I recently got my hands on the Level Six Kenora Semi-dry top, and I was super excited to get it right before I went on a five day trip to the San Juans. First off, the reason why I was excited is this is my first time using a semi-dry top for a trip and my first top with a built in hood. The Kenora also doesn’t have any gaskets, and instead have velcro/neoprene closures that are quite comfortable. Level Six uses the same Exhaust 2.5 fabric as the Duke Dry Top I reviewed in the past, and I was excited to have another top in this fabric.
Let’s talk comfort, because that was a big draw for me with the top. Unlike traditional dry tops, the Kenora features velcro/neoprene closures instead of latex gaskets, which I found to be much more comfortable and less restrictive, especially around the neck and wrists. At the end of the paddling day, all others in the group were trying to strip out of their dry suits as quickly as possible, looking for the relief of fresh air. As for me, I was comfortable with keeping my top on and unpacking my boat and setting up camp before changing and hanging everything up to dry for the next day. The fabric being lighter and more flexible too, kept me in it as I didn’t feel restricted at all.
The hood was awesome. The Kenora is my first paddling-specific top to have a hood built into it. Normally for wet rainy paddles I would wear a hat and call it good enough, but the hood on the Kenora, zips up and has drawstrings to put it in the perfect position. I used it a lot on my trip and it was nice and cozy inside. The hood zips up and has drawstrings for a perfect fit, keeping me warm and cozy. A thoughtful design detail is the cutouts at the front right by where my mouth and nose was, that allow hot air and breath to escape, preventing glasses from fogging up.
Another thoughtful design choice was to make the over tunnel adjusters smaller than what’s on the Duke Dry Top. The Duke uses their Stealth waist band, and has two connection points on the back end and then velcros forward, but the Kenora Semi-Dry Top has a smaller one point connection. Which made it easy to adjust and more comfortable with it being smaller and out of the way more, especially with wearing a tow belt.
During my trip, I paired the Kenora with Kokatat bibs, rolling them together to create an effective semi-dry suit for the cold San Juan waters and warm sunny days. But with no wrist gaskets I did get a little water down my sleeve when I was practicing high braces to cool off. Personally I would put the Kenora somewhere between a dry top and a splash top due to this. It has an over tunnel like a dry top and can be combined with a set of bibs for a pseudo-drysuit, but without the discomfort of gaskets like a splash top.
Overall, I highly recommend the Level Six Kenora Semi-dry top. It’s an excellent choice for those who want to stay dry without the bulk and discomfort of a full dry top, especially in the transitional seasons of early fall and late spring. If comfort is a priority in your paddling gear, the Kenora is definitely worth considering.
— “E” at Alder Creek (www.aldercreek.com)
