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Wetsuits, drysuits & tops, paddle jackets & pants, wetsuit
boots & gloves, rafting / kayaking helmets, sandals, and other
river clothing is in this section. Brands include Palm, MTI, Salamander,
Stohlquist, Wenoka / Deep Sea, and Seda.
In years past we've had very high rates of returns on paddling clothes;
that is, returns for refunds rather than for size exchanges. Clothing
is sometimes sent via priority mail through the Post Office, and
invoicing, packaging, and particularly driving to the Post Office
(and standing in line there) all entail quite a bit of our time.
None of the returns had anything to do with defects, but rather
with people simply changing their minds or not reading the information
provided below. Due to this situation we have little choice
but to start charging a 20% restocking fee this year for clothing
returned for refunds. We're sorry but our time is worth
something, and we also have to eat credit card fees of 2.5 to 3.3%
for manually keyed cards.
Exchanges for smaller or larger sizes will not incur
any charges. We will not accept returns on any special order items.
Other than the Links page (which web-man Carl will get to soon), as of February 20th, 2009,
we have updated all other sections and pages of our site. Except for this one. The last time we worked on this page was early Summer of '08, and though we have changed a few prices below, we are going to wait a couple more months before revising this one. That's because we have not yet decided what to leave here, what to add in the way of separates, and what to delete. Many of the neoprene items below and especially the tops and pants are in fairly short supply inventory wise.
For many years now, California seems to transition from Winter to Summer somehow skipping Spring entirely. This means few people need or want cold weather garments for paddling locally here, so most of what we sell now is to out of state buyers. In other words the demand and sales volume for most of what follows isn't what it used to be. Hopefully by the end of April this page will be revised.
Buying clothing through the mail often entails at best a guess on sizing,
particularly with the size variations between different manufacturers.
To make it as foolproof as possible, if you are purchasing paddling garments,
send us your height, weight, chest size, and for pants, your waist. For
boots and sandals, send a tracing of your foot, and for gloves, one of
your hands. You may also fax us these tracings at 408-971-7044, but lately
we have kept our fax turned off due to high rates of "fax-spam".
Shoot us a quick email or phone us and we'll turn it on.
Neoprene
Palm/MTI wetsuits are made of somewhat softer neoprene than the
B&A Wetsuits below, and they come in lady's versions. We do not inventory
a lot of neoprene so it's best to check stock first if you are in a hurry.
We do order very frequently from MTI though so if something is out of
stock we can get it fast assuming MTI has stock. Everything below is 3mm
thick.
The Palm/MTI Men's Shortie ( $75, left) has 4-needle flat-stitching,
a high back for extra warmth during swims, urethane seat reinforcing,
and a two way zipper. It is available in small thru xxl sizes.
 The Ladies Shortie has a very stretchy sculpted Dinaflex "bodice" upper
for a perfect fit. All other features are the same as the Men's Shortie.
These are actually teal colored where the photo to the right shows blue.
These have been discontinued but we still have some inventory in Small
and Large sizes at $65/per.
 We
have sold B&A Farmer Johns, $75 (left), for over ten years.
B & A is now retired as a business but we still have decent stock
on most sizes. This is not a fancy or pretty wetsuit but it was made for
commercial use. It does not have ankle zippers, which makes it
a pain to get on and especially off, but the zippers are always the first
thing to fail so B&A designed their John without them. The second
livery grade feature is that the butt & knee reinforcing on these
is a second layer of nylon-2-side neoprene, not some odd thin material
with a funny  name.
Another thing we like about this wetsuit is that the material, though
perhaps not the most stretchy, is the most rugged 3mm neoprene
we have found at any price. We have the B&A's in small, medium, large
and XL. Double-XL's and XS are no longer available. In dark blue or red
depending on size. Blonde not included.
If you want something softer and more conforming than the B&A John's,
with ankle zippers, the standard Palm/MTI Farmer John (at right)
comes in both Men's and Lady's styles in the same sizes
with the same features as the MTI Shorties above, with reinforced knees.
The ladie's "John" is lilac on the upper part instead of teal
or blue. $99
Note: Long sleeved "Action Suit" versions of the
MTI John's & Jane's above are available by special order for $125.
We also have a few small size Z-Style Farmer Johns left at only
$49 if you happen to be between 5'4 & 5'7" and very skinny, with front
& ankle zippers and reinforced knees. What's the catch? There
are several raised seams (not flat-lock stitched) on the inside
of the Z-Style so we only recommend these if you wear something of at
least moderate thickness underneath. If not, the seams will dig into your
skin. In red/grey two-tone.
