KayakGearReviews.org

Kōkatat Women’s Destination Paddling Capri

Product reviewed by Hollis Luzecky

Review edited by Ken Bigelow

Last updated on December 15, 2009

Review Status: Complete

Product Specifications

Manufacturer: Kōkatat Watersports Wear (Kōkatat)
URL: http://www.kokatat.com
MSRP: Not Available
Size tested: Women’s Medium (Inseam 20.5 in/52 cm)
Weight: Not Available
Color tested: Dark Brown
Colors available: Blue, burgundy, dark brown, and mist
Material: Polyester microsuede (also includes zipper, front snap, elastic waistband, and nylon webbing belt with plastic buckle)

Product Description

The Kōkatat Women’s Destination Paddling Capri (“Capris”) are a lightweight pant for both on and off-water activities. They are made of anti-static Microsuede and cut to fit a woman’s shape. The Capris come to mid-calf (about 4 in/10 cm below the knees) and feature 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) slits at the bottom outside seams for additional comfort when bending the knees. The waistband sits high on the lower back, specifically designed to provide proper coverage while seated. The Capris have elastic at the back of the waistband, and a snap and zipper front

closure. There is also an integrated 3/4-inch (0.2 cm) nylon-webbing belt with a plastic buckle. The belt is sewn into the Capris on the left side to avoid losing the end in the waistband. A small pocket at the front of the Capris has a hidden zipper and is made of quick-draining mesh. The pocket is large enough to hold some lip balm, a few keys, or a couple dollars. The embroidered Kōkatat women’s line dragonfly logo on the lower left leg adds a feminine touch.

The product tag claims the Nylon Supplex® and Polyester microfiber fabrics are designed to perform in a marine environment and provide a minimum rating of Ultraviolet Protection Factor 40+ that will not wash out with repeated exposure to the water. Kōkatat claims the fabric blocks 99% of the UVA and UVB rays even when wet. The Capris also have a DuPont™ Teflon® fabric-protecting coating that offers water-repellency.

Initial Impression

Material & Design

When I read that the Capris were made from polyester microsuede, “hot and sticky” came to my mind. I am not a fan of polyester materials because they can be very hot in the summer. The pants are light enough, however, that they may not be as hot as I preconceive them to be. Further, I find that microsuede tends to stick to itself a bit, especially in the inner thigh areas when walking. I am curious to test them in the Washington, DC area’s humid summer to see how they breathe and fit after sweating. I am very pleased with their weight as they will be great for packing light, and it seems like they will dry very quickly.

I don’t typically wear loose pants (other than board shorts) while kayaking because when the fabric gets wet, it then tends to stick like glue to me, and the folds caused by the loose material is uncomfortable. I find it hard to walk in wet pants, as well. I will report on how the Capris perform when wet, especially given their lightweight design.

The Capris are much cuter than I expected them to be. They look better in person than in the picture on the website. I really like the dark brown color. They will easily go from the water to the restaurant, or even to work. However, the Capris would look much classier without the nylon-webbing belt.

The pocket seems too small to really be useful. I generally prefer two hand pockets on pants and shy away from pants without hand pockets, but the lack of hand pockets does add to the slim design and decreases the potential for additional seam chaffing against the skin. I am guaranteed to be searching for hand pockets until I get used to the Capris. I do like the hidden zipper because then the pockets doubles as a security pocket for a small amount of money on land-based trips.

Fit

I ordered the Capris in a medium based on the sizing measurements provided on the Kōkatat website. The Capris were tighter than I expected, but do fit. They fit nicely in the thighs, but the waist is snugger than I had hoped for. The elastic keeps them pretty snug on the waist. I probably should have expected them to run small since I have a Kōkatat shirt seems to fit smaller than expected, as well.

I don’t like the integrated belt. It seems useless to me. Perhaps this is because I am at the upper end of the medium size, but I have no need to tighten or loosen it and the extra webbing ends up just hanging down in front of the pants. If the elastic were looser, then perhaps the belt would be useful, but as it is, I do not need the Capris tighter and there is no way to loosen the pants because of the elastic.

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Field Review

I wore the Capris on several different trips.  Over the reviewing period I evaluated the Capris’ fit and comfort, performance, and care and durability.

Whitewater Kayak Use

The first trip entailed teaching my younger sister how to kayak.  It was a sunny day with temperatures reaching about 90-degrees F (32 C).  I first decided to teach her to wet exit.  So, wearing the Capris with nylon underwear, I waded into a shallow, shaded portion of the Potomac River (water temperature approximately 78-degrees F (26 C)) and stood next to her as she was seated in my sea kayak.  I stood in the water for about 45 minutes as I taught her to wet exit, hip snap, and receive bow/hand rescues.  It took about 5 minutes for the Capris to become soaked.  The water repellency continued to work for a short period of time even though the Capris were submerged.  After they were soaked through, they did cling to my skin, but not as uncomfortably as I thought they would.  The material is very thin and feels pretty light even when wet.  I was slightly chilly standing in the water.  The Capris do not provide much insulation or warmth.  As I exited the water, I was even chillier in the shady breeze.

