About two years ago I ditched my Bomber Gear K-Bomb and invested in an Immersion Research Klingon spray skirt. My issue with the K-Bomb was that after heavy whitewater or any freestyle move, I would have about a half inch of water sloshing around inside my boat (no fun and really annoying). After dealing with a leaky skirt for quite a while I did some research to find out which spray skirt was the most dry.
What is The Driest Spray Skirt for Whitewater Kayaking?
As I was conducting research to find out which spray skirt was the driest, I found some conflicting information online. When I searched the keyword “driest whitewater kayaking spray skirt” A majority of the results were just blog posts from different companies, of course those contained some bias.
My next move was to ask the paddling community around western North Carolina. I had a few friends who had different spray skirts and I figures I could use some different ones and see which ones were the best at keeping water out of my boat. After it was all said and done, the standout piece of gear was the Immersion Research Kling-On spray skirt. In my humble opinion, and the opinion of many others, the Kling-On spray skirt is the driest spray skirt for whitewater kayaking.
I immediately bought one of my own from a local shop and instantly fell in love. Below I will share some of the key features of the Kling-On whitewater kayaking spray skirt from Immersion Research and my thoughts on the product as a whole!
Immersion Research Kling-On Bungee Whitewater Kayaking Spray Skirt Review
Overall the Immersion Research Kling-On spray skirt is by far my favorite spray skirt I have ever owned. I have actually been through three of them in my ten year paddling career. Even though each one has been slightly different as Immersion Research updates features, they have all preformed great. Here is a video of the Kling-On spray skirt from Immersion Research in action at a local park and play spot.
Key Features of the Immersion Research Kling-On Spray Skirt
The Kling-On spray skirt offers some awesome features that are sure to keep you more dry than any other spray skirt on the market. Here are some of the biggest ones.
Eagle Talon Grab Handle
The eagle talon grab handle on the Immersion Research Kling-On spray skirt is bright yellow so that you can easily find it when you are thinking about swimming. Even in somewhat muddy water, you will be able to make out the grab handle. At least that is the idea. I don’t know about you guys but when I bail I don’t ever make eye contact with the grab handle, I just pull. But its the thought that counts. Thanks IR!
Nylar Reinforced Front Casing
The front casing of the Kling-On spray skirt from Immersion Research is reinforced with Nylar, a material that is abrasion resistant. This is what makes this skirt so tough. Even if slam the front end or side of your cockpit rim against a rock with the skirt stretched over, you won’t have to worry about any tears. Also IR made sure to make them a fun color!
Apron Style Casing
Alright now we are getting to the features that make the Immersion Research Kling-On spray skirt the driest spray skirt for whitewater kayaking. The apron style casing extends the casing past the bungee which results in an extra water tight seal around the entire cockpit. To me it seems like water would still find a way in but the bungee forces the apron tight against the bottom of the cockpit rim resulting in an ultra impermeable seal.
Silicone Grip Strips
So technically the silicone grips on the Kling-On spray skirt are supposed to be for preventing implosion which is a common problem with bungee spray skirts. They are extremely tacky and do a great job of helping the skirt grip the rim. In my opinion the silicone grips also help keep water out. They are not going to keep a lot of water out but they way they grip the rim along the sides of the skirt have to help to some degree.
Immersion Research Kling-On Whitewater Spray Skirt Pros and Cons
Even though the Immersion Research Kling-On spray skirt is my favorite spray skirt, it is not perfect. It has many pros but it also has some cons. Below I will share some of the pros of the Kling-On spray skirt as well as some of the problems that I have found with this skirt.
Immersion Research Kling-On Pros
- Very dry (driest on the market in my opinion)
- Durable
- Easy to stretch over cockpit
- Long tunnel
These are my pros for the Kling-On spray skirt. Of course the biggest pro for me is the fact that the skirt is so dry. I can spend thirty minutes at my local play spots doing cartwheels, loops, stern squirts, enders, and the occasional but very frequent face plant, and when I pop the skirt to get out, the inside of my boat is completely dry.
Immersion Research Kling-On Spray Skirt Cons
- Very stretchy deck
- Colors?
The biggest problem I have encountered with the Kling-On spray skirt is how stretchy the deck is. The stretchiness allows for the skirt to easily be put on the boat but it also pushes down a lot which takes some pop away from freestyle moves. This isn’t really a con if you are just river running or creeking, but if you are in the hole trying to get big air, its a big problem.
When I plug in for a loop with the Kling-On spray skirt the force of the water literally pushes the deck so far down into the cockpit that I can feel it on my inner thighs. I have since solved this problem by putting an air bag between my legs and blowing it up so it keeps the skirt from pushing down.
For some people the colors are a con. The Kling-On spray skirt only comes with a green or blue rim. You can also get a red rim if you want to upgrade to the Kling-On Empire skirt which has a kevlar casing instead of Nylar.
Kling-On Whitewater Spray Skirt Summary
The bottom line is if you are looking for the most dry whitewater kayaking spray skirt you should definitely look into the Kling-On bungee spray skirt from Immersion research. In my opinion it is the most dry spray skirt you can get and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.