Would you SINK if your drysuit fills with water?

[@flt528]

I don't understand why anyone would think that water would sink in water. I would certainly think swimming is a little harder though. Anyway very helpful video!!!

[@fayleya3865]

because at school we do safety swimming lessons and experiment in the pool with how different kinds of clothing affects your ability to survive in the water, and clothes that create a lot of drag like wet knit jumpers and gaping sand shoes create so much drag that treading water or slow swimming is nearly impossible

[@wizeird]

when you burp your suit, go shoulder deep in water (basically as deep as you can without letting water in the neck seal). you essentially vacuum seal yourself in the suit. weird feeling. if you are trying to get all the air out, this is a very easy way to do it

[@superyamagucci]

This is exactly what i do in mine (whitewater kayaker).
Go into waist deep water, crouch into a ball with my neck still dry, hook a finger in my latex neck to purge air.
Pretty standard practice.
Gotta say I wouldn’t like to wear one without full latex seals - neoprene is so-so at best.

[@OurKiteLife]

Here are the 4 different tests we ran:
1:12 - Test #1 - small opening with wetsuit on underneath
2:45 - Test #2 - large opening with wetsuit on underneath
4:22 - Test #3 - small opening with fleece & no wetsuit
7:16 - Test #4 - large opening with no fleece or wetsuit
Also, I say "seams" a couple times in the video - I meant SEALS :)

[@denniz122]

Thanks you for the test! Im more confident with my drysuit now , i forgot the front zipper once, noticed it right away thought but only very little water came in

[@tedrutledge7345]

Good video. The materials used for the dry suits now are much better than 15 years ago. Much more rip-resident and safer. I believe the rubber wrist, neck and ankle seals are still the weak link for dry suits.

[@OurKiteLife]

Agreed! The material and construction of the new drysuits are top notch, but the seals are definitely the weak point in our opinion.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

Yes i agree ... i also feel you should get breathable feet not rubber ones ... but even though they are better it still doesn't mean they cant rip at all so i think a wetsuit underneath is prudent.

[@paulchevrier9961]

Great video, I did this same test, only I did it during the summer so I would not freeze, lol. Lake Ontario is cold during the winter.
Kayaker from the East GTA.

[@paanikki]

The suit filled with water has approx. neutral buoyancy while in water (minus the dry weight) just like you observed. But getting out of the water is another story.
In May 1999 or 2000 in Helsinki, Finland (It must have been a Finnish national GP series sailing race in Snipe Class) in VERY gusty conditions, we capsized-righted-capsized-righted-capsized-righted... almost a dozen times during a couple of hours, just like half of the other competitor boats did. But the last half an hour was with my right latex cuff ripped, suit full of water.
PFD's are mandatory in most dinghy sailing classes anyway, so there was no imminent danger of drowning. Hypothermia, howewer, was already kicking in. The seawater temperature in Helsinki in early May was below +10°C / 50°F, and the same water temp against my skin. After all this, I could no longer climb onboard the boat, not even with help from my crewmate. We had to hail the nearby safety boat for assistance.
I glued a spare cuff to the dry suit later in the evening, and next day we were racing again. Luckily not in so gusty wind.
I still prefer a dry suit over a wetsuit. And always some kind of PFD with a dry suit.

[@fayleya3865]

great information, thanks

[@davidgundrum6839]

Interesting overview, I've never worn a drysuit kiting before but do think that an actual tear or rip under riding conditions when hooked in would make the situation a bit different as you have the potential safety of the kite (if LEI) to use as a life-raft. That said, I would definitely wear a proper wetsuit underneath as additional buffer against hypothermia if a breach occurred out in low water temperatures....

[@wisenber]

"I would definitely wear a proper wetsuit underneath as additional buffer "
Or you could just visually inspect your drysuit prior to leaving shore. If there's no visually apparent issue, the rate of water ingress would be slow enough not to matter.
If the suit is breached while on the water, you're probably having more concern with the physical injury your got from your suit hitting a sharp object with you in it.
In practice, the mobility lost from wearing both a drysuit and a wetsuit will definitely impact your ability to swim with or without a gear failure.

[@QImpact]

Is water heavier than water?

[@misiukisiu]

the garbage bag says: no

[@Vlox47]

Asking the real questions. name checks out

[@joshdoyle182]

The worrying thing is the same thing happens in relation to absolutely everything! Loads of people don't say "is it needful or a good idea if it can work?", they say "is it weird?! Its weird! Kill it!". This is how we have only built the kind of childcare that lets some of us make an electrician only over 13,000+ years. People are like this about that too especially.

[@handlemonium]

Well heavy water sure is!

[@Logopai]

Appreciate the video. This happened to a friend in a river. She didn't sink but the cold and restricted swimming was enough combined with the wind and currents. Fortunately she got picked up by a boat in time but she thought she was going to die. After hearing her story I opted for a thicker wetsuit which has been fine for my area.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

I used to own a drysuit and always wore a wetsuit underneath for that very same reason. I never needed it but i always feared a tear ...especially when sailing and with all the things that can cause a tear on a sailboat.

[@samuelstrickland3678]

Great imformation guys.I kayak fish and like to fish through winter.Was iffy on what cold weather gear to use to stay warm and dry.You guys just eased most of the fears I had about dry gear.Thank you!

[@OurKiteLife]

Glad to hear, thanks :)

[@dpwild328]

Good review. Ocean Rodeo gear is top notch!

