Ladies drysuit advice

[YTcanoe]

I'm looking to pick up a drysuit for a lady friend new to the sport.

As I'm currently a great distance from all my female paddling friends, I ask the women of cboats - Is a dropseat essential?

I'm sure it's definitely a convenience, but is the big semi rigid arc of a zipper a hinderance otherwise or not even noticeable?
Yay or ney? Any pros (probably obvious) or cons?
Hopefully lots of canoeing, but she has also taken a shine to C1.

Thankyou, girls

[milkman]

Speaking for my wife who doesn't participate in this forum, she loves the dropseat. It doesn't get in the way of her sitting in any of the boats and outfitting we use, though she doesn't paddle C1, only open canoes. In my videos, she's the woman paddling the orange Prelude. She just bought her second drysuit with this feature.

[canotrouge]

I don't think she should go w/o it. It is like the relief zipper on our dry suit... Buy it with, and buy a Kokatat GTX, You know why!!

[Walsh]

Unless she is already a seasoned outdoorswoman, tougher than most, and truly motivated to progress in paddlesports, and pretty coordinated on top of all that, then I would stay far away from the front zipper/funnel combo.

I know it's difficult to shell out for a top-of-the-line drysuit for a novice paddler, but if you don't invest in her comfort, you are almost guaranteeing that you will always have a novice paddler.

[YTcanoe]

She's a tough ex river tripping guide / bushgirl and worth every penny I may have to invest.

I'm just questioning if all the extra semi rigid material and leak potential justifies the convenience as I've never worn a dropseat myself.
Any affect on range of motion or conflict with saddles and outfitting? Does it make your butt look big?

Probably try to get a full option Kokatat, but am hoping for some advice from the ladies.
(apparently they're all out supporting us, while we guys are home hanging out on forums - vrai? )

[milkman]

As for leak potential, my wife's old drysuit has a few leaks but not any in the rear where the dropseat zipper is. That's been bomber. Her old suit is about 7 years old and used year round.

From the point of view of her husband, I think the dropseat adds nice emphasis to her shape.

As for dropseats in general, I'm sure a few of us men wouldn't have minded having when faced with those rapids that inspire a Class V dump.

[arhdc]

Speaking for my wife here also but I can safely say that she loves her Kokatat dropseat suit, no question she wouldn't want it any other way.

I have never heard her complain about it getting in the way and as far a leaks go, the zippers that Kokatat uses are pretty bomber.

[RobertM]

I hope that some women do chime in here, as it seems to be mostly men speaking hear-say, and I'm about to add to the hear-say pile.

In the last three weeks I've heard three different female paddlers say that they don't care for the drop seat. One of them had retured a suit to Kokatat to have the drop-seat removed, and another was contemplating the same suit surgery. The third woman in the conversation had never gone the drop-seat route but spoke well of an extra-low reliefe zipper palcement and a cheap funnel.

In the case of the seatectomies, one of the paddlers was in a K1 and found that the zipper was hanging up on the back-band. The other was paddling OC1 and just found the zip uncomortable.

Not even worth two cents, as none of it is personal experience.

[Pinkie]

I have a dropseat on my drysuit, Kokatat exped, and would not go without it. I've had it for four years now and the zipper has never been an issue with regards to leaks or getting in the way. It's just a really really convenient, especially when it's raining or snowing!! When I first started paddling I used my boyfriend's drysuit, it's OK on sunny days but it the cold and rain it's a pain to have to take it on and off.

[Wendy]

I just bought another Kokatat with a rear relief zipper because I got it with a discount (REI 20%) and there was not an option to not have it. As an overweight woman I do not like it and have paid to have my other one removed. It gets hung on my wooden gunnels and scratches them. My normal weight women friends love theirs. NOne of them C1. The zipper might make getting the back of the skirt on a little harder.