The Mission Drysuit is NRS's high-end whitewater kayaking drysuit. It is made from eVent 3-layer high performance breathable fabric and therefore intended to go up against the Kokatat Gore Tex Meridian suit (a benchmark in drysuit durability and performance) in both price and performance.
First Impressions are of a light-weight, supple fabric with re-enforcing only in the seat of the trousers. There is a heavy duty brass front entry zipper and also brass relief zipper. The neck and wrist gaskets are protected by Velcro adjustable over cuffs. The latex socks have an adjustable over cuff also. The latex cones on wrists and neck are sized perfectly and a little shorter than normal which seems to make getting on and off that little bit easier. There is a pocket on the upper left sleeve and snazzy reflective piping along the outside edge of the suit. There are internal suspenders with chunky plastic buckles that can be opened to remove them completely if preferred - although the buckles can feel a little cumbersome inside the suit, once you get used to the braces, they become a necessity.
I have to admit, having worn the hallowed Kokatat GMER for a number of years, I was a little sceptical about how the NRS suit would measure up. Also of concern were the latex socks as, so far, I have been used to the fabric kind and wasn't sure how durable and practical they would be. Thankfully my apprehension was unnecessary and the suit has, so far, proved itself both in terms of performance and practicality.
The eVent fabric has been working a treat in some testing summer monsoon paddling conditions mixing warm(ish) air temperatures with mild, humid air with the odd bit of bushwhacking thrown in. Even so, the suit has still been wicking the moisture away leaving me dry inside.
Overall as a personal drysuit (for a paddler who respects and looks after their gear) this is a great suit that ticks all the right boxes: it’s dry, it’s breathable, it looks good, is lightweight and is comfortable to wear. However, and it’s my only concern, if you were working in a centre daily as a paddling instructor, fond of bush-wacking or regularly dry your gear at the bottom of a wet drybag, then I would probably recommend the Inversion suit instead. The Inversion suit, made of the heavier Triton 3-layer material, feels (psychologically at least) that it would stand up better to more use and abuse.