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! So far we've been very impressed with the OR drysuits after 4-5 sessions on the water

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

Hey Laurie, Yuri - Ivano here :) Being in your group/community I was so excited when I heard you were going to do the drysuit mythbusters challenge and was stoked to come by and see you film behind the scenes. Since I started sailing, windsurfing and kiting some 20 years ago this has been a hotly debated topic. I myself used to own a drysuit which eventually deteriorated and I threw it out. I found that even though they were breathable you still got wet, and thereby cold, because it couldn't breathe fast enough to match your perspiration rate. But many things can cause cold - even in a wetsuit. I also used to wear a wetsuit underneath in case it got torn because i was worried that cold water effects combined with reduced swimming ability could create a dangerous situation. But there are many dangerous situations on the water, heat stroke for example is just as dangerous as hypothermia. However you can't beat the convenience of drysuits for normal usage. I love that you busted the myth that you wont sink in a water logged dry-suit and how you showed cold and reduced swimming ability is the real issue. Unfortunately I think the debate of dry suit versus wetsuit however is still there and at the end of the day it's going to come down to personal preference. One thing i know for sure is I would always wear a wetsuit underneath a dry suit just in case it did rip. Anyways yet another great VLOG episode and looking forward to the next one. Cheers! (ps... how i solved the debate for myself is i know kite in warm weather ;)

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks Ivano! Yes, the debate will continue on, and it really does come down to personal preference. I used to be firmly wetsuit-only (having never tried a drysuit, lol), but after a few sessions with the drysuit, I could see myself using one for winter kiting. That being said, I never kite alone, I wear a life jacket and I don't go whale-watching (opting to stay close to shore instead). There's of course a small chance things can still go wrong, but the trade-off for me is being comfortably warm for a decent session instead of freezing cold in my current wetsuit for a short session.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

@@OurKiteLife i always found the worst part of a wetsuit was getting out of it at the end of a session ... its too bad we don't have indoor change rooms at our local spots. Maybe one day we will have designated kite areas with such amenities - it's definitely an idea have been working on.

[@burgessn]

I surfed in a dry suit one winter (Nova Scotia), then switched to a winter wetsuit the next season. A dry suit may appear more comfortable at first, but it’s much harder to swim any distance, especially if there are waves. If water gets in, you also cool very quickly. The only option for survival if things go bad (and they will) is a proper wetsuit. The only time I wear my dry suit is when kayaking distance (no resistance). My first choice surf kayaking is a wetsuit.

[@jakebrakebill]

Thanks for suffering the cold to test the myth. As a dry suit owner I never gave it any thought. I would imaging a few air pockets will help too.

[@Sharpiesailor31]

The suits purpose is to keep you warm and ward off hypothermia. That said, If I were kiting in cold conditions I would make sure to have “shore support” keeping an eye on me, wear a PFD and attach a whistle to get someone’s attention if in trouble. SUP’s or wave runners are good rescue craft to have on hand. And as you said keep to shallow water near shore. Keep your sessions short and warm your core if you begin to shiver or cramp. Even in Florida we have to be careful on the coldest days! Safety First.

[@OurKiteLife]

Yes - safety first, always. You listed a lot of really key safety measures that will prevent bad outcomes in the case of an emergency. Never underestimating cold water, even in Florida, is so important

[@kanaalvanNI]

A "friend" had a poorly repaired latex collar that came loose while sea kayakking in rather big waves. He failed an eskimo roll, mainly because of this, his suit filled with water rather fast, that didn't sink him to the bottom but it didn't help him floating like a dry suit normally does, and it made getting him back on and into his boat a verry difficult task with 2 people assisting. We were close to cutting the socks of the drysuit to let the water out. The water was not dangerously cold but he was getting hypothermic by the time we could get him to shore and into dry clothes,.. in real cold water or on a solo trip this drysuit failure would have ended quite differently,....

[@normsbigwindow9379]

I’m sure OR test these scenarios but it’s very interesting (and thank you) to see an actual test, evidently from my long comment. 🤣
Some feedback to consider and maybe retest? A % of kiters will have life jackets and others will not. But 100% will have a harness at some point. Assuming the target audience of the video is kiters...not a person overboard or who has abandoned their gear.
The harness is key as it will have a +ve or -ve effect. The effect of the harness on the the movement of water and how it assists or worsens the situation when a kiter cannot avoid being fully immersed for a significant period of time (nearly your scenario) seems more insightful to me on drysuits for kitesurfing. Your scenario suggests the kiter has abandoned their gear, which ignores the preceding scenarios IMO.
I’m ignoring the scenario where the wind is still pumping on the basis the % of beginners in cold and windy conditions some way offshore will be low, and most kiters will feel the cold of a tear or open zipper and simply ride back or body drag to shore. I’m ignoring hypothermia as it gets everyone eventually irrespective of the choice of outfit.
Therefore the key scenario is for kiters who are in a self-rescue scenario where gear is a factor affecting the suit (harness) and ability to speed up getting to shore (if wind) or aid floating (LEI or possibly foil). I would like to see the decisions someone makes (tired and numb from effects of cold - assuming the tear occurs late in a session) try to cope. In this scenario would the harness help or hinder. Would the kiter simply abandon their gear to try and swim. Would keeping the harness aid or not aid in the process of water ingress. Once again, really interesting but not enough kitesurfing context for me to fully agree with your findings and conclusions. Apologies it’s long winded 😀.

[@eddiedelahoz]

Nicely done. I really appreciate the trouble you guys went through for the different tests. Its does seem difficult to swim but it also seems that if you can localize the leak you can maybe burp the water mostly out for better navigation. I wear a dri suit instead of a wet suit (better movement) in Miami when it gets down to 74 F in the winter . You all are cool water super people.

