what to wear kayaking in winter? (winter kayaking gear)
Kayaking in winter is fun but you have to know what to wear to make sure your trip will be great even in cold weather.
Beginners in canoeing, kayaking, and paddlers believe that spring and summer for their warm weather is better to do this sport, but the river water level is more likely for kayakers to paddle in winter.
Bellow the question “what to wear kayaking in winter?” will be answered:
Important winter kayaking gear
This is the complete list of what to wear kayaking in winter:
- Neoprene Pogies and Gloves
- Neoprene Boots
- Kayak bilge pump
- Waterproof Shell Pants
- Inflatable PFDs
- Vest or life jacket with warm cloth underneath
- Moisture Wicking Base Layer
- Wetsuit or dry suit
- Knit, latex, silicone or neoprene cap
- Thick wool or neoprene socks
- paddle mittens
- Kayak Ear Plugs
Good layering system to wear for winter kayaking:
Base layer
this layer keeps your body away from moisture that stays dry. You won’t get cold. You should wear a comfortable cloth. synthetic fabrics like Polypropylene should be worn for the inner layer or you can go for merino wool like a stretchy wetsuit to give flexibility, soften, and warmth.
Don’t wear cotton cloth because it holds water and when it gets wet, you’ll become heavy and it doesn’t keep you warm. It’s better to wear socks to transfer sand away from your feet.
Mid layer
this layer’s job is to keep you warm. The heavier merino wool layer and if it gets colder it’s better to wear a synthetic insulation jacket because if it gets wet, still keeps you warm.
Shell for winter kayaking gear
we call this layer, waterproof and windproof. It keeps you away from getting wet or cold and also it removes moisture from the base and mid-layer and protects these layers. In this case, it helps these layers not to make you wet. If you wear a dry suit, that will work for you.
This dry suit is made of a waterproof fabric like gore-tex which has Latex gaskets at the neck, wrist, and ankles. This prevents water from entering to suit. Some dry suits have booties that go into your shoes. Put thicker socks outside the booties to make sure not to damage them.
You can also wear a wetsuit that usually scuba divers use, but a wetsuit is not really recommended to wear for the reasons below. If you have to buy a used dry suit because of it’s high price is much better to wear a wetsuit as winter kayaking gear:
- some amount of water is allowed to enter in a wetsuit and you will be wet which can make you uncomfortable for kayaking in cold weather.
- Due to the tight fit of a wetsuit, making paddling less efficient. You can not sit or stand up easily. The movement of the torso part of your body will be difficult.
- Kayaking means getting out of the boat a lot and for an extended period of time, so a wetsuit is not ok for water below 50 degrees which always happens a lot in winter.
- When you get wet while you are wearing a wetsuit, your body temperature drops down and you’ll get too cold in the water which will cause you hypothermia. With this gear, you lose your ability to warm yourself.
How to cover your hands for kayaking in winter?
Actually wearing gloves is challenging and you can not feel your paddle very well. So the solution is pogies. Why is that? Check out the below:
- Pogies contact directly with a paddle which provides you better control in paddling and kayaking.
- In pogies your fingers stay next to each other and they share warmth with each other, but as you can see in gloves, your fingers stay separately.
- The best way to protect your hands from wind and water is by using pogies.
- When you have to do something else, you want your bare hands to be involved and to free your hands from its cover quickly, the solution is wearing pogies instead of gloves.
When considering what to wear kayaking in winter, choosing pogies over gloves can enhance your experience and keep your hands warm and functional.
How to cover your feet for kayaking in winter?
Some people believe that booties are better for kayaking in winter, but it’s wrong. The best choice is rock shoes. For some reasons:
- Rock shoes are a quicker dryer which is very beneficial in wet and cold conditions. This shoe provides warmth.
- For better movement and full control of your feet, the rock shoes are the best choice.
- These shoes support ankle and foot, especially when you want to get in or out of kayak in winter, and keep your balance on icy or snowy surfaces.
How to avoid ear surgery while kayaking in winter?
If you ever heard of a surfer’s ear, you should know that cold kayakers who frequently expose their ears to cold water and wind will have this kind of ear. This ends with an ear infection or surgery that eventually causes hearing loss.
To prevent having a surfer’s ear, use earplugs while kayaking in winter. Earplugs keep cold water out of your ear canals. While protecting your ears, you can also communicate and hear other kayakers.
When we should know what to wear kayaking in winter?
Consider the water temperature in the table below to see when you should wear warm clothes and actually what to wear kayaking in winter!
Water temperature | Risk | Clothing type |
15.5°C | low | Warm layers |
12.8-15°C | moderate | Wetsuit or drysuit |
7.2-12.2°C | high | Drysuit not wetsuit recommended |
Below 7.2°C | extreme | drysuit strongly recommended |
Yasamin Farajadian
I have been coaching swimming since 7 years ago. I love water sports, especially kayaking. I share all the information about kayaking until you learn how to do it. I wish I could paddle, but I haven't yet had a chance.
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