A new item that we really should have been stocking ten years ago are
the titanium lined Hot Socks, which run $19 and come in sm, med.
lg, xl, and xxl. Hot Socks are super stretchy 1.5mm socks intended to
be worn with sandals or inside those worn out old tennis shoes. At 1.5mm they will not provide
the same level of warmth as the booties below, but if the rivers, lakes,
or saltwater you paddle tend to be above the low fifty degree mark, they
will be fine. Sorry the photo (at right) isn't very good.
Wenoka's 5mm Zippered Boots ($42), offer ease of entry,
and the 6mm Non-Zippered Wenoka boots ($36, no photo but they look
the same) are even warmer since water can't get in. The plush pile lining
and vertex panels over your feet mean all inside seams are covered, and
your doggies will be comfy with or without socks underneath.
The DXT ($49, closeout) boot was one of our most popular, but
we are now down to Men's size 9/10 only. With most boots, every time you
step on even a pea-sized pebble it feels like someone is driving a nail
into your doggies but not with the thick-soled DXT's. They feature a tread
pattern made to cling to slippery surfaces and wind surf boards, and a
full-length zipper. These were discontinued by Wenoka/ Deep Sea a while
back so we won't be getting any more. Zippered, with a black nylon exterior
and plush interior lining.
 The HydraSole's are another closeout boot, and we still have
good stock on men's sizes 9 through 12, and a couple pairs of size 5 (women's
6/7). These boots combine a rigid sole that is a little thinner than the
DXT's, but with the big advantage over the DXT's being a gusset behind
the zipper. This gusset is glued to both sides, so unlike most zippered
boots the Hydra's won't let a drop of water in. On some of these the white
part of the rubber soles have yellowed a bit, but it does not affect their
durability at all. $55, no returns except for size exchange.
The top-end boots we stock are Salamander's Das Boot, which come
in sizes XS through XXL. Rather than trying to give equivalent shoe  sizes,
again it will be easier to mail or fax us a tracing of your foot. Like
the HydraSoles, these also have a gusseted zipper to prevent any water
entering, but they also have a lace-up ankle and a top cinch strap for
perfect, snug fits on a variety of foot & ankle sizes. In black/violet.
$65
 1/8"
thick Paddler's Gloves are warm enough for almost all conditions
and are a decent value at $25. They have precurved and rubberized palms
for better grip, a velcro wrist cinch (not visible in photo), and come
in either solid black or blue/black
. 
For the coldest, windiest, winter days, nothing keeps your hands defrosted
like the full-gauntlet Sea Style gloves ($38). These come way up
on the sleeves of a wet- or drysuit, and are 4mm thick. Very high quality
with curved grips, taped seams, and a velcro strap around the wrist for
a tight mate to your sleeves. The grip and dexterity is not comparable
to a thinner glove, but if you have a hard time keeping your hands warm,
Sea Styles are tough to beat. The biggest problem with these is that for
many paddlers they tend to cut off circulation in your fingers because
they are so thick. In navy blue with grey palms. Send a tracing
of your hand for sizing.
Drysuits
On longer, shadier rivers or overcast days on the ocean, wetsuits tend
to chill through their thickness, especially if you have not eaten enough
food to keep the ol' carbo-oven burning. Drysuits will not chill through
since you rely on dry clothing underneath for your warmth. Many folks
question the sanity of those who boat in the dead of winter, but with
a drysuit, beanie, booties, and neoprene gloves you can easily stay 100%
toasty. Drysuit neck cuffs are not at all comfortable but they can
be trimmed to alleviate some of the "latex neck tourniquet" effect, and the new Silver drysuit below doesn't even use latex on the neck. Since there's no limit to how much clothing you can wear underneath, you
can also adjust for a wide variety of conditions - unlike with a wetsuit.
Now with attached socks! Palm has the best reviewed, most rugged & functional drysuits you can purchase.
The breathable Palm Silver is very, very easily the best value
in a drysuit that you will find anywhere at only $479. A pleasant surprise is that MTI decided to include a fly zipper on this moderately priced suit. This was, and continues to be news to most potential buyers since none of the Plam / MTI literature mentions this very important (well, at least for the gents) feature.
Another detail about this new suit is that instead of using a latex gasket around the neck, it uses a very stretchy 2 mil wetsuit neoprene funnel instead. This is a good news - bad news feature. The good news is that it is vastly more comfortable around your neck than a conventional latex gasket, and it is repairable with Aquaseal should a tear occur. 2-part Aquaseal can fix one in 45 to 60 minutes in fact. Latex gaskets must be completely replaced, are not cheap, and their fragility is always a concern on long trips.
