Hydrus versus Goretex?

What are the differences within the realm of kayak fishing from a sit-on-top kayak between the Meridian dry suit and the Front-entry dry suit? When I go to the Kokatat website and choose Shop -> Activity -> Kayak fishing -> Dry Suits, I only see three dry suits listed. They are the Goretex Front Entry, Hydrus with relief zipper and socks, and the Hydrus without the relief zipper and socks. There's clearly something that you experienced kayak fishermen know that the Kokatat website designers don't. What is it?

What are the differences within the real of kayak fishing from a sit-on-top kayak between the Meridian dry suit and the Front-entry dry suit? When I go to the Kokatat website and choose Shop -> Activity -> Kayak fishing -> Dry Suits, I only see three dry suits listed. They are the Goretex Front Entry, Hydrus with relief zipper and socks, and the Hydrus without the relief zipper and socks. There's clearly something that you experienced kayak fishermen know that the Kokatat website designers don't. What is it?

The Kokatat Meridian drysuits have a "tunnel" attached to the chest of the drysuit which goes over the spray skirt of a sit-inside kayak to keep water from running down inside the spray skirt, and they have a Velcro flap or strip which goes over the front-entry zipper.  You don't need those features for kayak fishing from a sit-on-top kayak.  However, I'm also a whitewater kayaker, so I need the tunnel.  That's why I ended up buying a Meridian.

Kokatat makes five drysuit models with tunnels for sit-inside kayaking: the Meridian, which is discussed above, which has a diagonal front entry zipper; the Icon, which has an entry zipper across the back of its shoulders; the Idol, which has a circular "SwitchZip" zipper which goes around its waist; the Radius, which has a SwitchZip zipper and a hood, for sea kayaking; and the Expedition, which has a front entry diagonal zipper and a hood. 

For kayak fishing from a sit-on-top kayak or rafting, there are two models which are less expensive: the "Front Entry" Goretex drysuit, which has a diagonal front entry metal zipper; and the "Swift Entry" Hydrus drysuit, which has a diagonal front entry plastic zipper. These drysuits don't have a Velcro flap which covers the zipper. If I wasn't a whitewater kayaker, I'd get one of these drysuits for kayak fishing.  If you buy the model which doesn't have a relief zipper, you will be very, very, very sorry.

All of the drysuits listed above have latex gaskets, which are completely waterproof.  For example, I snorkel and spearfish in drysuits with latex gaskets, and after 5 or 6 hours in the water, I can drive home in the clothing I was wearing under the drysuit. 

Kokatat also makes the Surge and Supernova suits which it calls semi-dry suits or paddling suits, which have a neoprene neck gasket.  Some people prefer the neoprene neck gaskets because they find them more comfortable, but neoprene neck gaskets are not reliably waterproof.  I prefer latex neck gaskets.

There is information about all of these dry suits and paddling suits on Kokatat's website. The reason you didn't see all of these models is because you searched by activity, rather than looking at all drysuits and all paddling suits.

If you buy the model which doesn't have a relief zipper, you will be very, very, very sorry.

+1000!!!

Thanks for all the great information provided in this thread and others. I made it down to Kayak Academy today and tried on multiple suits. I ended up somewhat stuck between the Goretex and Hydrus Supernova Angler suits. When I went there, I was leaning toward the Goretex or Hydrus dry suits, but they didn't have the reinforced lap (and elbows?) that the angler paddling suits had so I opted for the paddling suits with the neoprene collar. I ended up choosing the Hydrus version because I couldn't tell much difference in the two and I liked the color (bright orange) better for visibility. The $250 cheaper price tag didn't hurt, but I was prepared to pay $1000 for the Goretex front entry dry suit if I liked it best. I also picked up some NRS paddle wetshoes, so I think I'm pretty much set up and ready to fish in colder weather/water. I'll probably pick up a new poly mid-layer but I'm happy with my Under Armour cold gear stuff as a base layer.

You guys sure have cost me a lot of money by writing about all this kayak fishing gear and posting pictures and stories about all your kayak fishing adventures. 

Lotsa bucks but if you go for swim, every $ will be worth it.

I also picked up some NRS paddle wetshoes, so I think I'm pretty much set up and ready to fish in colder weather/water. I'll probably pick up a new poly mid-layer but I'm happy with my Under Armour cold gear stuff as a base layer.

