Choosing the right Spray Skirt

 

A spray skirt buying guide

White Water

The spray skirt is a very essential piece of gear for the whitewater paddler. Like your PFD and helmet, it's a must have. There are a few questions to ask yourself when purchasing a new spray skirt. These are similar questions to think about when buying most of your new kayak gear. Are you an beginner, intermediate or advanced boater? How often are you kayaking? What type of water are you kayaking? How much of an investment do want to put into a skirt that might last twice as long verses a product that's only saving you twenty bucks?

For example, 4CRS sells a lot of skirts by Snap Dragon Designs, one of the leading manufacturers in spray skirts, and there are three basic models to choose from. When selling these skirts I like to tell the customer to think of it as the regular unleaded, unleaded plus or the premium unleaded fuels of skirts. This analogy can be applied for most manufacturers when considering the different options; Bomber Gear, IR, Wildwasser, etc. But the names of the Snap Dragon models will be used in this example.

The River Trek (mens) and River Flirt (womens) are Snap Dragons' entry level, low octane models, which feature the basics and nothing but. These slightly looser fitting skirts are good for the budget conscious paddler or beginner worried about not being able to pull their skirt. While the Trek series are a good choice, we recommend stepping up to the next model, the White Water EXP.

The White Water EXP skirt is similar to the Trek series, but features a thicker neoprene deck, tighter shock cord and a reinforced lip. For $20 more than the Trek, the White Water EXP will keep your cockpit drier, provide a more secure fit, is less likely to implode, and will withstand much more wear and tear in the most high wear area of any skirt; the lip.

Need even more durability and a tighter fit? Then the Armortex EXP is your skirt. The same design as the White Water EXP, the premium Armortex sports an even tighter shock cord and kevlar reinforced neoprene on the deck. 

Not enough? Then add an implosion bar to either of the EXP models. Implosion bars must be ordered from the factory as an add on and will take approximately 3 weeks to arrive. Please contact us for more information on special ordering an implosion bar for your next spray skirt.

Fitting the Skirt - Tunnel and Deck

Because the skirt is such an essential piece of gear you must be aware of how it fits your torso and your boat. Check both the tunnel and deck sizes. Most manufacturers will offer a reference chart if you are unsure. Tunnel sizes typically run xs-xxl based on waist diameter. For example, a 32” waist is usually always a large. But it is always a good idea to try on the skirt if you can to insure a snug fit on your body or over the tightest piece of layering. Most manufacturers also offer skirts fit for women that offer a shorter tunnel and more flexibility in the bust to fit more comfortable and perform better with woman's layering and drytops. Check the links below to determine tunnel/deck size and other relevant skirt info.

Materials and the Rand

White water skirts are made primarily of neoprene or a combination of neoprene and synthetic fibers. Touring skirts will be mostly be made of neoprene, nylon, vinyl or a combination of the three. Vinyl will usually be used in entry level models, while nylon and neoprene are usually used in mid to upper level models.

The rand that secures the skirt to the boat is made of either a bungee like elastic cord or rubber. There has always been a debate about which rand holds the best water tight seal. A bungee style rand, like those on all Snap Dragon Design skirts, is popular because it will easily fit a larger range of boats than skirts with a rubber rand.

Rubber rands are known be more durable and have a secure fit but can be much more difficult to get on and off. IR, for example, has pushed in the envelope to develop a skirt with a rand for keeping water out of some the trickier boat models. They have added a fin like membrane as part of the rand to act as a better seal and keep water from leaking in. Regardless of the skirt you choose, it's important to make sure that you are comfortable putting it on and more importantly pulling it off.

Touring Skirts

Touring spray skirts or shields, although often overlooked, are still very essential for a variety of reasons. Whether you are on a multi-day sea kayak expedition or on a casual paddle in a high mountain lake this item is key. In flat water, even with drip rings on your paddle, there is a tendency for water to work its way into your lap. Add some waves or rain to that equation and soon enough you are one soggy bottom.

Touring skirts can be a little tricky to fit to your boat because there are so many more dimensions at play in a much broader field of boats. It is recommended to know the length and width dimensions of your cockpit in addition to the make and model of your boat to insure you get the right fit.

Most touring skirts are made of nylon, vinyl or a combination of neoprene and nylon. The tunnels are typically more adjustable and more comfortable than a whitewater skirt. Unless you plan on rolling your boat or traveling long distances you probably don't need a neoprene, whitewater type skirt. Rather something that is easy to put on and off and more breathable should work just fine in most touring situations. Center zip skirts are a popular choice because it will allow you to access the cockpit of the kayak without having to pull the skirt off the kayak.

The mini or half skirt is also an option for this reason. It keeps a majority of the water out while also keeping your legs from getting scorched on a hot, sunny day. On the flip side, the benefit of wearing a skirt with your recreation boat or touring boat will also keep you warm in cold weather or cold water conditions.

Touring skirts, like whitewater skirts, come in a variety of models that range in quality and price. It's important to ask yourself the same questions. How often will I be using the skirt? Where am I primarily paddling? How important to me is it that I stay dry in my boat?

When asking yourself these questions keep in mind that touring skirts also have more accessories that include pockets, zippers for ventilation, suspenders or draw string cords and implosion like bars to keep water from puddling in the skirt.

From there you will be better prepared to know what skirt is best for you. Whether it be from Snap Dragon, Harmony, IR, Kokatat, etc. there is a touring skirt for you.

Follow the links below for additional information on fitting your touring skirt to your boat: