Inflatable Kayaking for Fat People - Part 4: Clothing

Whitewater boating clothing is the hardest thing for fat people to find. Manufacturers generally don't want to work much with fat people. When I started, I was at the outside limit for most off the rack wetsuits and drysuits. I boated for 2 seasons in multiple layers of long underwear and raingear before I finally bought a drysuit. At that time, the largest drysuit barely fit me, being made for taller, thinner people. I finally got myself a custom wetsuit made, which worked great for me when I lived and boated in California.

More recently, some manufacturers have made some gear for fat people. Northwest River Supply (NRS) makes a line of wetsuits called "Grizzly", which are shorter and have a bit more room in the torso, belly, and legs. I've worn NRS Grizzly suits for years, and I still regularly wear a Grizzly Hydroskin suit under my drysuit.

Splash jackets can be a little tough to find if you're very large. I can wear an XXL, but I prefer the NRS Grizzly wetsuit jacket for comfort.

Drysuits, which are a necessity if you are serious about inflatable kayaking, are a little tougher. First, they are expensive. A good cheap drysuit will cost you $400, and if you want something that will last, it will cost $600 or more. Some drysuit manufacturers make larger sizes, but these tend to be for taller people, not wider. I looked for several years for companies that would make custom drysuits, and I've only found one. No, it's not Kokatat. Several people have claimed that Kokatat will make custom suits, but the reality is that they will make limited alterations, and they mostly just sell you a standard size that they don't advertise (like the "Large King", which is for a short, stocky person). If you don't believe me, call Kokatat and ask if they can make suit for someone who is 5'10" and 265lbs. They will not do it. Even so, Kokatat makes great products.

OS Systems in Oregon is the only company I know of that will make a full custom drysuit. If you are my size, it will cost you almost $900 for the full deluxe suit. It's worth every penny. They send you a chart and ask you to make around 30 measurements, and then they make a suit that will fit you right. Their suits are durable, and their service is as good as Kokatat's (which is to say, great). I do wish they had more colors, though.

Now, a quick word on wetsuits and drysuits. A wetsuit is a neoprene suit that traps a layer of water. You warm this up with your body heat. This is fine when it's not too cold, but keep in mind that in the summer, most of the water you boat on was snow the day before, and when you kayak, you get soaked. A drysuit is a waterproof suit made to keep you dry. It has latex gaskets to keep water out. You wear enough under it to keep you warm. A good drysuit will be made of breathable fabric, which will let the sweat out. There are some so-called "2-piece drysuits", which are a pair of drypants and a drytop. They cost less, but they don't work all that well. If you're going dry, spend the money on a good drysuit.

Most other clothing isn't a big deal for fat people. Long underwear, fleece, gloves, socks, and booties come in sizes we can wear. One thing to watch out for is shoes. Make sure to get shoes that have tough soles and will stay on your feet. You will be walking and climbing on rocks, and cheap shoes will not do a good job.