The bads news about the Silver neck is that in a violent swim, the neoprene won't conform to the shape of your neck as perfectly as latex. It is also a looser fit than it should be for all but the fattest of necks. This means it will let in some water in a swim through most rapids, though usually less than a top that uses a wrap around velcroed neoprene closure. We use the word "usually" because anyone with a smaller neck may be no better off at all than with the velcro system. We were a little  disappointed in the new version of this neoprene gasket. The original that MTI started using back in 2005 was a crude, volcano shaped affair that did not have the nice rolled-over edge of the current Silver gasket. However, it was a far tighter if slightly less comfy fit.
So, it boils down to this: The Silver will function as a full-on drysuit for those no-neck types who measure above 15-1/2" to 16". For people in between 14' and 15-1/2", the medium, large, X, and XX sizes are pretty dry too. For those with neck circumferences under 14"
only the small size (which we do not always carry) works decently. If you are under 14" and need a medium or larger, and you expect to ocasional swim long rapids, it would be better to spend the money on a Torrent (two suits below).
Other nice features on the Silver include seamless underarms & crotch, reinforced, pre-bent knees, and a small water resistant chest pocket. There is also thick 300 denier cordura on the elbows, butt, and extending down the length of the shin area. The wrists use conventional latex gaskets. Should you ever need to replace one, they are the easiest job compared to neck or slightly larger ankle gaskets. There are velcro & neoprene outer cuffs to protect the wrist gaskets though, so chances of tearing a wrist gasket is very low to begin with. Again, your feet go into waterproof bootie socks with 300 denier soles.
Silver's
are made of a breathable tri-laminate hybrid fabric called XP100
with an excellent rip-stop characteristics. We've used suits of various brands made of far weaker material since the early 80's and even in scouts through nasty brambles & blackberry bushes, never torn a suit. We could make a case that almost all drysuits on the market, much like inflatable kayaks, are overbuilt.
Silver's come in a "moss" pale greenish-tan color (the photo is not accurate; the color is less tan and more grey-green than shown) in five sizes - S, M, L, XL, and XXL - though we rarely ever stock
the Small's. Palm's warranty covers both this model and the two below
for the life of the drysuit, but this warranty does not include normal
wear, broken zipper teeth, or blown gaskets. It covers seams (sealing
and stitiching), neoprene attachments, and workmanship. Keep the zippers clean and free of salt crust and there should be little to worry over.
 For decked
hardshell boaters looking for the ultimate in drysuits, the metal-zippered, rear-entry Palm Stikine is made of extra heavy duty four layer breathable
XP200 (a beefier four layer version of the XP100 material described above), and comes
standard with a sprayskirt waist tunnel that has a very grippy elastic
inner seal for flawless mating to your boat's sprayskirt. It also comes
with a relief zipper at no upcharge, attached socks, all the reinforcing of the Silver
above, plus a chest pocket made of mes. The upgraded zippers are stainless steel coated with brass
front and rear. The color is slightly darker orange than shown, more of a rust shade actually.
Stikine's have the main zipper in in the back because that's
considered to be the least likely location to leak for most boaters. Most users of the Stikine will
need a second person to help close this zipper, though you
more gymnastic-types might not.
If you are not a hardshell boater or someone who makes a career out of
thrashing through blackberrys and brambles, our feeling is the Silver
above will work for 99% of inflatable enthusiasts. Understand that the extra thickness of this suit over the Silver above or the Torrent below means it is somewhat less flexible, and that is the trade-off for the extra beef. If you think you really need though, the Palm XP200 has the single highest rip strength of any drysuit on earth.
It went up $50 this year, but even at $899 the Stikine still has every other competing breathable high-end suit beat for value, though the
Torrent below really offers the best deal for most hardshellers.
Palm's Torrent Drysuit: This suit runs $230 less than
the Stikine above, but has pretty much the same features including the
sprayskirt tunnel, so it's a great choice for decked boaters.
At one point in time it seemed like we had lots of Torrents in stock, but everyone wanted Stikines. Now that we have more of the Stikines (all sizes as of this update) & Silvers, and not so many Torrents, of course everybody wants a Torrent. MTI has had good stock lately so if we are out of a size we should be able to get it quickly. We do not stock the small size Torrent at all, so that is always special order (and not returnable, sorry), and as of this February update we are out of the XXL size - though they are available.
 The differences
between it and the Stikine are as follows:
The
fly and rear zippers on this model are the same "super seal"
Ti-Zip's used on the Silver rather than a metal tooth zipper. These are somewhat harder open
and close than the ones on the Stikine because they have
an outer rubber slit cover over the actual zipper teeth, which adds to
the friction.
