Kokatat: the Only Drysuit You'll Ever Need

That's a bold claim, but it's not just a click-bait headline.

Here's the patch Kokatat put on my Hydrus 3L to repair 

a tear in the sleeve.

It's been a year since I bought Kokatat's economy drysuit, the Meridian Hydrus 3L.

I've tested it now on a cold March day in Ohio (air temperature below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and water just above freezing), a warm-ish spring day, a fall flat-water outdoor roll session and a bitter-cold October run on a dam release stretch of Stonycreek River.

And the suit sustained its first river-running injury: a rip in the sleeve.

Yet I can still say with confidence that a Kokatat drysuit is the last drysuit you ever need to buy.

I've talked performance already, and it's incredible. The issues I encountered--mainly getting a good closure and seal on the zipper--were user error. I've since lubricated the entry and relief zippers with parafin wax and added a touch of petroleum jelly to the closures, and the zippers seal tight with ease.

The comfort is superb, although it did take a few wears (and some overnight stretching) to fully break in the neck gasket.

But what's really sold me on this suit is Kokatat's customer service and repair process.

On the repair, it cost me less than $50, including shipping costs, to send it back to California to have the factory repair the tear, which was located in an awkward location on the sleeve near the cuff and several seams. Everyone I interacted with at Kokatat couldn't have been more friendly, I was updated on the suit's status throughout the repair (which they did during the Christmas and New Year's holidays) and the suit was pressure-tested for any other pinhole leaks.

What's the kicker? I tweeted about the initial zipper issues (which were completely user error) and got an email response from the tweet from Kokatat customer service with advice and tips on addressing the issues.

Within the paddlesports industry, you're hard-pressed to find a company with a better product and customer service to match.

Bottom line, when it comes time for a drysuit or drytop, go with Kokatat. You won't regret it.

You could argue that the Hydrus material isn't tough enough, as evidenced by the tear in the sleeve. I still don't know where the tear happened. I found the hole when I was putting the gear away after my last river trip.

If that's your argument, shell out the extra few hundred dollars and get one of Kokatat's Gore-Tex suits. The material is tougher and won't damage so easily.