|
|
Feature: February 2007
|
 |
| After your kayak, the most expensive thing
you’re likely to buy is a dry suit. If you’ve dropped a big
wad of cash on anything, it’s common to suffer buyer’s remorse
and miss the money that once warmed your wallet. Palm’s Aleutian
dry suit has enough features to soothe that discomfort whenever you wear
it. From the bottom up: It has integral socks, which are easier to get
on and much more comfortable than ankle gaskets. The socks are waterproof
and breathable and have a thick fabric on the sole where a bit more durability
is required. The leg cuffs, knees and seat have heavier fabric at all
of the common points of wear. The relief zipper has a storm flap to protect
the waterproof zipper. At the waist is an overskirt to cover and augment
the seal of your spray skirt. The chest pocket has twin zips on the sides
and a removable pile hand-warmer liner. The entry zipper for the suit
is across the back. Like the relief zipper, it has plastic coils instead
of metal teeth holding it together. The hood tucks into the collar and
when in use has two elastic drawcords to keep it in place. There are
retroreflective panels on the bill and shoulders in addition to the retroreflective
piping. The XP200 fabric the suit is made of is breathable and waterproof. |
The
suit is comfortable to wear and mates well with a spray skirt.
The back-entry zipper makes the suit easy to get on and off, and
it doesn’t clutter up the front of
the suit. The suit lends itself well to the range
of motion required by paddling and rolling. The ends
of the zipper do, however, press against the backs of your arms
while you’re
paddling. It may feel strange and slightly annoying
at first but is soon forgotten. That the Aleutian keeps you dry
is to be expected. In its details—the
right materials for the job in the right places—are the reminders
that the Aleutian EXP is money well spent. *The Aleutian is currently scheduled
for release in the spring of 2007.
Aleutian EXP Dry Suit, $749
Palm USA
781-831-6011
info@palmequipmentusa.com
www.palmequipmentusa.com |
|
|