Cold Water Gear Checklist - for Kayaking or Paddleboarding - And One Thing Nobody Thinks About!
Kayaking and standup paddleboarding are two sports that are just as exhilarating as they are freeing and relaxing.
You gladly spend every weekend at the beach. Heck! You spend every day at the beach. These two water sports really define your summer. They allow you to melt the intensity of the summer heat away while exercising and simultaneously taking in some of nature’s greatest glories from a serene lake, windy river, or even the mighty ocean!
But…
Soon the weather cools, the nights grow longer, and the trees lose their leaves as life grieves the coming onslaught of Jack Frost’s wintery heaves.
You will begrudgingly, but gradually, accept that your days of enjoying the warm water and the cool ocean breeze will be over until the coming of spring.
Or So You Think!
What if I told you that you do not have to pack it up when the water starts to get cold! You can kayak or paddleboard all winter long, even when the roads are icy and the snow is falling!
As you read along you’re going to learn about the essential gear that you need to prolong your season to all year, including one, seemingly insignificant, piece of gear that nobody ever thinks about but will play a major role in improving your enjoyment and safety when out on frigid water!
So let’s get started!
Firstly…
Always dress for the water, not the air temperature!
This is important to remember, because water will cause you to lose body heat a lot faster than the air. So if it’s one of those freaky winter days where it's 70 degrees fahrenheit outside while the water is only 30 degrees, then you need to wear gear that is appropriate for the 30 degree water, not the 70 degree air.
You may feel fine walking around in your shorts but if you fell into the water that would be disastrous.
These sorts of days are actually the worst days for winter kayaking or paddleboarding, because you’re probably going to have to intentionally roll your kayak over or dive off your paddleboard multiple times just to cool off from having all of this cold water gear on while the air temperature is so hot.
If this is what you have to do to avoid overheating, then DO IT! What you cannot do is skimp out on the cold water gear. Just dunk yourself into the cold water if you have to.
You Either Need to Stay Dry or Stay Warm While Wet
You need either a dry suit or a wetsuit.
These two bodysuits are your core safety gear.
We will not go into much detail about how they work, but essentially a dry suit uses a waterproof material like gore-tex to keep the water off the wearer entirely while a wetsuit works by trapping a thin layer of water between your body and the Neoprene outer of the suit which your body is able to keep warm.
Having one or the other is essential for cold water anything! They are the main gear that will prevent you from literally dying from cold water shock or getting hypothermia.
Get One or the Other… or Both?
Most paddleboarders and kayakers will instantly go for the dry suit, and there is little wonder why. Dry suits are tremendously effective at keeping the wearer warm and, unlike a wetsuit, can enable you to survive in frigid water long enough to die of dehydration before succumbing to hypothermia.
But there are times when a wetsuit outshines a dry suit and if you want to know when then read this blog. Here we go into great depth about the differences between these two life saving, must have, garments!
Kokatat Drysuit
Kokatat makes the best drysuits for paddle sports and they have the best customer service.
O’Niell Wetsuit
O’Niell has been in the wetsuit game for a long time and they make great quality suits
You Need Undergarments
If you make the same decision as do most and get a dry suit then you will also need to invest in some warm clothes to wear under it, because the dry suit itself does not do much to keep you warm; it just keeps you dry.
Some people like to spend a fortune on expensive wool or some other high tech fibers though I’ve always worn these polypropylene undergarments! They are effective at keeping you warm, are comfortable, and are a great bargain!
I also use them as my primary winter time thermal underwear to keep me warm when out and about on land!
Poly Undergarments
Why pay high prices for fancy undergarments that aren’t going to help you anymore than these? Seriously, check the price. You’ll be shocked!
Keep Your Hands and Feet Warm
You will also need a good pair of neoprene gloves or mittens.
Whether or not you should go for the gloves or the mittens depends on the water temperature.
If it’s very cold outside then go with mittens. They do a better job of keeping your fingers warm than gloves.
But neoprene is stiffer than what you’re used-to wearing on your hands, and mittens really cut down on your dexterity, and they can make it more tiring to continue holding the paddle, but for the absolute coldest temperatures you will need them.
There are some great crossover gloves on the market that group your little, ring, and middle fingers together while having separate slots for your thumbs and index fingers. This allows for some better hand movement while still keeping your hands warm in cold water.
Claw Mitt
These mittens allow for some dexterity while still keeping your hands warm. I use these more often than anything else in the winter.
Mittens
In the coldest conditions, you need mittens like these. Nothing else will compare
Don’t Forget Your Feet
And the same thing goes for your feet. If you’re on a paddleboard then your feet are obviously more exposed than they are if you’re using a sit in kayak, but either way you will need to protect them.
Dry suits with Socks are easy
For my dry suit I wear wool socks under the dry socks and i wear a pair of water resistant socks over the dry socks to protect them.
That’s it. It’s pretty easy!
What if I Don’t Have a Dry Suit With Socks?
Whether you have a wetsuit or a dry suit without socks, you’re going to want a pair of neoprene booties for your feet. The thickness will once again depend on the water temperature.
You can get some booties with enforced bottoms so you can walk on them without tearing them or just get an oversized pair of Crocks and wear those while walking to protect the booties.
There are dry boots in existence. These are boots that finish high upon the ankle and are great to walk in but I never liked these, because if you have to wet exit your kayak or fall off your paddleboard then these boots are going to fill with water, and it won’t drain out. This could be a problem for you while trying to swim or get back onto your paddleboard, so I forgo these and stick with the neoprene booties mentioned above and below.
Neoprene Booties
Keep your feet warm with some neoprene booties!
Keep Your Head Warm
Seriously, don’t forget this. Keep your head warm.
The only circumstance where you can do without this next piece of gear is if you have a wetsuit that has a hood.
A dry suit’ hood will keep the rain or snow off your head but will do nothing to help you if you capsize, so you will need a neoprene balaclava. This is like a wetsuit for your head, so wear it!
Neoprene Balaclava
You must wear a quality neoprene balaclava on your head when in the coldest conditions. This one will work well with a drysuit or wetsuit
One More Insignificant Piece of Gear
Nobody ever thinks of bringing this with them for cold water sports, but it’s important. If you have a thick balaclava then you may not need these, but otherwise, even with a thin balaclava, you should wear ear plugs when paddling in cold water!
That’s right, ear plugs!
I’ve found out the hard way that rolling a kayak over in cold water, without protecting your ears, can cause some dangerous symptoms.
When that icy cold water would gush into my ears it would quickly disorientate me and throw my balance off. One time when this happened I almost fainted!
It’s very easy to imagine how this could have turned out to be a big problem!
From that moment on, I would always wear a pair of silicone earplugs to keep the water out, and this simple addition to my cold water kayaking / paddleboarding gear made all the difference! And they are cheap too!
Water Ear Plugs
Keep the cold water out of your ears with silicon ear plugs. These are a big difference maker that come in a little package!
Don’t Forget
Check out our blog on the difference between wetsuits and dry suits for an in depth discussion so you can make a truly informed decision as to whether or not the added expense of a dry suit is worth it.
If you're serious about winter water sports then get yourself a pair of gloves, booties, ear plugs, and a balaclava.
Cold water gear is not all that you need for kayaking. In this blog we list the six essential things that every kayaker needs but often forgets to bring, so do yourself a favor and read that one next!
And share this blog with your friends who are also considering cold water kayaking and paddleboarding!
Until next time, friend!
See you on the water!