The XP200 four layer material now used on the Torrent is the same as the Stikine but of course in a different color scheme. Again, this is breathable except the cordura covered areas.
Instead of the one bigger chest pocket found on the
Stikine, the Torrent has two smaller chest pockets that open by the armpit
areas, and it comes in a Cobalt / light blue two tone. The price is $669 with attached XP200 socks.
The Palm Element Women's drysuit (also $669) is also available by special order, but lately MTI has not had much stock on it. If you want one email us your size when you are ready to purchase and we will check stock with them. If you are nto ready to buy, there is little point in checking MTI's inventory because what they have now will vary from what they might have weeks or months later.
Understand that this being a special order suit, we do not take returns on Elements (or small size Torrents & Silvers), so check your sizing carefully.
Replacement Gaskets are also available. Call for price and availability.
  
Two new little items from the Aquaseal people are Mirazyme wetsuit
shampoo ($8 for 8 oz, top center in photo above) and ZipperCare ($5 for a 2 ounce bruch bottle, just to the left of the gaskets above).
Mirazyme is product you can use in the shower if you take your wetsuit
in with you, or in a wash basin. It kills off the river-foo bacteria that
like to grow in wetsuits. ZipperCare is an important item for people who
own drysuits. It cleans and lubricates the zipper teeth, be they or nylon.
Metal zippers since a single misaligned tooth can quickly cause the whole
zipper to fail.
Another absolutely vital maintainence product for the latex gaskets on drysuits,
tops, & pants is 303 protectant, (shown above) which can be
found under our repair section.
Separates (including Drytops & Drypants)
-We'll be re-vamping the separates below pretty soon, but as of February '09 we have not yet decided what we want to keep and what we want to delete or alter. We are very low on several of the tops below.
Another way to stay reasonably warm on the water is with paddle jackets
and pants, which are made of waterproof material (though they are not
completely watertight at the waist or ankles like a drysuit), or with
separate drytops & drypants. Simply layer clothing underneath
them like you would a drysuit, or wear a jacket with a Farmer John for
inexpensive warmth.
If you only want something for lakes or calm seas, our Econo Tops & Bottoms ($17 each, no photos) will keep out spray. They
have elastic waists and cuffs and are made from coated 200-denier nylon.
These are not very watertight around the elastic so they should never
be used on rivers. They're also pretty clammy so you'll need to wear something
underneath that wicks. In blue only.
Jackets
The MTI Ultrasplash is a thin, breathable top with lycra neck
and wrist cuffs (with velcro tabs), a large double-entry chest pocket,
and a hand warming area behind the pocket. The waist closure is a single
shockcord drawstring system, so this jacket is not intended for whitewater
hardshell use, and it would probably take in a lot of water in a swim
from a raft too. In a pretty teal color, or blue, or mango. $75, in small,
med, large, xl, and xxl.
If you don't need a breathable top, we also have some other stock on Stohlquist
and oddball MTI paddle jackets in the $55 price range so just ask us to
check in your size and we'll be happy to see what's here.
The MTI Premier Jacket ($109) is another model made from  breathable teflon-protected Barrel GP nylon. The photo at right shows front mesh
pockets, but these were replaced with regular ones, so we need to shoot
a newer photo. These come in red, mango, and blue in sizes small through
XXL. You can call us with the color and size you want and we'll see what
we have. It would be helpful to have your chest size and height. The Premier
has a 2-1/2" wide tacky neoprene waist band that the closure line
runs through, and it mates with an excellent grip to any pants or farmer
john.
This is a beefy jacket and a superb value compared to most of the competition.
The breathable SemiDry Top, ($149) has been deleted from the MTI label and is being replaced with the Palm (same company as MTI) Kinetic, which we will be carrying soon. We have limited stock left on the SemiDry so call or better yet email to check the size you need. If we don't have it, we can check on the Kinetic, which is $40 more. Details on that top when we update this page again later in the Spring.
The Semi uses long funnel shaped neoprene wrists and
neck openings rather than latex gaskets to keep water out. These are similar to what's used on very expensive divers' neoprene drysuits, and this jacket is quite dry, very functional, and has the substantial
plus that using neoprene funnels precludes the tearing that often occurs
with delicate latex gaskets. If you are a hardsheller the SemiDry has
a corded  double-closure
neoprene waist to mate with your sprayskirt. If not it still ensures very
little water can get in around your waist. The wrist "funnels"
and neck funnels can both be trimmed to a larger opening. The SemiDry
also has a center pocket and reinforced elbows. This is a well thought
out, durable product at a remarkable price. A good example of where inexpensive
doesn't mean cheap! Too bad it was discontinued.....
