cool weather kayak clothing

peeps..

my wife asked want type of clothing do we need for kayaking when the weather turns cool/cold?

like up to Nov for us (Virginia Beach) and in March when the water is cold..

i thought wetsuit pants and booties but i figure you guys would have better suggestions..

Steve

I'm west coast so I don't know what your water/air temps will be.... but I prefer a dry suit. I also sail/kayak in wetsuits but still prefer a dry suit when the weather really turns, and most preferably a Gortex or equivilant (waterproof and breathable).

I went many years in a non-breathable drysuit - it's like wearing a plastic bag, yes you stay warm and "dry", but you end up very damp from your own persperation.

Now that I've had a Gortex suit I'll never go back

I'm looking into a dry suit for the upcoming winter season, any recommendations out there?

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It's a good Life, Let's sail!

iHop

Dune TI - 6/4/2011
Camas, WA

Some suits zip across the back of the shoulders, others across the front of the chest. You'll get differing opinions about which kind is easier to get into and out of, so if you get a chance to try on one or other, that might help you decide.

There's at least one suit on the market (Peak) that zips through the legs, so you pull it over your head like a very long cag. I haven't tried it, but users give it good reports.

Some kayaking-specific suits have a double waist, designed to link to a spray skirt. If you're in a sit-on-top boat that doesn't use a spray skirt, the double waist would be useless extra bulk.

I use a Kokatat front-zip Goretex suit and find it very comfortable. (Being female, I opted for the version with the drop-seat for comfort stops.) Kokatat are often quoted as top-of-the-range, but they are expensive.

Mary

We are probably looking to keep 'not cold' (not dry) until the water temp enters the 40's range - Dec, Jan, Feb, March(?)..

there are plenty of inland fresh/brackish areas which i would think are warmer which would extend the season..

http://www.vbbound.com/virginiabeach/tr ... eather.htm

Steve

Being Canadian, I feel obligated to chime in on this one!

Here's my collection of cold weather (paddling) and sailing gear.

- Neoprene Shorts
- Neoprene Vest
- Neoprene Wetsuit (full legs to ankles, and full arms to wrists)

These are great if the water temperature is cold, but sometimes they are too hot if the air is warm and the water is cold, (like in the spring, and on certain fall days) I end up sweating too much, and need to be very diligent in staying hydrated while on the water.

My favourite pieces are the ones listed below. A dry suit is great, but CRAZY expensive, and if you're in cool, but not COLD situations, these are great options.

- Gill Dinghy Top -- This is a great, low cost sailing jacket that keeps the spray and wind off of you. It seals up nicely around your neck, or opens a bit to help ventilate your body a little bit. It's great. About $100 CDN


-Kokatat Tempest Pant with Socks -- These are great too, they snug up above your waist, and have built in socks, so you can launch your boat without getting wet, and again, they serve the same purpose as the jacket. They keep the spray off, and the wind off. Other then being submersed, the combination of this jacket and top serve as a dry suit for me. About $130 CDN


I combine the above with Neoprene gloves, and Neoprene boots (booties?) that cover the built in socks.

One other thing that I love, that looks a bit ridiculous to my wife, but is GREAT for cold weather is my rubbery on the outside, but soft on the inside, sailing hood (for lack of a better word)

It's about $25 CDN, and is GREAT at keeping your head, and ears warm in the wind. It also takes away all of the wind noise on a windy day, so it's fun to sail with it on, because you hear more of the water, and what's around you, instead of just the wind over your ears.

So don't get me wrong, all of this doesn't replace a dry suit, but even when I capsize my Bravo, I can keep the water out of my pants, and get back to sailing without any problems. You can layer warmer clothes underneath, and I often wear my neoprene shorts and vest (as opposed to the full wetsuit) underneath, to give me a little added warmth.

For me, it's a great combination of comfort vs. cost. The only thing that I might improve on the jacket, (which is available, but costs more) is the ability to have a neoprene snug up option on the bottom of the jacket, similar to the pants. For 95% of what I do, that jacket is fine, but if it snugged up at the bottom, I'd stay drier when I capsize. There are a variety of paddling tops, and dinghy sailing tops that offer this option.

Feel free to ask me any questions if you have any.

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augaug..

thanks for the suggestion.. i will be giving those some serious consideration..

we used to live in Buffalo NY so asking about cold weather gear now that we moved to Virginia Beach Va seemed a little silly.

the cost of dry suits is silly when compared to the amount of use they will probably receive.

i will look into your suggestion and holler as questions occur.

thanks
Steve

I'm in NC so the weather is going to be similar (outside of the western NC mountains which get snow 6 months out of the year - I assume you're talking flatland/ocean kayaking).

Fleece jackets are fantastic in cooler weather and they retain insulation value even if wet. So they're great for cool weather kayaking trips.

