REVIEW OF PALM ATOM BIB PANTS

CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Price
3. Construction Quality and Fabric
4. Fit and Sizing
5. Comfort
6. The in-built socks
7. Warranty and Repairs
8. Waterproof Test
9. Pros of the Palm Atom Bib Pants
10. Cons of the Palm Atom Bib Pants
11. Summary

1. INTRODUCTION

If you paddle in colder or wetter conditions, choosing the right pair of dry trousers can make or break your day on the water.

The Palm Atom Bib Pants are a popular choice among kayakers, canoeists, and SUP paddlers who want dependable leg and foot protection without committing to a full drysuit.

2. PRICE

I bought the Palm Atom Bib pants for£261 from Manchester Canoes.

The prices seem to generally be around or about £250 to £300 for these dry pants.

Note that they also come in a waist height version (non bib) which appear to be essentially the same style and material but without the relief zipper and instead of having the bib part on top they just have a twin waist waterproof fabric band.

3. CONSTRUCTION QUALITY AND FABRIC

These bib pants are made from Palm’s ‘XP 3-layer fabric’ with tough 4-layer 320D reinforced panels.

The XP 3-layer fabric, has a stated breathability of 5,000 g/m²/24hr (A-1 method), and waterproofness of 20,000 mm. This seems to be equivalent to the Nookie Pro Bib and the Nookie Evolution dry trousers.

There are tough 4-layer 320D reinforced panels on the knees, the bottom and on the fabric socks which are typically higher wear areas.

The relief zipper is a TiZip MasterSeal front relief zip. It felt well made and came with a lubricant for application to the zipper which was a nice touch.

4. FIT AND SIZE

The Palm Atom Bib pants have a quite relaxed fit. They are apparently designed specifically for SUP paddlers and the fit is quite roomy around the backside, hips and legs.

I am about 5 foot 9 and weight about 60kg (9 stone 6 lbs). I ordered a size Small which was about right for me.

I did find the legs to my a tad on the short side, but only marginally so. I am not tall but am slightly leggy, being about a 32 inch in the leg length.

They are a generous fit with some bagginess around the hips and backside (at least for me anyhow) although the waist and ankles have velcro fasteners which allow the fit around the waist and ankles to be made more snug.

5. COMFORT

I always try out any kayaking gear I buy in the house wearing my typical jacket, PFD and other clothing that I’d wear when kayaking since this does make a difference to how an item of outerwear feels.

If an item is not comfortable after trying it on in the house for a while then I will often return it since an uncomfortable garment will start to grate on me after prolonged use when out paddling.

In terms of the bib pants, the Palm Atom transpired to be the most comfortable of the bib pants that I tried (the others being the Nookie Evolution Pro bib pants and the NRS Sidewinder Bib pants).

As usual, I tried out the trousers by practising paddling sitting on a thick cushion while wearing my usual kayaking gear since I find this is the best way to try out garments to see how they will actually feel when on a kayak.

The photo below shows the different type of adjustable braces on the Pal Atom bib compared to the Nookie Pro Bib and the NRS sidewinder Bib. As you can see, the Palm bib has a back panel whereas the Nookie and NRS have a ‘Farmer John’ style dungaree ‘Y’ shaped braces.

I found the back panel of the Palm Atom bibs to be the most comfortable of the 3. The reason was that with the V shape braces of the Nookie and NRS bib pants, the braces tended to rub a little bit along the spinal ridge as I paddled due to the almost continual motion of your shoulders and upper back when paddling.

6. THE IN-BUILT SOCKS

The Palm Atom bib pants feature in-built XP 4-layer socks with nylon 320D soles.

Having in-built waterproof socks is essential with dry trousers since they are the key to keeping your feet and legs dry when you wade out into the water.

The fabric socks come up just below your knees.

You obviously need to wear normal socks underneath the fabric socks. I just wear thick cotton socks underneath my dry trousers.

You also need to wear boots or other footwear over the fabric socks since they are not really made for walking on hard surfaces and if you do so then you will likely get small micro tears in the fabric socks will will compromise their waterproofness.

7. WARRANTY AND REPAIRS

Palm’s website says, “We will repair or replace any product with a defect in workmanship or materials for a period of twenty-four months from original purchase. If your equipment is damaged or broken through wear and tear, misuse or neglect we may be able to repair it for you at a nominal charge”.

Note that they specifically exclude the fabric socks from this warranty: “Due to the vulnerability of latex seals and fabric socks, no guarantee can be given on these once the garment has been worn.”

As stated above, you MUST wear footwear over your socks pretty much all of the time to avoid potentially damaging them.

Palm Europe offer a repair service which includes replacement of fabric socks, the relief zipper and the fabric seams. The link is below. This could be very useful if you managed to damage your fabric socks so that they were no longer waterproof.

https://palmequipmenteurope.com/gb/content/43-customer-services

Note that they also provide other useful repair services such as replacing relief zips and waterproof panel or seem repair.

8. WATERPROOF TEST

I tested out that these dry trousers were waterproof in a half full bath.

I ensured that fully submerged them up to the waist, including the relief zipper to make sure that there was no water ingress through there.

I had thermal leggings and also had thick socks on underneath the dry trousers and when I took the trousers off after my dunking in the bath, both my socks and leggings were bone dry.

I did keep the Palm Atom Bib pants and have used them on numerous cold weather paddling trips on estuaries, rivers and the coast.

They have always kept my legs and feet dry and warm and have never let me down when wading in the water up to my thighs while landing, launching or portaging.

9. PROS OF THE PALM ATOM BIB PANTS

The Palm Bib Pants appear to be well made from strong material.

They are comfortable to wear, with the rear panel design being more comfortable than other bib pants which have ‘Y’ shaped straps which tend to rub more in the middle of your back as you paddle.

Palm offer have a 2 year warranty against defects (although it does not cover the fabric socks once you have work them)

Palm offer a repair service (at a cost) should you damage the socks, the zip or the fabric.

They are twin waisted so can be mated with a twin waisted jacket to provide a waterproof.

The relief zipper makes it very easy for guys to take a wee without having to land on the bank or the beach (don’t forget to take your portable urinal tube with you!).

10. CONS OF THE PALM ATOM BIB PANTS

They have a slightly overly baggy fit for many people, although this is very much down to personal preference and also depends on your build.

They are not cheap (although to be fair, a similar price to many other bib pants).

Being bib pants, some may find the shoulder straps and back/front panels not as comfortable as waist height trousers which leave your mid-drift free.

11. SUMMARY

The Palm Atom bib pants are good quality bib pants.

They strike a strong balance between comfort and protection, with thoughtful features like reinforced panels, a relief zipper, breathable construction, and built‑in socks.

Since these are trousers rather than a full suit, paddlers can adjust layers easily depending on temperature.

Below is the link to our Youtube video review of the Palm Atom Bib Pants.