When we started showing the early versions of the 7Figure suit this past summer, the number one question we got was “what does 7Figure mean?” That’s not super important. But the second most common question was a good one: “What’s the difference between the 7Figure and the Arch Rival?”

Lets start by talking about whats the same- the laminate. The 7Figure is a kept waterproof and breathable by our proprietary WhiteOut PU mid layer. This laminate is the result of 1o years experience in the paddling drywear trenches learning hard-earned lessons on what works and doesn’t work for the incredibly harsh environment inside a typical paddlers drysuit. It’s sweaty, acidic and often moldy, and the high wear areas like the armpit often get compressed and stretched 1000’s of times a day. Our WhiteOut laminate was first released on the Arch Rival suits and jackets in 2013 after it withstood our absurdly difficult stress test and it has proven to be so good in the field that we now use it across our entire drywear line. Whats this mean to you? That with normal care, this laminate should stay dry for many, many seasons. This is something that sounds easy, but it’s anything but.

The outer shell fabric is where the 7Figure makes the first big departure from the Arch Rival, and it can be summed up in three words: Poly friggen ester. Polyester is inherently hydrophobic (nerd talk for “resisting water”)- thats why all of your fleece is made with polyester and not nylon. This makes the garment harder to wet-out even after the DWR has worn off, which is a good thing. The Polyester we use on the 7Figure is also a dense microfiber weave giving the jacket a really supple hand but it’s still very durable. And there are the colors. Nothing holds dye quite like polyester- the colors are rich and vibrant. We know there are other concerns out there besides the color…but they do really pop. Finally, polyester is more UV resistant that nylon, so the garment won’t fade as quickly , and over the long haul (many, many years) will be in better shape than similar nylon garments.

The other main differences are features. The 7figure has fabric feet, rear entry main zip, and an inner neoprene waistband instead of a belted waistband

Other features include:

• Latex neck and wrists. All of our latex gaskets are glued in ’cause it’s old school and way better than sewing and taping.
• Relief zipper. Both relief and the main zipper are the ubiquitous TiZip- the lightweight, flexible zipper that pretty much everyone uses nowadays.
• 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.
• Neoprene neck cover, velcro/neoprene wrist closures.

So. If you’re undecided about whether to get the 7Figure or the Arch Rival, here’s some advice. The first difference is the main zip. Some people are very passionate about either the rear or front zip, and that may seal the deal. The feet shouldn’t be an issue- we can put either fabric or latex on either suits for a small fee. Beyond that is the shell fabric. The polyester 7Figure is more expensive, but the extra benefits of the polyester are well received by paddlers who need a high performance suit.

Questions about the latex socks and front zip? See our drysuit FAQS. Other questions? Contact us, we’ll be glad to help.

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

Available Sizes-: Small; Medium; Large; Xlarge; XXLarge

Height - 5’ 4”- 5’ 7”; 5’ 8”- 5’ 10”; 5’ 11”- 6’ 1”; 6’ 2”- 6’ 4”; 6’ 4”- 6’ 6”
Weight - 125-145; 145-165; 165-180; 180-210; 210-230
Chest - 36”-38”; 39”-41”; 42”-44”; 45”-48”; 49”-53”
Inseam - 31”-32”; 31”-32”; 33”-34”; 34”-35”; 34”-35”
Foot Size - 7-8; 9-10; 11-12; 12-13; 12-13