Authorized Kokatat Dealer

In 1971 Kokatat began making paddling gear and paddle sports apparel in Arcata, CA. The founder and president, Steve O’Meara, recognized from the start that keeping production local was necessary in order to control quality and continually develop the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world. Today, over 90% of Kokatat’s annual revenue comes from the sales of products handmade in their Arcata factory and by their local and regional manufacturing partners. Kokatat does source items in Asia but only for products that do not have scalable infrastructure here in the US. All Kokatat products are manufactured to exacting quality standards developed by paddlers for paddlers for over 50 years. All Kokatat products are backed by a lifetime guarantee against defects in manufacturing or materials and their in-house repair service facility inside their Arcata factory is unsurpassed in the industry for customer satisfaction. Unlike many other manufacturers, each and every drysuit Kokatat manufactures is pressure tested to validate that the suit will be completely dry on the first day of use and for many years to come.

Much of Kokatat’s success has stemmed from its dry suit business, but they also make drytops, paddling jackets, splash pants, booties, and lifejackets. In the late 80’s Kokatat introduced its first dry suit and were an early adopter of GORE-TEX waterproof and breathable fabrics. Kokatat is one of the longest-standing GORE-TEX licensees in the world, and for many years they were the exclusive user of GORE-TEX fabrics in the paddle sports market. Kokatat has been working with W.L. Gore for four years on the development of the new GORE-TEX PRO laminate. It has been specifically engineered to improve its environmental footprint by incorporating recycled face textiles that reduce water usage and CO2 emissions in production. In late 2021, Kokatat moved all their GORE-TEX drysuits to this new PRO laminate. All of the kokatat test team athletes were impressed with the lightweight and durable performance of this new and improved fabric. The new GORE-TEX PRO is the most rugged and durable waterproof/breathable fabric available for paddle sports dry garments. Paddlers depend to keep them dry in some of the world’s harshest water environments and the GORE-TEX fabrics pair incredibly well with Kokatat’s top notch designs.

For paddlers on a budget, Kokatat offers their own line of waterproof and breathable fabric, called Hydrus. This proprietary fabric was created in 2006 and has evolved through the years as one of the top alternatives to GORE-TEX. The Hydrus 3.0 fabric has been some of their best yet! Used in their dry suits, Hydrus gives you quality material and consistent designs at a wallet friendly price. They also offer a large selection of shorts, gloves, and hats.  The key to Kokatat’s success over the last 50 years has always been consistency in design, manufacturing, and performance but also their commitment to the development of the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world.

That same focus is applied to their layering garments, footwear, and lifejackets. Whether you are looking for a union suit to mate up with one of their dry suits or neoprene boots to make launching or beaching your kayak more comfortable or even a top of the line rescue PFD Kokatat has the gear for you. Their product line allows you the freedom to mix and match products with added versatility for different paddling scenarios and conditions by offering a multi-layered system of clothing that fits well, doesn’t restrict movement and weighs as little as possible. What each individual decides to wear on the water is a balancing act involving safety, comfort and the risk one is willing to accept. Feeling comfortable and safe means you will enjoy the kayaking experience, and, after all, having fun is one of the best reasons to paddle! Kokatat is, and always will be committed to paddlers’ needs, and with their hands-on approach to manufacturing and evolving designs, they set the standard in paddling apparel.