Kokatat Meridian

Kokatat Meridian
Zzzzzzip. That's the sound of relief, which is the result of the strategically placed relief zipper on Kokatat's Meridian Drysuit. Anyone who's spent a lot of time in a drysuit will agree that this is one outstanding feature, a detail that should be on every suit. Even Kokatat's women's drysuit has a drop-seat zipper, which might explain why this is one of the more popular drysuits on the college-sailing circuit. Designed primarily for paddling sports (kayaking), the Meridian has all the features you'd want for dinghy sailing, too.

This drysuit does, however, come with a hefty price tag ($999), but the fabric is high-end Gore-Tex (thus the price), and the suit has latex seals throughout, all with neoprene over-cuffs to protect the latex from nicks and tears. Paddlers don't like bulk and excess fabric up top, so consequently this suit is as trim and slim as any of the rest, if not more so. There's a simple bungee drawcord at the waist to take up any excess bulk. One excellent feature is the use of Gore-Tex socks in lieu of latex booties (which, again, contributes to the price). Given the high perspiration rate of your feet, it makes absolute sense to keep moisture moving away from your toes as well. The Gore-Tex booties will also prove to be more durable, should you step on a pebble while disrobing. www.kokatat.com

Gill Front Zip

Gill Front-Zip
Gill redesigned its popular drysuit in 2007, and in doing so, switched from an across-the-back zipper, which most serious racers still prefer, to a front zip, which the greater junior-sailing populace demands. Gill uses its most top-of-the-line waterproof/breathable fabric to make what Gill's Jerry Richards says is one of the most breathable and durable drysuits on the market. For neck and wrist seals, they've opted for Glide Skin neoprene rather than latex, and now use a heavy-duty brass zipper, a concession to safety and durability.  "Our zipper is the most expensive we can buy," says Richards. "We sell to a lot of junior and college sailors, so we're not willing to risk any sort of failure on the drysuit."

In designing this front-zip drysuit, Gill paid a lot of attention to streamlining the cut, which Richards says is always a challenge, given that, once a user crouches, there's a lot of pull at the shoulders. Articulated leg and arm panels help reduce this.

One useful feature of this well priced, $589 suit is that the seals are embossed with "trim lines" to make sure you cut straight and neat when trimming the seals to fit, something none of the other manufacturers offer (because it's patented, for now). There are internal suspenders, an elasticized waist, a waterproof thigh pocket, and Cordura reinforcements in the knees and seat to help with abrasion. If there's a lot of kneeling involved in your sailing (i.e., Optimist sailors), Richards advises the use of knee pads to protect from abrasion. www.gillna.com