Level Six Drytops and shorties

Level Six is a Canadian company that produces top quality kayaking and outdoor apparel. Our crew recently checked out the Level Six MACK drytop, and CHOCHEE shorty.

Key Features: All of Level Six drytops incorporate an extra-long interior tunnel that makes the connection between sprayskirt and top almost integral. Even with a skirt that may be a bit loose around the waist, the long tunnel allows the skirt and top to be rolled together to make a watertight fit. Nicely done. The drytop incorporates stretchy neoprene protection over the latex wrist gaskets. Both the MACK drytop and CHOCHEE shorty utilize a neoprene collar over the neck gasket. Zippered chest pockets are also a nice touch. The DUAL-GRIP waist systems with cinch pulls allow the tops to really be snugged down. With not a lick of Velcro in sight, once tightened, the top is secure until released. The material these tops are made of is a fabric Level Six dubs “Eclipse”. On these higher end models, the Eclipse fabric provides great properties. The fabric is waterproof, breathable, fully seam taped, slightly stretchy, and according to Level Six’s Tyler Lawlor, “strong like bull”. Most of the testers we polled found the material to be so lightweight that they questioned durability. In talking with Tyler, we found that the material is a crossover from the snowboard industry, and has proven bombproof on the slopes, or on the river. In our short duration testing with one drytop and two shorties, we didn’t find any threads, seams, or other items that showed a hint of wear. Due to the lightweight nature of the material, it almost doesn’t seem like you’re wearing a drytop at all. With the slightly elastic nature, the top moves with you, doesn’t bind, and provides a great fit.

So, on to the dirt. What didn’t our testers like? When you pay for a top-end product, you have to pick it apart, and that’s what we did. Certainly nothing major, but a few items here and there. Some paddlers felt that the outer neoprene neck collar was simply too high. Level Six addressed this issue, and although they lowered the collar slightly this year, they intend to lower the height again in the upcoming years gear. The outer neoprene over the wrist gaskets was not universally liked. Those with small wrists felt the neoprene rolled in and trapped water between the neoprene and the latex. This could be easily remedied with a grommet on each wrist like is on the neck collar. Those with medium to large wrists never noticed this issue. They did notice that with the lack of Velcro, the wrist gaskets would not be susceptible to the dreaded “old Velcro doesn’t work anymore” issue. The last issue was warmth. These tops provide relatively little inherent warmth so proper layering is essential to stay warm. Compared to heavier drytops and shorties that many are used to wearing, an extra thin layer may be necessary. Level Six specifically designed the MACK and CHOCHEE to take away the feeling of wearing a garbage bag that you get with some drytops. These tops are designed to keep you dry, and breathe when you sweat, and that’s what they do.

Many thanks go out to Tyler and the “boys” at Level Six. Their gear can be viewed at www.LevelSix.ca.

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