a new jacket

DRY SUIT LINER JACKET

For several years I made a two piece insulated diver’s suit. This was directed towards professional divers.

After discussing with divers what the problems are that they experience as a result of working in a dry suit under water they all agreed it was their sweat. Obviously it cannot escape. The answer was to make the garments with the lining fishnet material, the second layer was the L-6 Lamilite insulation and the final layer was 100 percent cotton knit exterior fabric.

The fishnet against the skin to allow all perspiration to move away from the skin; the insulation to keep the body heat close to the skin and the cotton knit that will stretch with movement and also absorb the moisture as it condenses. All of the moisture will easily condense since the shell material of the dry suit is the same temperature as the water. This perspiration will now be stabilized. And finally the wind blowing against the suit when you come out of the water will cause the suit to collapse but due to the resilience of the Lamilite the moisture in the fabric does not touch your skin to give you a chill.

Unfortunately the product did not sell very well so I discontinued making the suit.

Recently I received a testimonial from a customer who spoke about wearing the fishnets under an insulated garment under his dry suit jacket for kayaking. He was warm, so I started to think about a new dry suit garment to wear when kayaking; more kayakers that professional divers. The difference is that the lining of the jacket will not be the fishnets. The fishnets will continue to be a separate garment.

The new garment will also have as shell fabric cotton knit fabric that I am able to source from a knitter in California who uses domestic cotton yarn. The insulation is the L-5 Lamilite and the lining is a light weight nylon used for parachutes; so it is more vapor permeable than the nylon I use for the sleeping bags. It will also have a zipper front rather than a pullover.

I am projecting a selling price of about $50.00 for this garment, and it will not have any pockets.

I expect to have this new product on the web site before the end of the month.