Then I got in my whitewater kayak (Dagger RPM) and demonstrated some basic strokes to her for about an hour.  I had to readjust the Capris as I sat in the boat since they were soaking wet and clinging to my legs.  I had to pull them down to make sure the legs were not bunched up and too tight.  The buckle and waistband were comfortable enough under my spray skirt and did not dig into my skin.  By the time I got out of the boat, the pants were almost dry, except around the waistband and my underwear.  The buckle had loosened quite a bit and I retightened it.

After my sister was comfortable in the sea kayak, we headed to Belle Haven Marina to get her used to some stronger current and choppy water.  I was still wearing the Capris, which were almost completely dry at this point.  Out in the sun it felt much warmer, but it was breezy.  I remained cool and comfortable in the Capris.  They breathe well and any sweat (or moisture) is quickly wicked away from my skin and evaporates quickly.  We paddled around for about 3 hours.  I did notice the buckle digging into my stomach after the second hour and had to readjust it a bit.  The Capris did not ride-up on me as we were kayaking.  I was very pleased with this.  Despite the fact that the Capris come over my knees, I did not feel restricted by them.  However, I don’t prefer these pants in a whitewater kayak.  I prefer shorts or a more form-fitting, stretchy pant, like lycra, fleece, or neoprene (depending on the weather).  The bagginess creates creases and impressions on my legs at the tight points in the kayak.

Sea Kayak Use

My second trip was to the Chesapeake Bay, near Annapolis, MD.  It was a very warm, sunny day (95 F/35C), but the water was much cooler (about 70F/21C).  I didn’t plan on getting too wet, so I didn’t wear any insulating layers under the Capris.  We had to launch from a dock at the marina and I didn’t have any trouble crouching down to step into my sea kayak (Perception Carolina 13.5).  The Capris have enough room to move freely in.  Once in my kayak I pulled the Capris down, so they didn’t ride up on me, and off we went.  We paddled along the coast on relatively calm water with some 1-2 foot (0.3-0.6 meter) swells.  After about 2 hours, we stopped on a beach to stretch and snack.  I waded into the water to cool off.  The Capris dried in about 10 minutes once I was back on shore, sitting in the sun (expect at the top because of my underwear).  And the sand that stuck to the wet pants brushed right off.  Sitting on the beach, I noticed the back didn’t come up as high as I thought it would.  I had to pull the back up, so as not to embarrass myself too much.  The Capris were very comfortable the whole trip (5 hours total), but I did have to readjust the belt very once in a while to keep it from digging into my stomach.  Eventually, I just undid it and left it that way.  I didn’t get too hot in them despite being under a neoprene kayak skirt and the sun beating down on me.  I continued to wear them to the marina grill after we finished kayaking.  By the time we finished eating I was completely dry and I wore them in the car on the way home.

My third trip was a paddle out to St. Clement’s Island State Park in Southern Maryland on the Potomac River.  It is about a 3-mile paddle out around the island and back.  There is a hiking trail around the island and a picnic area.  It was sunny, and cool (78F/26 C) on the paddle out and cloudy on the way back (looking like it could rain).  The water, which is brackish, was about 70-75 degrees F (21-24 C).  I wore the Capris over neoprene shorts since it was a cool day and the water was pretty chilly.  It turned out that the neoprene shorts were too warm, but the Capris were not.  Again, they were very comfortable in the boat, even over the neoprene shorts.  I thought I would get warm, but I did not.

I could easily get in and out of the kayak and the Capris did not ride up on me at all during the trip.  They got slightly wet, but didn’t stick or cling to me and dried in about 5 minutes – no joke!  Usually, after getting splashed the water just beads up and runs off.  The Capris have to be sitting in water to really get soaked through.  We hiked around the island for about a half hour in the warm sun and I still didn’t feel too warm in the Capris.  They breathe very well.  On the beach, the sand and shells did not stick to the fabric, which I love!  I wiped my hands on them after lunch and the crumbs just brush right off.  I really love the fabric.

Again the belt dug into my stomach a bit under the neoprene kayak skirt.  I had to adjust it a little bit to keep it from riding up over the top of the pants.  I’m actually thinking of just cutting the belt off.

I wore the Capris out to the restaurant afterwards and didn’t feel underdressed even though I just paddled in them.

Other Uses

I wore the Capris biking on the Indian Head Trail through Port Tobacco, MD.  I biked for 18 miles on the flat, asphalt trail.  It was sunny and 85-degrees F (29 C).  The trail alternates between being shaded and open.

