What is a relief zipper/drop seat?
A relief zipper is like the fly zipper on a pair of pants, except on dry suits this zipper is waterproof and runs horizontally. A women’s drop seat zipper serves the same purpose for women and again is a waterproof zipper. These are optional features on dry suits, but almost everyone buying a new dry suit for surface sports (i.e. kayaking, rafting, fishing, sailing, etc.) benefits from this option. Even though you generally have to be on shore to use these zippers to heed nature’s call, the time and hassle saved with a relief zipper or drop seat is worth the price — especially if you wear a life jacket or harness over your dry suit. This is the most commonly ordered dry suit option. Relief zippers can be added to either men’s or women’s suits, but the drop seat is only an option on women’s suit and it can not be retrofitted to a suit (it must be added when the suit is being built, men’s relief zippers can be retrofitted, but it costs more than when it is ordered as part of a new suit)
