The new Axiom Dry Suit ticks every box for me, and a couple that I didn’t realise needed to be checked. I’ll start with the gaskets. The new thicker latex doesn’t chafe and feels a lot more solid when taking the suit on and off in a hurry or with cold fingers. I’m guilty of some heavy-handedness in cold conditions and have split a few gaskets in my time, but the seals on this suit are extremely tough and comfortable.

Having drainage panels around the neck and wrists also make a huge difference. I’m not sitting with a chilly pool of water at my neck or around my forearms, which I hadn’t even considered before wearing this suit but really makes for a comfortable experience.

Whatever team NRS has done to the cut is game-changing. I have a long back and previously struggled with front-entry drysuits. Just getting it up and over my head can be a struggle, especially in colder conditions (like Norway!) or if I’m feeling a bit stiff from several days of paddling.

I wear an XS, because my arms and legs are super short, so sizing up has always felt too baggy. Having a different cut on the front zip with a flap cover that fully opens up has made this drysuit incredibly easy to get on and off, and it sits super nicely in the boat without any tension no matter what shapes I’m pulling.

The backside zipper deserves a review all by itself. Anyone who uses a back zipper will get me here. You might be a knees together, knees wide, lean-and-pee, or stand-and-pressure kind of person. No matter how you like to organise yourself, the position and length of this zipper accommodate it all.

It’s also easier to access under a spray deck, and I cannot praise this system highly enough. Tending to your facilities on the river has never been easier.

Now for the actual kayaking part. I’m a sweaty operator. It doesn’t matter if it’s a five-mile hike, or if it’s up a flight of exactly ten steps, I heat up FAST. Especially in places where the water temperature asks for a dry suit, but the air temperature demands lying very still in a pool of sweat. Lucky for me, the Axiom has next level breathability. I’m not left with damp socks, and even with thicker gaskets I find it much easier to keep pushing on longer hike-ins and in the sun.

I’ve been lucky enough to use this drysuit on a variety of river types, and so far, the dry element has been bombproof. I don’t think I’ve ever taken as many hits on a river as on the North Fork Payette, and haven’t experienced any dampness in the socks, seams or joints. Even with a signature back-loop-to-extended-rolling session, I feel super safe and comfortable.

As I progress in whitewater, the value of wearing something that’s simply comfortable has started to make an impression on me. I’m not wriggling in my boat to make it more comfortable, I’m not having to adjust where the cuffs or waistband sit to feel like I’m ready to go kayaking. I just put it on and immediately forget about it.

Coming from lightweight slalom gear to heavier-duty whitewater equipment has always felt cumbersome, but this is the first suit I’ve used where I feel flexible and ready for anything.

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Guest contributor Amber Maslen is a former competitive slalom paddler. Though she is no-longer chasing gates full-time, opting to chase rivers around the world from the comfort of her van, Amber’s passion for whitewater and her desire to leave certain things better than she found them remains unchanged. This includes improving the space for women in the outdoor community and enabling people to understand how to best look after the natural environments that we love. 

Photography courtesy of Michal Kuthan. 

Editor’s note: Curious to try the Axiom for yourself? Shop Amber’s favorite here. The Axiom is available in Women’s XS-XL, 1X, 2X, 3X and in Men’s S, M, MT, L, LT, XL, XXL.