Dry Pants or Rodeo Pants

[CSH]

I currently open boat with a farmer john wet suit and a dry top. I have been plenty warm so far. I am however, thinking of adding two pieces to my wardrobe. Dry pants and/or Rodeo pants. What are the opinions?

Do the dry pants actually mesh up well enough with the dry top to keep you dry?

[Crane]

Open boaters who go out in very cold weather should, if possible, up-grade to a dry or semi-dry-suit... It's an expense you can spread over a number of years and the comfort of Gore-Tex booties and a relief zipper adds a lot!! Some will disagree with the need for a dry-suit... I toughed it out and paddled for years in a Farmer John... but, once they've enjoyed a full dry-suit, few would go back... I offer semi-dry as an option since they seem to be more available and seem to be a little cheaper... It may be the materials they are made from that reduces the cost... But, having switched to a semi-dry pjacket several years ago, the necks are simply more comfortable than latex gaskets!

As to your real question, whether dry pants work... kinda. Maybe enough with the latex gaskets at the ankles... and the neporene cinch-down waist does keep a lot of water, but not all, out.

[cnabors]

Check out the Kokatot bibs. It interlocks with your dry top and is comparable to a dry-suit at half the cost.

[CSH]

Thanks Larry,

and thanks again for showing me the lines on the Piney last spring. Big day for me. I got that book you reccomended.

[Tim Eubanks]

Like Crane, I have used farmer john and semi-dry pants. I have a recently acquired a dry top. Semi-dry pants will keep splash off your legs and help keep you warm(er) than just the farmer john. I have used the semi-dry pants with the farmer john when it is really cold (don't do that much now) and that combo worked.

If you swim in the semi-dry pants, you'll get wet depending on how long the swim is. If I had to do it again, I'd go with bibs and a dry top: don't like onesies.

An option I'd look at: breathable stocking foot waders. I've seen them at Academy for under $100. I have pair that I fish in, but the pair if have is too short to spend much time kneeling in(as they are made for standing). Downside is the waders aren't double-kneed and probably wouldn't hold up to briar-infested portages too well.

[RomanLA]

I bought some dry pants for raft guide school and they leaked around the waist on my first swim. I cut the gaskets out to use them as splash pants with my farmer john.

[Crane]

Cascade Outfitters has the Kokatat semi-dry suit (Super Nova) on sale right now for $389, including booties and relief zipper... look here:
http://www.cascadeoutfitters.com/index. ... 0&framein=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gordon Kumpuris]

Just don't swim and it matters little what you wear.