[@OurKiteLife]

exactly! you should be able to localize the leak, again if you have drysuit on with no tears, chances of it failing are slim if you are on water. Even if it did, just kite back to shore. A lot of things would have to line up to get into tricky situation, for that reason - wear life jacket, and stay close to shore.

[@myotiswii]

When I started I was afraid that air could shoot into the legs and basically trap my head underwater (like it happens to divers).
But, it hasn't happened, since the drag of the kite basically cancels it out.
However I am still aware that it might happen with a bad crash. And so instead of a linecutter that I normally bring for kitesurfing, I now take a diving knife, just in case.

[@wolf-walker]

Love my dry suit!
Raft, kayak, & swim through snow season😁

[@OurKiteLife]

Nice! Sounds like you get a lot of use out of it

[@Trigenetic]

Most of the wear and tear leaks will be in the back tape/seams (inside) where you have the harness so its a good idea to add some gaffa/duct tape over it to slow down the wear. I usually kite alone all winter and im never worried. Just gotta take some precautions and not do to many crazy things.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks for the tip!

[@normalpeopledoingepicstuff8295]

I think the theory applies more to whitewater kayaking or if there was some waves/flow/current, than you become part of the flow/heavy and can't control where you go!

[@wisenber]

Whitewater kayaking, you'd definitely be wearing a PFD which would prevent a suit from filling fully. That's in the unlikely event of a catastrophic failure. Most leaks will be gradual through a seal or zipper.

[@explorermike19]

Glad I found this vid!! I was wondering what would happen if my drysuit filled with water. Now I know. Excellent video. Very good info.

[@WillN2Go1]

Important video and brilliant.
Los Angeles County Life Guards told me that one common problem are people who just want to wade a little, they're wearing big sweatshirts, sweat pants. They get his by a wave, they're having fun.... but then they try to get out. In the water they're buoyant, but as soon as any part gets above the water -- all that water is dead weight. Can be a hundred pounds. They can quickly become exhausted.
It's important that you made the point that a bag of water in the water weighs what the empty bag weighs. (This is like that false science class demo where they weigh an empty balloon and blow it up and weigh it again. The only way it would weigh more is if the teacher cheats it. )
So the critical factor as you point out is hypothermia, but it's also getting out of the water, or like the one commenter trying to roll his kayak back up with a full drysuit. Trying to get back on board or out of the water in heavy surf might be a problem. People should understand what's happening and know that if they have to, then crawl.
I just bought a dry suit for a sail across the North Pacific. I probably won't really need it...but if I should need it and don't have it.... One key reason I've made this expensive purchase is about ten years ago my kayak bulkheads failed on a summer day off Los Angeles. Air temp 75-80 (25-28C), water temp above 60 (16C). I had a neoprene top, but just a swim suit bottom. Waiting to get rescued I quickly got hypothermic. I've got a lot of experience with cold but I am always surprised by how fast it happens. (Attended funeral of a kayak friend who died in similar temps.) Here's the kicker: I'd often swum for over an hour in water about the same temp wearing only a Speedo. So one tip is, as soon as you have a problem, start moving. I think I had about a 15 minute window where I might've been no longer able to swim. (Don't know. This might make a good video. Can you start swimming and build up some body temp after you start getting hypothermic? ) Stay safe.

[@RogerFordTheSmilingBassHole]

Excellent video! I love how you ran multiple tests to get the best results. And the last guy who went into the water with NO underprotection -- God Bless Him!
This is a myth that will not die, starting with fishing waders being able to drown you. Lee Wulff, iconic fly fisherman and fly tyer, jumped off a bridge with waders on in the 1940s -- 1940s! -- to disprove this myth. Thank you for continuing the struggle to put this erroneous belief to rest.

[@johnbehrens4541]

Good and interesting experiments you make it myself

[@waynethebarber1095]

As an old scuba diver, I would not want to fill my dry suit with water. Sorry to say, the woman had lots of air in the suit. And how long befor hyperthermia set in. And your body would shut down and you could not swim. I think this was not a good test... just a person who dove a dry suit that was alot like yours....

[@kite666G]

Great testing, but i'll keep my 7mm divingsuit for the cold days.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! Definitely - whatever keeps you kiting! :)

[@alhit007]

Excellent review and experiment guys, I personally wear a dry suit in the colder months on a jetski and wetsuit in the summer and I’ve always wondered about water getting in. Now I know 👌

[@OurKiteLife]

Glad you found it useful :)

[@jakke1975]

The hypothesis was irrational to start with. Water inside the suit has the same density as water outside the suit so it won't drag you down. The trapped water does have mass, so it's normal that it makes any movements a little more difficult. Total loss of air in the drysuit is improbable, though not impossible, and that air still gives you some bouyoncy. However, a life vest with a whistle is always recommended.

[@OurKiteLife]

we agree the hypothesis was irrational to start with, yet some people still believe it, thats why we did. Life vest and whistle are always a great idea. Thanks for the comment!

[@InternetOblivion]

I'm not sure where people are talking about it being a deathbag, but in scuba I could see it being a problem. Humans are generally slightly bouyant by themselves, but in the case of scuba, you want to be neutrally buoyant during the dive (not surfacing or descending). So we have to compensate this by wearing lead weights. We only need a small amount of weight with normal scuba gear, but drysuits encapsulate your body in a layer of air for insulation. This makes you significantly more buoyant because water is significantly denser than air. This is similar to having a life jacket on. We then have to use enough lead to compensate for this additional buoyancy. If the suit completely flooded i.e. all the bouyant air escaped and replaced with neutrally bouyant water, the extra lead would pull you pretty fast to the depths. I've never used a drysuit and have been looking into it that's how I stumbled upon this video, so I'm not an expert, but it seems like if you aren't carrying weight to keep you from being positively bouyant, then a flooded drysuit would leave you more or less as buoyant as you were if you weren't wearing anything.

