The Dry Suit

A dry suit is glorious. It is an expensive body suit that covers from toes to neck. Swimming is a dry event. It adds flotation no matter how much air is burped out of it. There are tight rubber gaskets at the wrists and neck, the latter making it feel like someone has a stranglehold. 
When the sun is out and the temperature is over 60 degrees it is hot to wear. Yeah, Goretex, breathable fabric ... it's still hot. When the water is 35 degrees and the air 60, it's better to bake. If it gets too hot, stop and go for a swim. That'll cool you off in about 60 seconds. 
The Vermont Paddler loves his dry suit. It extends the canoe, kayak and standup paddleboard season by months. Two years of use and finally a germ of a thought came to mind; isn't there some maintenance involved with this $800 piece of gear? The search was on and quickly an article came up on Paddling Light, a site devoted to lightweight canoe and kayak travel. Simple enough to tend to the fabric and zippers, but what of the gaskets?
There's an article on Cerberus that is pretty comprehensive. These folks do canyoneering where they also hit the water, often on purpose. Scrambling up sharp stone walls using ropes and such is way more abuse than the typical Vermont paddler will inflict on a dry suit.
Still, good tips to keep from tearing the essential gaskets and how to reinforce high-wear areas on the suit. If you have a suit and you require gasket replacement, Canoe Imports is the best choice in the northern half of Vermont, if not the state.
See you on the water.