OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Rafting Magazines Gear Shed – Arch Rival Drysuit

Article by Nick Prete
  • Shell Fabric: 3-layer waterproof/breathable shell with 100% nylon taslan face fabric treated with C6 DWR (durable water repellent) finish
  • Fabric Weight: 181g/m²
  • Waterproofness (mm h₂o): 30,000
  • Breathability (g/m²/24h): 4000
  • Front YKK® AquaSeal® entry and releif zipper
  • Seat and Knees reinforced with abrasion resistant Devil’s Club nylon taslan 3-layer 240g/m² fabric
  • Latex neck and wrist gaskets with neoprene over cuffs to aid in dryness and gasket preservation
  • Adjustable webbing belt to keep your suit snuggly on your hips
  • Low maintenance latex socks
  • Weight: 3.9lbs (62.4oz)

Arch Rival Drysuit Review

As I unrolled the Immersion Research Arch Rival Drysuit at the put-in for Slab-Creek I wasn’t sad about putting away my old drysuit. For the last few years it had been more of a damp suit with replaced gaskets, microholes and general leakiness. I had stretched that thing to, and past, the end of its usefulness and was ready to end the day with dry underlayers.

So I was stoked to try out the new Arch Rival. I hadn’t used any gear from IR previously but had heard good things from kayaker friends who had. Could this kayaking brand make a drysuit that performs well for rafters too?

Turns out, this mid-priced drysuit would live up to my expectations. The first thing that struck me was how light it was. The 3-layer nylon Taslan fabric is lighter than any drysuit I had previously used. If you wear your drysuit often, the lightness and comfortability is a big plus. Also for all you instagrammers, it looks damn good. The cut was much more form fitting and the fabric color layouts makes it the coolest looking drysuit for that price.

Ideal Conditions for the Arch Rival Drysuit

This drysuit is not extremely thick, but it can stand up in the colder conditions while also performing on warmer days. I’ve worn it in both frigid temps and without any underlayers on more temperate days. This drysuit can handle just about everything. Continue reading Rafting Magazines Arch Rival Drysuit Review


#AreYouReady #RaftersAreAwesome #guide #raft #rafting #raftguide #whitewater #StrongerTogether #internationalrafting #RiverFamily #WeAreIRF

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, viewpoints or official policies of the IRF.