[@ASKR303]

try climbing back on top of a kayak with a suit full of water . its a hard task . for my fishing kayak a wear dry pants ,a wet suit top and a ridgeline monsoon smock

[@OurKiteLife]

Agreed - a drysuit full of water won’t sink you but it will make most other tasks very difficult. Sounds like you’ve got you’re gear figured out!

[@KommuniceraSlash]

Great job you guys! Koodos to Lorka for doing this important experiment. Now we can make informed decisions about what to wear in the cold water ;)

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks for all your help with this video! :)

[@KommuniceraSlash]

@@OurKiteLife my pleasure

[@chuckscheaffer4694]

Thanks for busting the deathbag myth. Can't believe you only have 50,000 views. You guys do great videos that are always informative and funny.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thank you :)

[@danielsimpson501]

Seems like the conclusion is if it fails it's a death bag because you will get hypothermia but it probably won't fail?

[@jamesbuckle6077]

UK kiters have been wearing surface drysuits since 2002ish that I know of, probably longer, and kiting throughout the year. How is this still a myth that keeps getting brought up?

[@OurKiteLife]

Not sure - sometimes myths have a life of their own. Maybe because, as a lot of people in the comments pointed out, you won’t sink but if there’s a failure in the suit there are still other risks (hypothermia being a big one)

[@shadowsrwolf]

and the whitewater community even longer

[@rickrick7895]

Needs more testing in different scenarios, but thanks for the input.

[@dennist3913]

A wetsuit failure means you just get cold, a drysuit failure mean you cannot properly swim, you cannot use your kite to its full potential (you become too heavy). You just skim over these things in the video with the focus being debunking the myths of the drysuit being a death-bag. A bit of a positive bias on your delivery and something to consider when a serious injury or a life is at stake.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

I think you raise a a good critical point Dennis and I agree with you. However they did clearly state the intent of the video was to test the "death Bag" theory and they did show that you don't sink and they did say they had reduced swimming ability and they did say they felt the cold ... but in agreement with you they didn't keep going with and expanding on those limitations to draw the same conclusion you did. I myself tend to agree with you in that when I used to own a dry suit i used a wetsuit underneath in case it did tear and i needed to swim back. Cold has a funny effect on the human body and mind and can reduce mental capacity as well as physical ability so i think the real killer here is the cold not the "sinking". And given the reduced swim ability ... if there's any kind of wind, waves and current, a dry suit could be life threatening unless you have a wetsuit underneath it. On a side note, I also always use a lifejacket and don't know why many kiters don't?!?! Plus its the law.

[@OurKiteLife]

Hi Dennis, thanks for the comment. You're right about the added weight and ability to use the kite properly, as well as factoring in difficulty if there's injury or life threatening circumstances. It's difficult to test for all of these situations, as it's nearly impossible to recreate. The intent of the video was test whether or not one would sink if the drysuit takes on water, and I think we proved that doesn't happen. Of course, as @MysticPointWaterSports replied and as we stated in the video, the danger of the cold water is still very real, and it's always best to wear a life jacket, period. If you notice any possibility of drysuit failure (seals are starting to go), it's best to not go out, or to head back to shore immediately, especially if your kite is still in the air.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

@@OurKiteLife i think you clearly stated the objective was does the dry suit float or sink not is a dry suit better or safer than a wetsuit ... but i can see Dennis's comment being prudent from a cautionary perspective :)

[@dennist3913]

@@mysticpointwatersports204 you got it, the cold would be the real danger here. You just took the time to expand on my thought in a much more robust manner. Unfortunately, most people have an attention span of a goldfish, with kiters not being an exception, and the 40 seconds that were contributed to the adverse effects of a drysuit were overshadowed by everything else. I'd usually not make a comment like that, but if you're wearing a drysuit, it's usually too cold to swim and you need to look a the situation as a complete picture. Not sinking isn't useful if you can't swim towards the shore.

[@dennist3913]

@@OurKiteLife It's not a bad video and a very interesting experiment, so I didn't mean to knock on you guys at all. I just felt the topic at hand is much more sensitive and most people don't go to the same levels to research a new piece of gear as you guys did. They just watch a video and kind of go with it. My comment was mainly for those folks.
Keep at it! Your videos are good and making me want to venture out to Kipling one of those days :)

[@miloserus]

I think that the problem is when kayaking and such. It would be much harder to climb back into the kayak when the drysuit is full of water. You should wear a life-jacket when using a dry-suit as the air may be forced into your feet when you are in the water. This may cause you to be stuck feet up and head under water.

[@OurKiteLife]

100%. Always a good idea to wear a life jacket!

[@healthygamingnetwork4980]

@miloserus Nope! You will NOT get stuck upside down in the water…this is more of the irrational fear and myth. If the legs of your suit filled up with air you will float on your back. Unless you are incapacitated due to hypothermia you can easily push them beneath you to orient yourself vertically if you desire.

[@PaulTomblin]

I have a kokatat suit that zips apart, and I’ve wondered about whether it would be safe to just wear the bottoms. Did you try climbing out into your sup or a kayak with a full suit?

[@EmmanuelRobert1]

Thank you for these tests

[@pieciakp]

Good video!!! That "death bag" think always sits in my mind. Now I know you can survive.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! Based on what we were hearing, a lot of kiters also have the 'death bag' myth in mind when it comes to drysuits :)

[@LotetaCartel]

Got a Ocean Rodeo Soul , best drysuit in the market , great video

[@OurKiteLife]

Yeah, we love them!

