We started the Arch Rival series in 2013 with the goal of making affordable dry tops and suits that were simple but remarkably durable. And by “durable” we mean able to stay dry for season after season of whitewater paddling- perhaps the worst environment in the world for waterproof breathable fabric. The interior of a dry top while it’s being used is sweaty, acidic, usually full of bacteria and or mold, and the fabric is under constant stress with 10’s of thousands of fabric-flexing rotations in the armpit alone in a single day of paddling.

The first step to addressing this is choosing the right laminate. The stuff we use is called “WhiteOut”- a proprietary PU based waterproof/breathable mid layer that we developed after 10 years of hard earned lessons about what works and doesn’t work in paddlesports dry wear. The result is a barrier that will not crack or mildew or peel off the outer shell fabric or start to disintegrate even after years and years of abuse (and proper care). We introduced WhiteOut on the first generation of Arch Rivals, and we’ve been so pleased with it that we now use it across our entire dry wear line.

The next step is the shell fabric- the fabric you feel on the outside of the garment. We want the Arch Rivals to be simple, strong and affordable so with this in mind there is one place to start- nylon. The first gen used a 200d nylon oxford which we loved and has its fans (and is still available in the Arch Rival OX), but many of our customers wanted the same garment but with a softer hand. Hey, no problem. Consider it done. In fact it is done. It’s the 2015 Arch Rival:

• Latex neck and wrists. All of our latex gaskets are glued in ’cause it’s old school and way better than sewing and taping.
• All cross seams are hot pressed to be super dry.
• No 4-way seams in the entire garment because 4 ways seams are hard to tape, and we care about that kind of thing.
• Waterproof breathable inner tunnel
• Neoprene neck over gasket and neoprene/ velcro wrist closures.

So here’s the deal. If you’re looking for perhaps the best value in a no-nonsense dry top that will last for years (with normal care), look no no further. The Arch Rival is it. If you’re all about the Bling and you want even nicer shell fabric, check out the 7Figure.

And finally: ***NERD ALERT*** Our WhiteOut laminate is rated at wp:30000mm mvp:4000g/m2/24hr.


Shell Fabric Type - Nylon Taslan 3 layer
Fabric Weight (G SQ/Meter) - 188
Neck Construction - Latex gasket with neoprene overcuff
Wrist or Biceps Construction (Biceps on short sleeve jackets) - Latex gasket with adjustable neoprene velcro closure
Waterproofness (MM) - 30,000
Breathability (Gm Sq/m 24 hours) - 4000
Sizes Available - SM-XXXL