In grey only and grey & blue two tones depending
on size, small thru xxl.
We also have a very few Apex SemiDry Tops ($189, in large adn xl sizes) that are yet another item MTI/Palm hosed. We're not bothering
to post a photo since it too wll eventually be replaced with the new Kinetic top.
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Pants
 Premier
Pants $109 appear to have been discontinued by MTI though we still have some stock. The only comparable thing under the Palm label is $40 more, and there is no longer a more modest priced option under the MTI brand.
These breathable pants are a companion to the Premier Jacket above and were probably
the best deal for the buck.
Again, they are made with breathable Entrant
material, which some of you may recognize as a fabric common in ski gloves.
Premier Pants have a second layer of cordura in the knees and seat, along
with a zippered front pocket. Both the wide neoprene waist and ankles
have velcro closures to help keep out water during swims. These are made
in grey and black, in sizes small thru xxl, and should not be considered true
"drypants" since they use velcro - neoprene closures at both the waist and ankles. .
New! Amaris Drypants ($219) have attached XP200 socks like the  three Palm drysuits above, and feature a snug double closure for mating to a drytop at the waist. They also have the same reinforced cordura knee/shin and butt area as the Palm drysuits, and pre-bent knees. This pair of pants was intended for the ladies but some of you slender gents will also be able to wear them comfortably.
The color is "plum" purple and they do not have a pocket, though most paddle jackets do. The main body material is XP100, the same fabric used on the Silver drysuit above. Sizes small through XXL.
(see also Econo Pants above paddle jackets)
Note- if you wear a paddle jacket or drytop with a farmer john,
we would humbly suggest that you will stay drier if you put on your top
and then pull up the wetsuit. With tops and pants do just the opposite
to prevent "fisherman's death" - like when waders get filled with water
- pull your top down over the pants.
Sandals
Tractor Tread Sandal's ($25) shown at left, come in  mens
sizes 8 through 13, on closeout (no refunds but we will exchange sizes).
These really grip slimy river rocks well compared to most soles, and they
have fancy colored strapping too! We have seen one or two pairs where
the toe strap pulled out of the base but we've sold quite a few, so it
doesn't seem to be a common occurance.
.
Helmets Etc...
The Hitek Helmet ($27) comes in a one-size-fits-all harness style
with foam ear padding. This helmet is more or less a knock-off of the
Perception/Protec helmet at a much better price. Having seen Protecs actually
break, it would be hard to make a case for them over the Hiteks.
Our higher grade helmet is the WRSI Current ($69). This universal size model comes with multiple foam liners so you can achieve a proper fit to your noggin. It is designed to not roll around on your head at all once the foam and harness is adjusted correctly. The webbing of the harness runs all through the shell to ensure this; in fact, the WRSI was engineered in  the aftermath of a fatal river accident. A kayaker died due to head injuries suffered when a lower quality helmet roled back on his head, exposing his temples and forehead to underwater rocks. It may be the only helmet on the market to run through the gauntlet of both an engineering school and extensive field testing. The Lexan blend shell is also the strongest body we've seen since Seda quit making their fiberglass models. Thee come in yellow, black, blue, and red, and there are also a couple new colors we aren't stocking yet. This helmet is probably overkill for inflatable kayakers, but we will leave that for you to decide. For hardshellers who endeavor to keep moving up through the river difficulty scale, this small investment is well worth it. There are a number of import helmets on the market that run way over $100 that are not nearly as good in any way.
We also have a few Seda Fiberglass helmets left in the small size only, mostly in white. This is a very strong helmet, but Seda's sizing was  always a bit overstated, so this small should almost be called an extra-small. If you want something for a larger kid, or you just have a very petite cranium, we're closing these out for $50. Tricot lined closed cell foam, full coverage, nylon webbing, motorcycle quality.
If you want to keep the sun or rain out of your eyes, and paddle with
a helmet, the Salamander Beak ($17) is always a nice addition.
Beak Visors mount directly to any helmet with a powerful velcro tape (included),
and no, they don't come off in swims. These have been tested in some very
nasty hydraulics. In polyester two-sided neoprene, with your choice of
red, olive, blue, & black.
We still have a very few Chums left in stock, but being a point-of-sale item we aren't moving many Chums now. They will likely be deleted form  this page on the next update. We have limited colors and styles for both regular glasses and extra-fat frames. These, in case you don't know, are to keep from losing your glasses to the river in a swim. $4.50 per pair.
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