[@koejoe]

Thanks Guys. I was wondering about a dry suit for myself here coastal bc Canada for fall and winter months.

[@spookie3000]

Ocean Rodeo used to make a really cool drysuit that is somthing like a goretex drysuit that had a thin neoprene suit on top of it. That way the goretex bag is tightened around the body by the neoprene layer. It looks just like a wetsuit. I kite in one of those (Predator model) and i don't think water would even enter in great quantities in those. They were also much easier to do an upwind bodydrag with.
Never worried about leaks. I always wear an impact vest anyway. That helps a lot with floating.

[@TeacherFlash]

lol I thought she was about to take off the wetsuit behind him to show us how to do it

[@siddallj]

Would you foil in a dry suit? Be interested to see how strong the material is if it hit the wing tip.

[@OurKiteLife]

That's something we are also curious about! The material of the drysuit is extremely durable, but given how sharp wing tips can be, we're not sure to be honest. I would definitely wear a life jacket though and not kite to far from shore in any case.

[@devilsrule2004]

I foil in my Ocean Rodeo Drysuit all the time. Ive had some pretty high speed falls without any problems.

[@BrettWae]

I have, OR stuff is quite strong.

[@ssi34493]

Hi, I am a Korean scuba diver - I enjoyed your video.
May I use some parts of your vidoe - I run diving related channel and would like to introduce your experience with dry suit

[@OurKiteLife]

Sure, no problem!

[@pmm422]

ah why not do this test on a warmer day? I am super happy you did the testing and great video.

[@OurKiteLife]

have to stick to weekly schedule

[@adriftonthelot4692]

That was a great test, so thanks for your effort. I have been wondering for some time what would happen if my suit sprung a leak.

[@jamiefly]

I once joked to pal about the value of a water anchor.. when they deployed it effectively floated... as the water is neutral buoyancy and the little plastic in the container was positive.... I'm still laughing 24yrs later.
Even if the dry suit was full of water the outcome of floating plastics and a body being overall less dense than water you'll float till cold brings another range of problems...

[@feritall]

Interesting experiment. I had never heard of the death bag thing, but it’s good to know it’s not true 👍🏼

[@RAHALions]

If there were waves you'd drown. Sailors have drowned that didn't take off their sea boots after falling overboard.

[@davidmiller4594]

It maybe a bit uncomfortable, hut it wont make you sink like a rock
The water is neutrally buoyant in the water.... because it's water.

[@rubberdolly9741]

Wetsuit gives a lot of floatation and this isn't a good test

[@OurKiteLife]

That's why we did numerous tests and removed the wetsuit around the 5 min mark

[@user-ym6lc7pk1e]

So hold on a sec, you put wetsuit underneath. Wet suit adds buoyancy and keeps you warm, so would it not invalidate the testing?

[@OurKiteLife]

Watch till the end please

[@sam-ww1wk]

Seems like a wetsuit is a way better option for kiting.

[@snorttroll4379]

would you pick a wet suit hat that covered your ears better?
and is there a market for dry suis that are completely adjustable? as in fitting for all sizes.

[@woofdog4219]

You might not sink but you will be in a bad spot if your dry suit fills not to mention freeze . Some one should try a 6/5 Xcel hooded surf suit the top of the line one . Your lucky if you can get that suit fully wet inside . I kayaked in 40f degree water in that thing and was in total comfort the whole time . Little tough at 1st to get use to the chest zip (peeing sucks) getting in and out and after having it on 1st couple times I think I know what it feels like to having a snake eat ya . After a few wears it is really comfortable for cold water and weather .

[@CyndiLH]

Would love to see the same test in whitewater...

[@raanasetterington]

In surf youll be compromised on flat water whatever.

[@OurKiteLife]

Very true!

[@toddn4813]

Our local kiter died due to a rip in his dry suit and hypothermia. Be careful out there!!

[@owenjones9659]

could you do this same thing again but fill it to the brim with water hose plz

[@alexanderwheeler4827]

Could you not simulate a deep water pack down with a kite and wear a harness ?? Very informative thou. Cheers

[@OurKiteLife]

Sure! We’ll have to wait for things to go back to normal but will keep this video idea in mind. Thanks!

[@Connor_CM]

Sorry but I'm curious how burping the suit would help at all (3:52). Wouldn't water just fill and expand the suit no matter how well you burped it? And wouldn't it be tough to burp a torn suit in the first place?

[@abennett5636]

😂 always wondered about that good review 👍

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks :)

[@MadDogGiraffe]

What would happen if you filled it with a hose pipe then tested it in a pool?

[@OurKiteLife]

If we ever do a follow up video that would be the way to do it :)

[@donr3407]

Wearing a wet suit underneath your dry suit completely destroys this experiment.

[@OurKiteLife]

watch till the end, we did it without a wetsuit too!

[@snorttroll4379]

So wet suit inside dty suit?

[@IliaBroudno]

Love your videos guys. I made my way to Ontario and would love a chance to meet my heroes. Where do you guys kite? I am curretly in Beaverton.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks so much! Glad to hear you enjoy our videos. We actually moved to Prince Edward Island earlier this year - if you’re ever out east, let us know :)

[@IliaBroudno]

@@OurKiteLife I saw some of your videos from there.
Looks great.
I was thinking of going there but so far can't find a cheap place to stay.
I need to work remotely so need good internet connection.
If I find one for mid August to mid September I'm coming!