I found that the Capris are not good for me to bike in.  They breathe well and I wasn’t too hot in them even though the mercury was rising, but the Capris were riding up in the thighs and became way too tight while riding.  I don’t notice this problem in general during every day use.  I guess the motion of biking pulls them up and since they are tapered a bit, the slimmer part starts to constrict around my thigh.  Again, the back of the pants didn’t provide as much coverage as I was expecting and I was glad to be wearing a long shirt.

During the ride, I wanted to clip my key into the hidden pocket.  However, the key ring in the pocket does not have a clip attachment, but rather it has only a small D-ring, which means you need a carabineer or something similar to attach a key to the strap.  This adds more bulk to the small pocket.  I have yet to use the ring for this reason.  The key was comfortable in the pocket and did not dig into my leg at all on the ride.

I have brought the Capris camping and can wear them for several days in a row.  They are very light, easy to pack, and don’t wrinkle.  Since they dry so quickly, I was able to wash them in the afternoon and put them back on a half hour later.  The waistband of the Capris takes the longest to dry, but the rest of the pants are dry in less than 10 minutes.  I do miss having two pockets, but don’t find that this keeps me from wearing the Capris.

I have worn the Capris to work numerous times and around town. The brushed micro-suede is very nice looking and has worn well after at least 15 washings. So far, they have not retained odor, but I haven’t subject them to the stench of my whitewater boat very much (my board shorts are forever doomed to stink).

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Final Thoughts on Product

I have worn the Capris a couple more times on the water, but as the weather gets colder, I don’t find them as appropriate for kayaking. I tend to be a cold person, so for kayaking, I quickly turn to neoprene or fleece once the temperatures dip below 60 F/ 16 C. (I try to wear as few layers as possible and don’t find that the Capris add much insulation, so don’t see a need to layer them over neoprene or fleece.) Both trips were on mild fall days on rivers in the Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD areas. The temperature was between 65 and 70 F / 18 and 21 C with little wind and calm water conditions. The water temperature pretty much matched the air temperature. One trip was 2 hours long and the second trip was about 4-1/2 hours long.

The Capris continue to be comfortable and provide ample room to get in and out of my kayak easily. They are comfortable while seated and I do not have to adjust them during my paddles.

I have worn them around town and hiking on numerous occasions since my last update. I find them comfortable in temperatures above 60 F/ 16 C. They are very comfortable and stylish. I like how dirt brushes right off of them. I also like how they breathe and dry quickly.

The Capris still show no discernable signs of wear. There is no pilling or rough patches even though they have been scraped over rough rocks, rubbed up against my scared plastic kayak as I transport it, and brushed for hours by my daypack on hikes. There are also no stains on them despite me using them as a napkin after snacking during kayaking and hiking trips.

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Summary

Fit & Comfort

The Capris are easy to put on and take off. They fit well and are comfortable in a sea kayak, but I do not like wearing them in my whitewater kayak (which is a tighter fitting kayak) or while biking. I do have to adjust the belt several times over the course of a longer paddle because it rides up over the top of the pants and digs into my skin. I can easily wear them over swim shorts or neoprene shorts (but don’t really see the utility of this since they don’t provide much additional insulation). When they are soaking wet, they do cling to my skin, but since the fabric is so light, the clinginess is not restrictive. The Capris are excellent for hiking or hanging around the put-in, lunch break site, take-out, or a campsite. I found that the high-back waistband really didn’t provide proper coverage when seated. And I do have to retighten the belt throughout the day.

Performance

Unless the Capris are submerged, the water repellency keeps them very dry. When I did get them wet, I was very impressed by the drying time of the fabric, which is typically less than 10 minutes (in dry conditions). The fabric is breathable and I was comfortable in them even on 90-degree F (32 C) days. So far they have not held any odor. I found that the pocket is not very functional. It holds my lip balm and some money while I’m running around town, but I don’t use it while paddling. I would prefer a clip for keys rather than a D-ring.

Wear & Durability

The fabric still looks great after heavy use and many washings. They have not snagged, been stained, or show signs of wearing. They wash well and the water repellency has held up even after more than 20 washes.

I would like to thank Kōkatat and KayakGearReviews for the opportunity to review the Capris.

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Reviewer Bio

Name: Hollis Luzecky
Gender: Female
Age: 32
Height: 5′ 9″ (1.5 m)
Weight: 145 lb (66 kg)
Location: Washington, DC metro area
Email: greengirlhollis “at” gmail “dot” com

I have spent a majority of my life on the water. I grew up canoeing and water skiing. I started flatwater kayaking when I was about 16 and jumped into sea kayaking at age 22. I paddle a Perception Carolina 13.5. I began whitewater kayaking in 2006, learning on the Potomac River in the Washington, DC Metro Area, and have paddled Class I-IV rapids. I navigate rapids in a Dagger RPM and surf waves in a Wavesport Fuse 48. I have done a bit of whitewater rafting, but prefer the security of being in a kayak. They say everyone is between swims, but I prefer them to be few and far between.

Read more posts by Hollis.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 20th, 2009 and is filed under Bottoms.