Kokatat Gore-Tex XCR Tectour Jacket
This waterproof and breathable jacket has a well designed hood that moves with your head when you turn to look behind. There's no neck gasket to choke or chafe your neck, but it does have the all important dry suit style gaskets at the wrists. Without wrist gaskets a long sleeve jacket just collects water in the sleeves until the water runs down your back when you lift your arm for a draw stroke to pull yourself ashore...you may as well wear a plain old raincoat if you're thinking about buying a jacket like that. Being able to cover your head and neck to prevent heat loss and hypothermia when the wind blows may allow you to wear thinner layers under the jacket and thus stay comfortable over a broader temperature range than with any other paddling top.
One more feature: The bottom of this jacket has two layers, the inner layer tucks inside your spray skirt and the out outer layer fits outside your skirt. This sandwiching of the spray skirt keeps your kayak drier when taking waves in the chest or when rolling... all of Kokatat's dry tops employ this double bottom feature for this purpose).
Color: Mango (Yellow) or Radish (red)
Size: Men's S-XXL
© George Gronseth 2003, all rights reserved.