[@owenpatterson9355]

Good job showing that you can still float when it is full of water, but I think you missed the real danger of drysuits in this video. Most drysuits wear any seem, especially the legs, and lose their waterproof capability after 1-2 years of use. If you fall in during a crash situation and have to spend a lot of time in the water, it leaks in and soaks your warmth layers. At this point it is not physically possible for you to warm up because you have replaced all the air in your suit with water, which means you have to get in before hypothermia sets in.
As a spring and fall sailor on Lake Michigan, drysuits are often required by coaches and race committees, so kids wear them out fast. This means that kids are actually taking a huge risk going on the water in failing gear. I have tried to transition over to wetsuits in the last year because they are 1.) warmer than drysuits 2.) far less bulky 3.) use water to keep you warm, so there is far less chance of failure should you go in. I am not sure why you would ever choose a drysuit in a sport where wetsuits are already common practice.

[@OurKiteLife]

that sounds silly to go out in failing gear. You dont want to be stuck in a leaky drysuit far offshore. With regards to 3.) use water to keep you warm,

[@owenpatterson9355]

Our Kite Life it may sound silly to go out in failing gear, but when a coach says it’s required then that is what you have to do. Drysuits are insanely expensive to own and maintain, and most of the kids in our program can’t afford a new one every two years. Furthermore, you might not know a drysuit leaks until it is too late. Holes that occur from normal use are much harder to spot and repair, than a ripped gasket or big gash, but you still get soaked when you go in. This might be different for kiters though because you are in the water almost every session, whereas a sailor might only swim once or twice a season.
As for how a wetsuit works we are both half right. The nitrogen does provide insulation, which is why a thicker wetsuit is warmer, but the goal of a wetsuit is to use to warm the body. Water gas much higher thermal efficiency than air ( insulator in a drysuit), so wetsuits are designed to trap a thin layer of water between it and your body. You then heat up the layer of water, which acts as insulation. I personally think this is much safer because if you do end up in the water, you know that you will come out with more insulation than you started, meaning you will definitely be able to get warm again, unlike a drysuit where there is a small chance you come out with far less insulation.

[@owenpatterson9355]

Our Kite Life I also want to add that in all my years of cold weather sailing i have never heard of anyone sinking from a waterlogged drysuit. If kiters are dismissing them on those grounds, they are definitely being foolish. I just think wetsuits are better and safe for staying warm in cold water.

[@OurKiteLife]

cold water is definitely the problem here, especially if it gets inside the suit. When we showed up to the beach we heard comments of drysuits sinking you to the bottom, so thats what we were trying to adress. The real danger if the gear fails is the cold water, hence to us the logical conclusion is that it is best to kite close to shore in cold water. We use both wetsuits and drysuits for past month, and have to stay that top notch drysuits like OR definitely feel a lot more comfortable to ride in. Thanks for the replies

[@danielsimpson501]

Really good point you make I'm learning a lot today trying to decide what my cold weather gear is going to be so far I think I'm deciding on a wetsuit full Hood and boots and gloves 5/4 and can add hooded vest if colder. You might get the initial cold shock but at least you know you're not going to be screwed if the dry suit leaks and then you're basically naked in freezing water. What if your miles from shore you can't get back in 10 minutes and getting back on your kayak with a waterlogged suit will also be difficult not saying I plan to just hypothetical

[@galactock]

If you have a life jacket... I'll stick with my 6,5,4 with a hood. Almost all cold weather kiters I know went from dry to wet-suits. .

[@OurKiteLife]

Whatever works best and gets you kiting! Having always worn a thick wetsuit through fall/winter/spring, I was pleasantly surprised by the drysuit, but to each their own :)

[@powskier]

It is true in whitewater which is actual paddling unlike this flatwater stuff.

[@MrCalifornia1234]

Water is the same density as water. Is the dry suit less buoyant than a wet suit?

[@OurKiteLife]

Typically you 'burp' the drysuit to reduce the amount of air inside. Even after doing that though, I found there was still a considerable amount of air in the drysuit keeping me afloat - more so than I've ever felt with a wetsuit. If you bail very hard though, it's my understanding that all of the air can escape the drysuit, leaving you with no buoyancy at all... which is why we recommend wearing a life jacket

[@nickolaydobrev714]

YES, a drysuit is much less buoyant than a neoprene wetsuit!
Neoprene foam has ~0.2g/cub.cm density (5 times lighter than water - just in case you're used to the imperial system). The volume of the foam in a 6mm wetsuit is approx 10 liters and its buoyancy is roughly similar to a life vest that would keep an adult person afloat.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

@@nickolaydobrev714 great stats -- one caveat is a life jacket has the buoyancy positioned in a way to keep your head above water whereas a 6mm wetsuit would have it spread across the body and you could still have trouble keeping your head up ... i always wear & recommend a life jacket regardless of buoyancy and am always surprised when i see kiters without them ... not that you are advocating a wetsuit as a pfd replacement ... im more just adding my 2 cents to the discussion.

[@nickolaydobrev714]

​@@mysticpointwatersports204 I'm not suggesting to use a wetsuit as alternative to a life jacket, just comparing the buoyancy to a drysuit that's no longer dry. I don't wear my vest only when kiting in waist deep lagoons :). But I learnt about the buoyancy of a wetsuit and a harness after swimming for about an hour against a current till rescue arrived. Pity that the only vests comfortable enough with a waist harness are actually impact vests with half the buoyancy of a wakeboard vest and a 1/3 of a certified life jacket.

[@mysticpointwatersports204]

@@nickolaydobrev714 agreed ... that's a really weak area in the industry ... i've toyed with the idea of developing one myself but i wouldn't mind if someone else does first ... kiters need better PFDs! NP has one that's ok but still far from perfect IMO

[@salvaavlas5757]

Water has no weight....under water, brain champions !

