Need advice on Kokatat ds

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1780 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

Picked up a used Kokatat and the gore-tex booties leak like a sieve. Kokatat will replace them for x$. Does anyone have experience with said booties? Will I hate them due to the extra thickness wearing booties over? Do they wear out fast? I'd have to shell out for new booties cause mine are split toe.

Would I be better off getting ankle gaskets instead? (I'd be able to use my current booties, saving $) and maintain a little better board feel, as well, I would think.

I like the idea of the integrated gore tex socks, because I've read of people having trouble with water getting past the regular latex ankle seals.

I would surmise the cost of replacement either way to be about the same. Just wondering which is most desireable. thanx, Marc
4

tjgulizia · Since 06 Feb 2007 123 Posts Hood River Stoked

Yo,

I have the Kokatat bibs with built in gore-tex socks too. I have used them outside of kayaking for a few cold water kite sessions. They definitely keep your feet dry, so you can use a warm sock underneath. The downside is that's a ton of bulk, and don't work with my split toe boot. I used it for wakeskating the HR Sandbar ponds wearing shoes, not boots. The gasket works well, it's just a pain and eventually will tear.

Nak · Fri Jan 13, 12 7:18 pm

Hey Dangler!

Barnes really likes the booties, I'm a fan of the gaskets. One big advantage of the booties is you don't have a gasket slowing down blood flow to the feet, so your feet stay warmer.

jblum · Since 13 Jul 2008 306 Posts The Gorge Obsessed

Strong preference for the socks. I know they're $$ to replace, but they're worth it. No split toe, but if you're out in water cold enough to need a drysuit, you've got other things more important than what booties you're wearing.

I wear thin neoprene socks over my gore-tex socks and they both protect the goretex and keep my feet warm. That's my .02.

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

I like the booties, but they need maintenance. You need to get some seam sealer and tape to patch and keep them waterproof. Also, always wear some thin (polypro) or thick socks to keep your toenails from wearing away at the bootie. Also, wear a bootie over the socks to protect the gortex bootie.

With any "body bag" type drysuit, always wear a livevest and never get upside-down in the water (the air goes up and you could be held in that position and drown).

If someone has found the best type of seam sealer and tape, let us know.

Jackal · Since 17 Dec 2005 147 Posts WS Stoked

kitezilla- please enlighten me with a piece of factual information documenting a person participating in a surface watersport that drowned from inverting themselves in a drysuit. I've never heard of such a thing.

this sounds more like fear mongering fox news type of BS towards drysuits than fact, but I may be wrong....

Mark · Sat Jan 14, 12 9:20 am

Have the socks and love them. Got a pair of booties one size bigger. That way I can wear warm socks. Never had a cold foot. Becareful of the sock. Dont go walking around with out a bootie or flip flop on.

Mark

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1530 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

Kokotat drysuits kick ass n the socks are the shit:-) on my current dry suit I still have my goretex socks that I took off my drysuit. I put them on and pull the drysuit over so I have the option of going either way. This inversion shit is crap and sounds line someone should go into politics. You burp your drysuit and It is all good. With a harness on and a burped drysuit there is no way you will ever have enough air to invert you. I have been wearing a drysuit for over 15 years paddling kiting etc. Professional water rescue reSponse etc. MAybe I should take this inversion crap and start a class on the fire department teaching circuit. If I was not enjoying the nice Maui weather minus the lack of wind and not on my iPhone I would elaborate more. The surf had been good so my 7 yr old and 15 yr d could learn to surf. Bigger swell coming Monday and maybe just maybe some strong southerly winds and I can kite fro
My place I kihei.

In short by a kokotat drysuit not anothe brand. Thy have the best product service and repair around n the suits with the goretex socks sewn in are the shit but my combo allows for a quite a bit of options. You will no be disappointed and you will be warmer and more comfortable than anyone else when you are inthe water and exiting with the wind. Don't worry about the inversion phenomenon it will not happen. You might take a shot of water down the neck under a hard faceplant but if you layer you will absorb most any water coming in and you will still be warm. That's all from kihei. Time to rest up for the north side since that is the only swell until the southerly swell arrives Monday as I hear it. Just enjoying the quality of life over here:-)

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1530 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

Should add that i am using my drysuit for most occasions that is 10 plus years old and I am still using the original goretex suits. I think it depends on how well you care and store your suit. Happy kiting when you buy one you will not look back. I have seen other companies suits come and go but kokotat is still going stronger than ever:-)

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Here is a link to past chatter on the subject of drysuits on Kiteforum.com.

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2322703

I was talking to a guy 2 days ago on the beach. He was wearing an incredible drysuit which had a fleece lining, and was very baggy. He wore his live vest INSIDE the drysuit, for some reason. He said that when he fell back into the water, the fabric of the drysuit came floating up and obscured his vision. He didn't consider it a problem. I thought that I heard all the stories about problems encountered with drysuits, but that was a new one for me. I think that some 'body bag' style drysuits are meant to be worn with air inside. His was VERY baggy.

I would prefer to have a drysuit that I could "burp", and wear a life vest OUTSIDE the suit.

There is lots to be discussed concerning safety and cold water kiting, but this thread is about how to repair drysuit socks... not about fearfull scenarios, that can occur, while kiting. That subject would be worthy of its own thread... where we could present experiences and opinions on all sorts of "crap".

So, Marc, what have you decided to do to fix the socks?

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1780 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

gonna send it in to Kokatat for new sox. very reasonable quote ($70) and they check for leaks and fix em. Gotta buy some new booties (round toe) but with the sox I figure I'll go 3mil instead of 5mil. Board feel is important to me, I'll report back when I try it.

Thanx for all the responses!