Now you can start accumulating some insulating clothing to layer up on top of your base layer in cool weather and cold water conditions.  For pants, check out discount stores for polypro pile pants.  Look for thick fluffy fleece and low prices; polypro pile is polypro pile.  Polypro fleece tops typically fit loosely and have high collars, so they don't layer up very well.  I have a collection of acrylic sweaters which I use for insulation under my drysuits.  Acrylic is second only to Polypro for absorbing a minimum of water and drying off fast. Again, look for thick knit with a lot of insulation value; good fit for layering, and low price.  Sweaters typically go on sale at the end of the winter when stores are bringing out the spring clothing, so lurk around the sale racks.  You can pick up a lot of insulation real cheap.

Don't wear anything which contains any cotton!  Cotton is dangerous and unacceptable in outdoor gear, because it absorbs as much as 27 times its weight in water, which conducts heat away from your body at a hideous clip, and because it dries off very slowly.l

Pete, for some reason the thought of seeing you lurking in the cheap sweater aisle grabbing at sweaters in combat formation with the other bargain hunters made me chuckle. Nothing personnel, just made me laugh. Appreciate the tips.

I am kind of a cheap bastard.  I have a friend, let's call him "Art," who I have done a lot of outdoor stuff with, and who is well known as a really really really cheap bastard. For a while I would periodically send out e-mails to our friends entitled "Cheap Bastard Club Bulletin No. ___," which would explain things which "Art" had done to save money, or supposedly could do to save money.  One of the better bulletins involved "skin savers," which are strips of mesh which you put between the adhesive surface of climbing skins used in backcountry skiing to keep the adhesive from sticking together. See, for example,  https://www.backcountry.com/g3-skin-savers?skid=GGG0160-ASS-S150MM&ti=UExQIENhdDpDbGltYmluZyBTa2luczoxOjE4OmJjLWNsaW1iaW5nLXNraW5z . Art's skin savers had been falling apart, and he finally broke down and invested about sixteen bucks in a new pair of skin savers.  My skin savers were also falling apart, but I went to Ace hardware, bought a foot of "pet screen," which is a plastic coated screen which pet owners can put in their screen doors to keep their pets from shredding the screens.  The pet screen cost me about $3.50.  I cut it into two strips, and had two skin savers, because all that skin savers really are is just strips of pet screen.  Then I published Cheap Bastard Club Bulletin No. 9, which made fun of Art for blowing $16 of his hard earned money on some pet screen.

I am kind of a cheap bastard... "Cheap Bastard Club Bulletin No. ___,"

This is my sort of thing Pete! I send out similar emails to friends for cheap or outrageous deals that should not be passed up. A most recent deal was 6 extra large containers of laundry detergent (enough to last several years for the wife and I) for $25, but the kicker was that they also came with a $15 Target gift card, essentially making it around $1.66 a container for stuff that normally goes for $14-20 container. Not kayak related of course but a pretty nice find!! Perhaps we should start a "Cheap bastards Thread" for sharing these sort of hacks.

I am kind of a cheap bastard... "Cheap Bastard Club Bulletin No. ___,"

This is my sort of thing Pete! I send out similar emails to friends for cheap or outrageous deals that should not be passed up. A most recent deal was 6 extra large containers of laundry detergent (enough to last several years for the wife and I) for $25, but the kicker was that they also came with a $15 Target gift card, essentially making it around $1.66 a container for stuff that normally goes for $14-20 container. Not kayak related of course but a pretty nice find!! Perhaps we should start a "Cheap bastards Thread" for sharing these sort of hacks.

Great idea -- Saving $ on everyday items enables us to spend more on fishing gear (like new dry suits). 
Have a Cheap Bastard of the Year competition - see who can save the most $.

After a few more hours of thought and research, I've decided that I would rather have a Goretex suit that doesn't have the bottom half of it black to be more comfortable on those days that start out cool and end up getting warm. Since I'm sticking with the Kokatat brand and I like the reinforced lap and elbows with a neoprene neck gasket, my only choice is the Goretex Supernova Angler. It only comes in two colors and I want a highly visible upper section for better visibility to powerboats and in case I need to get rescued, so I guess my choice is made. Red and gray it is!

After a few more hours of thought and research, I've decided that I would rather have a Goretex suit that doesn't have the bottom half of it black to be more comfortable on those days that start out cool and end up getting warm. Since I'm sticking with the Kokatat brand and I like the reinforced lap and elbows with a neoprene neck gasket, my only choice is the Goretex Supernova Angler. It only comes in two colors and I want a highly visible upper section for better visibility to powerboats and in case I need to get rescued, so I guess my choice is made. Red and gray it is!

Not that it really matters but if I were buying a new drysuit today that is exactly what I would get.