[@OurKiteLife]

Yes, exactly, and this is the video for those who would believe the above comment to be untrue. Above is the reason we made this video to settle the debate ones and for all

[@coreyacre6070]

A drysuit looks bulky

[@HudsonRiverDancer]

Wear are the pfds?

[@OurKiteLife]

Usually under the drysuit, but not in this test

[@hntrains2]

Why would you sink? The water inside your suit is not heavier than the water outside of it.

[@jeffm5808]

was the video filmed in Jack Darling park in Mississauga?

[@OurKiteLife]

Nope lakeshore yacht club in Toronto

[@surfn-]

Why didn't you perform the experiment in warmer weather? I see you guys have the situation under control, but it seems like an unnecessary risk.

[@OurKiteLife]

Good point, warmer weather would've been much nicer for the experiment. We are borrowing the drysuits, so we have a limited time to run the experiment. Also, we felt that by doing it in the conditions that you would normally wear a drysuit would provide a more 'true-to-life' experience.

[@seanp1129]

@Our Kite Life
Myth not busted. Every single lifeguarding and water rescue class covers clothed rescue for a reason. A wetsuit is the exact same if breached. Wet clothing becomes weights on your limbs, making it hard to tread water and swim, not to mention the cold water making it even more difficult. People die ALL THE TIME in clothing, not to mention the amount of kiteboarders that are not strong swimmers, this video honestly proves nothing. Why don't you breach the suit in some heavy wind and waves 1/8 mile out in cold water like you would be kiting...

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks for reply, completely agree, hence the recommendations to kite close to shore or in shallows and always, always wear a life jacket. We tried to keep the video simple in terms of what we heard on the beach, that was the goal, and then start discussion with regards to overall safety as we see people kiting in offshore winds a mile away quite often ...

[@ChapterGrim]

Could've just asked a physicist or a marine/sailor, you're not making yourself more dense than water, but the fleece or the like you're wearing might drown you as it absorbs more water...

[@OurKiteLife]

we did ask a physicist and did the research, but people on our local beach still had their doubt so we had to settle this :)

[@ChapterGrim]

@@OurKiteLife If they have doubts after this, can I suggest hog-tying them into a large bin bag, popping a few holes in it and tossing them in the harbour? If they drown the loss to humanity will be minimal, but scientific evidence suggests they'll be mostly fine with a heavily bruised ego...

[@ChapterGrim]

On a seperate note, in a lot of extreme sports overdoing under layers has dangerous side effects. Sweating and overheating in the cold, damp and heavy layers cooling and sapping energy. A good thermal layer should be light and temperature relevant, and have a low water absorption...

[@bobkov_ds]

Никита крэйзи =) Но тест крутой, молодцы!

[@codyayer3603]

With a neoprene wetsuit under that would keep you floating. They make life jackets out of neoprene, its highly buoyant. Im not saying 100% with that type of drysuit flooded you are going to sink, but with a neoprene wetsuit on underneath that kind of compromises the experiment

[@OurKiteLife]

Hey Cody, watch till end of the video as we remove the wetsuit from test for the above mentioned reason by you

[@sserge108]

Very good review. Now I know what I want .... I want red one.

[@OurKiteLife]

That's the Ocean Rodeo Ignite. It is awesome.

[@sserge108]

It is awesome!!!

[@maryblizzard5868]

@@OurKiteLife I was just wounderd if the wetsuit keept you worm with the drysuit

[@Seektruth-59]

Why don’t people wear a life jacket inside the dry suit?

[@OurKiteLife]

They do :)

[@Seektruth-59]

@@OurKiteLife ok good but almost all the ones I see wear it on the outside.

[@robfielding100]

I used my new dry suit years ago windsurfing on January 1st ... I wondered why so many of my club mates were watching me so carefully?
I had completely forgotten to zip it up at the back and rounding the second buoy I did fall in and got such a shock from the icy waters. My MANCHESTER CITY bobby hat came off too and sank beneath the waves. I did get sherry and mince pies with cream upon my return to the laughing gallery.

[@Richard1976]

It looks freezing

[@OurKiteLife]

It was!

[@Richard1976]

@@OurKiteLife the sacrifice you give for your viewers 😇

[@cian4380]

Well, if you just used your brain you could figure it out, water has the same density in the suit as outside the suit, plus the buoency of you body which would give you a positive bouency, and with the wetsuit on too adds a lot more, thanks for testing it though

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks for comment longest name, for sure using the brains would be ideal, and we did know the answer before we started, but unfortunately a lot of local kiters on the beach still believed the myth. For that reason we decided to prove ones and for all, with and without a wetsuit. In the end of the test we did find that it is quite hard to swim when drysuit is full of water, so while you won't sink, you won't make it far. Hense conclusion to always wear a life vest.

[@cian4380]

@@OurKiteLife yup, some people are just plain stubborn but this was very interesting anyway and I think I might invest in a drysuit after watching a few of your videos :)

[@OurKiteLife]

couldn't agree more, as always try before you buy :)

[@robfielding100]

I used some very expensive dry suit trousers for canoeing. When I deliberately capsized from my sit-on kayak some air did escape at the waist but they were still trying to invert me. I felt like a fishermans float with all that trapped air in the bottoms and I hurredly swam back to the kayak. I suspect that if the waist elastic had been really tight I would have been in very serious trouble!

[@JLT1003]

ok, so now you know why everyone talks about "burping" your suit. GET THE AIR OUT of the suit before you go into the water. That way it won't "try to invert you". #2: "I hurriedly swam back to the kayak". If you capsize, the #1 rule is STAY WITH YOUR BOAT. I suggest you get some professional instruction before you go out in cold water again.

[@reimop9595]

It all depend of drysuit. Some of them are going bottom.
Sry for my english.

