Review: NRS Inversion Drysuit

NRS Men's Inversion Kayak Drysuit

I tested the NRS Men's Inversion Kayak dry suit on a couple of rivers in the Swiss Alps, WW III and WW III-IV with WW IV sections, as well as on my favorite play spot Upper Wave in Bremgarten, Switzerland.

Hype

Great dry suit, carefully manufactured.

Specs

Fabric: 210-denier TriTon™, waterproof & breathable.
Neck and Wrist Closure: Latex gasket with adjustable hook-and-loop.
Socks & Ankle Closures: Latex socks with adjustable hook-and-loop.
Waist System: Overskirt with double-pull hook-and-loop closure (adjustable built-in skirt tunnel). Elastic waistband.
Cordura reinforced seat.
TriTon reinforced knees.
Heavy-duty YKK® waterproof entry zipper and relief zipper.
Pockets: One sleeve pocket.

Comfort

The dry suit is comfortable to wear on and off the water. The dry suit is comfortably fitting and easy to move around in. The gaskets are pretty tight but not cutting off circulation. Getting in and out of the dry suit is easy (slip into the left arm and the neck first. Get your right arm into the suit and hold the upper part of the zipper from the inside to close the first couple of centimeters of the zipper. Then slip into the right arm and close the zipper completely). The relief zipper is a bless (for men). You need to put on good cold water layers to stay warm.

Swimming is as comfortable as it can be (yes, I had to swim). No wet suit sucking up lots of water. Getting ready for paddling after a swim is more comfortable and takes less energy compared to a dry top & wetsuit. I really felt a difference. However, there is no Neoprene cushion protecting you from stones when swimming as with a wetsuit. The theoretical risk of tearing the fabric as you walk or swim may pose a safety hazard.

Waterproofness

I expected my cold water layering (shirt, pants and socks) to stay drier. Leaking may be through neck and arm closures. It’s definitely not severe and common with many dry tops as well as, depending on the person.

I have the feeling that slightly more water leeks into my boat. This may be due to the design of the built-in skirt tunnel. However, this may also be an issue of my spray skirt, which is less-than-optimal for my river runner, a JK 4Fun! It is difficult to me to asses how much of an issue this really is, so be careful with this comment.

Durability / Build Quality

The fabric appears to be tough as nails, and is quiet and breathable. The dry suit is carefully manufactured and meets the expectations of a top of the line product. There are nice details such as an extra Velcro dot on each closure, which holds the Velcro when opened so the Velcro does not get into your ways as you put on the dry suit.

Miscellaneous

Once the dry suit has dried after use, roll it up for storage to keep the zipper from folding. Start with the Latex socks. Leave both zippers open for drying and storage. Put on your shoes immediately when slipping into the Latex socks not to damage the Latex socks.

Pros

Comfortable on and off the water
The fabric is robust, “quiet”, and breathable.
Swimming is as comfortable as it can be.
Carefully manufactured.

Cons

I expected my cold water layering to stay drier (see WATERPROOFNESS).

Summary

Great dry suit. Very comfortable, carefully designed and manufactured. It felt like I wasn’t staying completely dry though (may have been cold sweat).