that the Sea Tour Extreme and its strapless version, the Velcro-supported Glacier model, are in close competition for the status of their best-selling model. Sea Tour Extreme Neoprene/Nylon Reinforced $125 Snap Dragon Design, Inc. 425-957-3575 info@snapdragondesign.com www.snapdragondesign.com BEST WETSUIT The Farmer John from NRS  The 3 mm-neoprene Farmer John provides a versatile foundation for cold-water paddling wear. Its arm holes are cut deep enough to strike a balance between mobility and coverage. With my normal stroke, there was no chafing under my arms. The heavy-duty front zipper is placed low enough to serve as a relief zipper and has a second slider for that purpose. The zipper is backed by a flap that minimizes the chill of cold water seeping through the zipper teeth.The seat is cut from a different kind of neoprene. Its outer layer is a heavier, more abrasion-resistant fabric. The knees have an extra layer of neoprene that’s placed low enough to provide extra padding for kneeling and to avoid compromising the fit of your thigh braces. There is an 8-inch zipper at each ankle, a feature that let me pull the suit effortlessly over my size-13 EEE feet. The seams are glued and sewn with all the stitching on the outside, making the inside surface of the seams less likely to chafe. The bindings along the edges are sewn with a zigzag stitch and have plenty of stretch. I took the Farmer John out for a test drive when the air temperature was close to 80˚F. I felt a bit hot while paddling—a roll every now and then took care of that—but I was quite comfortable doing wet-exit and reentry drills in 55˚ water. It’s always difficult to dress for cold water on a warm summer day, but the NRS Farmer John strikes a good balance between paddling comfort and immersion protection. Farmer John Wetsuit $109.95 NRS 800-635-5202 service@nrsweb.com www.nrsweb.com |
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