[@OurKiteLife]

We've heard some of the very old models are extremely dangerous - and I'm guessing that's where the myth came from originally.

[@shadowsrwolf]

funny this is all stuff the whitewater community figured out 20 years back...

[@OurKiteLife]

20 years ago kiting didn't even exist ;)

[@shadowsrwolf]

@@OurKiteLife Apparently the sun has rotted your brain

[@OurKiteLife]

@@shadowsrwolf why is that?

[@gusbisbal9803]

Anyone who does something different will have hatters. The concept of sinking requires heavier than water volume. Water is not heavier than water. This is OBVIOUS. So its a bunch of idiots that have no idea what they are saying and just want to say your wrong because .... I am going to say it... they can't afford a dry suit. Simple as that.

[@goji059]

if you have to ask, you should not be near water

[@nickolaydobrev714]

Guys, it's irresponsible what you're doing with this review! The chances of survival if a drysuit ruptures in 4°C water (40°F) are pretty slim if you're in rough sea farther than a mile from shore!
No, it won't sink you, as you also have buoyant neoprene boots, gloves, hood and hopefully a harness, but hypothermia will do the job!
So if you drift ashore dead in a cloth bag... how is it not a 'death bag'?
I love all your other reviews and videos, but this time you've gone very wrong playing with safety. As for your testing methods - I'll wrap it up in another comment.

[@OurKiteLife]

Hey Nickolay, just curious - did you watch the video to the end? We stated that the real risk is the water temperature, not sinking. We also recommend always wearing a life jacket and not kiting far from shore, especially in cold conditions. Also we would NEVER recommend anyone kite in the conditions you mentioned - a mile from shore in rough sea with 4*C water. That sounds like a recipe for disaster, drysuit or otherwise. Nikita also stated in the video that you will not make it far if you experience a total drysuit failure. With regard to testing methods, we replicated total drysuit failure as best we could - note that Nikita purposefully tried to fill it with water as much as possible...

[@nickolaydobrev714]

@@OurKiteLife yes, I did watch the video till the end... twice + few replays.
And I well noted all the valid points about what one shouldn't do. But when you tell with a smile on a pretty face - 'myth busted!', the people who expect or hope to hear that - will only hear that! This is my main concern.
Btw, have you tried a drysuit with a buoyancy aid under or over?! And a waist harness. Please do it in your next video, which if I understood correctly will compare a drysuit vs wetsuit.
In Test 1. the air inside the drysuit was way too much, comfortably keeping her afloat and sending another wrong message to the viewers. I've seen a friend who almost drowned 30-40 meters from the beach as he couldn't reach the lines wrapped around his legs and cut them.
Maybe you should have mentioned that if the rupture is in the lower half of the drysuit, the best call is to keep that air there as long as possible.

[@nickolaydobrev714]

Hope you will highlight those safety points in your next video. I've worked for a company making wetsuits and buoyancy, and (at certain point) selling leaking drysuits. There are plenty of examples of kitesurfers omitting basic safety rules and procedures. As for OR, they've proven to have some of the best drysuits for watersports.

[@OurKiteLife]

You definitely have a valid point. We did try our best to emphasize safety multiple times in the video as we feel strongly about it. Kitesurfing is an extreme sport, so safety is always paramount as there is always risk involved. For those who are adamant about using a drysuit, we pointed out the most common failure points and our recommendations.
As for the using a buoyancy aid, we have kited with a life jacket over top and under our drysuits numerous times now without issue. It will be included in our next video for sure.
We agree that there was too much air in the drysuit on the first test. That's why for the second test we opened up the suit much more and for the third test we tried to get as much air out of the suit as possible.

[@billc7765]

I don't think its irresponsible. You'd have to be beyond stupid to underestimate hypothermia or distance to safety.

[@user-mb5hh1fk4t]

Я не понял, сухарь получается гавно?

[@OurKiteLife]

net ne govno, sovsem na oborot! Prosto testirovali mif po-povodu tovo chto esli popadiot voda, ti utonish i ne smogesh plit

[@user-mb5hh1fk4t]

@@OurKiteLife аааа, понял, спасибо)))

[@waterstridersup4368]

compeletely meaningless test.

[@prestonmontee1718]

If it’s mostly full of water and you get into a situation where the air bubble goes to your feet, this is where it can become the death bag. Add on confusion and a wrapped kite line and you have real trouble.

[@OurKiteLife]

Interesting about the air bubble going to the feet... would your feet not just float to the surface? I can't imagine it would cause you to be stuck upside down - but please elaborate as I'm curious! Wrapped kite lines and/or confusion + panic can always cause trouble, for sure. One rule of thumb that we live by - especially when kiting in cold conditions - is to wear a life jacket.

[@carlmeade1667]

Sorry for the bump, only just seen this. I think this is more a problem of failing to burp than getting a leak. As a test I did once dive in with an unburped drysuit and a PFD. I found the flotation in the legs and PFB meant while my head was above the surface I was pretty much immobile. With a lot of effort I was able to force my legs down but I could see the situation being life threatening without a PFD.
Regarding your test, I noticed you walked ashore every time. I noticed If you are more than 200m or so out that might not be possible, you want ot make sure you can get back on your board with your suit full of water. Once I was kayaking and forgot to do up my pee zip (fully undone, with fleece baselayer) when we practised an all in rescue, I did actually didn't find getting back in my kayak significantly more difficult and on getting ashore I estimate I had about 20kg of water in my suit. I know you were saying stay close to shore but you were going out by paddleboard so trying to get back on would be a useful test. Fortuantely for me the water temp was about 10 degrees and I didn't get uncomfortable due to the cold.