Immersion Research Arch Rival Dry Suit (only available in color shown below)

We started the Arch Rival series in 2013 with the goal of making affordable dry tops and suits that were simple but remarkably durable. And by “durable” we mean able to stay dry for season after season of paddling.  The interior of a dry suit while it’s being used is sweaty, acidic, usually full of bacteria and or mold, and the fabric is under constant stress with 10’s of thousands of fabric-flexing rotations in the armpit alone in a single day of paddling.

The first step to addressing this choosing the right laminate. The stuff we use is called “WhiteOut”- a proprietary PU based waterproof/breathable mid layer that we developed after 10 years of hard earned lessons about what works and doesn’t work in paddlesports dry wear.   The result is a barrier that will not crack or mildew or peel off the outer shell fabric or start todisintegrate even after years and years of abuse (and proper care). We introduced WhiteOut on the first generation of Arch Rivals, and we’ve been so pleased with it that we now use it across our entire dry wear line.

The next step is the shell fabric- the fabric you feel on the outside of the garment. We want the Arch Rivals to be simple, strong and affordable so with this in mind there is one place to go- nylon. The first gen used a 200d nylon oxford which we loved and has its fans (and is still available in the Arch Rival OX), but many of our customers wanted the same garment but with a softer hand. Hey, no problem. Consider it done. In fact it is done. It’s the 2016 Arch Rival:

• New, softer nylon taffeta shell thats just as durable as the OX version. Just a little pricier.
• Latex neck, wrists and socks. Thats right- latex socks. More about this below.  All of our latex gaskets are glued in ’cause it’s old school and way better than sewing and taping.
• Front entry suit with relief zipper. Both zippers are the ubiquitous TiZip- the lightweight, flexible zipper that pretty much everyone uses nowadays. However, unlike our competitors, our main zipper also has an outer cover flap that closes with a lightweight YKK semi dry zip instead of the usual velcro. No bunching and the outer tunnel is lot drier.
• 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.
• Webbing waist belt, neoprene neck cover, velcro/neoprene wrist closures.

So here’s the deal. If you’re looking for perhaps the best value in a no-nonsense drysuit that will last for years (with normal care), look no no further. The Arch Rival is it. 

Technical Details

Main Zipper Type - Front Across Chest

Relief Zipper - Yes

Shell Fabric Type - Nylon Taslan 3 layer

Fabric Weight (G SQ/Meter) -188

Bootie Type - Latex

Neck Construction - Latex with neoprene overcuff

Waterproofness (MM) - 30,000

Breathability (GM Sq/m 24hours) - 4000

Sizes Available - SM-XXL

Size Chart

Note: Free shipping price is only good for the contiguous United States. Non U.S.A please call for shipping quote.