In 2010 we set out to design a basic, durable and breathable dry suit that would not only handle the worst conditions found in paddlesports but also still be affordable. This deceptively simple project resulted in 2 solid years of fabric testing, pattern making and prototyping before we arrived at the finished product: the Arch Rival dry suit.

The shell is a mix of heavy duty 410 denier pack cloth in high-wear areas and 70 denier taffeta where more flexibility is needed. The laminate is our proprietary 3 layer WhiteOut™ waterproof breathable barrier specifically designed to handle the hellacious conditions created by active, sweaty conditions found inside a dry suit. The suit has latex booties instead of fabric socks because they are more durable, easy to replace and you can patch them in the field with Aqua Seal. Both the front main zip and relief zip are our standard flexible T-Zip zippers. Every single seam is designed for ease of taping, and every cross-seam is hot pressed.

The Arch Rival dry suit is also a front-entry suit (the main zipper goes across the front chest). Typically, this sort of design allows for lots of water to pour into the boat under the skirt tunnel, but we remedied this by attaching a smaller semi waterproof YKK zip the length of the outer zipper flap. This makes the outer tunnel of the dry suit almost as dry as a outer tunnel on a dry top, and also allows you to get the zipper flap to lay flat without the bumps and creases found with velcro flap seals.

The Arch Rival dry suit is proof that sometimes the simplest garments are the hardest to make, but in our opinion it was well worth it. Not only do we feel that this suit is one of the very best values in paddlesports, but it also comes with IR’s fanatical devotion to customer service. We also know that buying a dry suit is a big decision- if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to write or call. Sizing

A few notes on drysuit sizing:

1) Inseams on drysuits are typically a bit longer than pants- this is to accomodate a sitting position and socks. Having an inch or two extra in the inseam is not necessarily a bad thing.

2) The feet on your drysuit will most likely be a bit baggy- this is not only to accomodate all feet in a size range, but also because bigger feet are easier to seam tape and keep dry.

3) Because drysuits encompass so many measurements (feet, inseam, chest) you many not fall perfectly into one size. But in many cases, if you are close the suit will work just fine. You can always call us for specific fit advice.

We can also do many basic alterations to a drysuit, like shorten/ lengthen arms and legs, as well as replace fabric socks with latex booties. Please call us for details.

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 135-150 150-165 165-180 180-210 210-230
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 13-14