No, they won't keep you dry, and if you do get very wet, even 50F - 60F temps can send you into shivers. So if the weather/water temps indicate that a dunking could result in hypothermia, I'll add at the very least a dry top - it's a Hobie top that has turned out to be pretty darn nice. No idea who makes it for them, but mine has proven to be fantastic.

Hiyas
Being another Canadian living on the West Coast of Canada (north Pacific), this is my weapon of choice:

http://www.rei.com/product/767503/kokat ... socks-mens (edited as my drysuit is in Las Vegas in a 5th wheel....long story)

Please keep in mind that augaug, lives in colder climates than I do, and his setup obviously works for him.

That suit I mentioned with silk underwear and super fleece tops and bottoms, plus the built in socks in the suit with 5mm neoprene boots have worked well for me here in both sit ins and sit ons. A neoprene 3mm hood and 5mm gloves are helpful when it gets windy and chilly here.

Hope that helps
Trinomite

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That's a nice suit, Trinomite. My pants would be nearly identical to the bottom half of that suit. (same brand, same material, same style) I like that style of dry(ish) suit better then the full dry suits that rely on the latex cuffs around the neck, ankles, and wrists. Latex just isn't that comfortable, and I've heard the rumours of having to shave your wrists and ankles... yeah, that's just not for me.

But the suit that Trinomite uses is definitely one that I'd consider if you're looking for a one piece suit. The only benefit to my current system is the ability to mix and match. On some days I'll go out in my wetsuit shorts, and just throw the jacket on if the wind picks up and gets cool. A one piece suit is something that you're less likely to layer on and off, but it also seals out the water better then a separate jacket and pants. The price isn't bad for what it is either. I know of sailing jackets that cost nearly that much, and you'd still need pants!

Now if I could just convince my someone to spend an extra 500 bucks on me, I'd be adding a suit like that to my collection!

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Hiyas again augaug
Sorry about the mistake. I goofed on the model number as it has been sitting in Las Vegas in my 5th wheel since January, 2011 when my wife got really sick and we had to get home ASAP.
The model I mentioned is a semi dry that I used for years and I gave it away to a friend and it is not suitable for a Hobie Sit on Top in frigid waters unless you use a sit inside kayak.
My apologies
However, I have no complaints about the previous suit, it worked like a dang, and I agree with you about the collar, I really liked it. My only beef about it is was sometimes tough to get in or out of it.
Fred

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Alright then... throw most of what I said out the window... but keep the parts about the dry suits with the latex being a bit uncomfortable. Semi-dry suits are great if the water temperature isn't too cold. Dry Suits are great if the water get's cold, but they certainly have their limitations. First among them is cost. If you can't afford the equipment to be out in the really cold stuff, then it's always best to stay away.

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Agreed augaug
I'll still stand behind the semi dry, in 3 season weather (as proven) on the West Coast of Canada. I bought the full dry suit for winter kayaking. When we went to Arizona, I almost passed out from the heat on Lake Havasu. I had intended to use it on the Colorado near the Grand Canyon.
It never worked out that way...sadly.
Best Regards to you augaug
Trinomite

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Again augaug
If someone takes my suggestions and I make an error, I'd rather fess up than have someone risk their health (and possibly their life due to hypothermia).
My apologies again. Yet the info was correct as was your's, the semi dry is a great suit, and semi dry means at the lowest level rating of the suit. I've jumped into the ocean at 54 degrees with proper layers and did not get wet even after a 10 minute soak.
I did notice though, that in strong winds, and wave action in winter conditions, the suit did leave a few gaps that caused me concern.

May I mention, though, that the Ocean Rodeo line of 'almost drysuits' is used by surfers on the west coast of Vancouver Island, who have had nothing but great regards for them.

http://oceanrodeo.com/drysuits/surfdry

(We all have different comfort levels of warm and cold as individuals. It may take some time and effort to get the layer system down just right)

Best to you all
Trinomite

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

On the same topic of cold weather clothing...

If you have traded in your larger sailing vessel or power yacht for any Kayak, the `Rough Weather`gear you may still have left over is not suitable for the purposes of keeping yourself dry and warm on any kayak.
Not only that fact but rough weather gear is intended for a vessel that has high freeboard and is designed to keep you from wave hits and to keep the rain off of you.
Considering that a kayak of any kind is near and close to the water, you need to consider water right clothing such as a wetsuit and or a drysuit to keep you warm and on the other side of hypothermia in very cold conditions.
The danger of using a rough weather suit on a kayak, is that they can fill with water to impede your ability for self rescue in case of an overturn.
This also applies to the AI or TI level of boats.
A suit filled with frigid water will suck the heat out of your inner core`and cause a loss of buoyancy even if you use a PFD.
There are many products that are available to you that will serve you very well.

Look at what Expedition Kayakers, Surfers, Kite Boarders, Wind Surfers use in harsh cold conditions.

Just as a suggestion from an ex yacht owner.

Safety first, always
Trinomite

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'