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wet suits?
- Thread starter Chansta
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Wets suits are for survival, not comfort. Also, they offer little warmth until wet through a,d heated up by body heat. I hope that yours is comfortable enough to paddle in.
They are not windproof. Wear a wind blocking jacket over it. They will add warmth when dry as there is dead air trapped in there. When wet they need to be snug to be effective in mimimizing body heat loss.
There are several wetsuit designs . Some aren't for paddling and some are designed for paddling.
There are several wetsuit designs . Some aren't for paddling and some are designed for paddling.
Kathleen and I wore wetsuits for many years. In British Columbia, where we did most of our paddling, the rivers were fed primarily by snow packs and glaciers. The water never warmed up, even in summer. A capsize literally took one’s breath away. With other canoe club members, we got a deal from Brooks Wetsuits in North Vancouver. The suits were custom made to fit snugly, but still allow movement while paddling. A little bit hard to get on and off, but they were very effective. One can still get cold, though. One snowy winter day on the Capilano River in West Vancouver, I had a rare, for me, two-capsize day, after which I was feeling cold. Would have been much worse without the wet suit, though. I eventually bought a dry suit, as I was paddling year round. Although expensive, the dry suit made winter paddling that much more enjoyable.
We still have our wetsuits, which are now about 30 years old. I think they would still be effective if we still had our bodies of thirty years ago. They are no longer hard to get on. Pretty much like impossible to get on. Sigh.
We still have our wetsuits, which are now about 30 years old. I think they would still be effective if we still had our bodies of thirty years ago. They are no longer hard to get on. Pretty much like impossible to get on. Sigh.
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If you do a lot of paddling in cold water environment like we do up here in the Yukon, a dry suit is the way to go, they are expensive and you should get a good quality one, I just use Kokatat cause they are the very best! Mine is now close to 10 years old and half of that was using it professionally teaching ww paddling and swift water rescue courses. Anyway, if you paddle a lot you will get tired of the wet suit pretty quick!! But it will keep you away from hypothermia in case of a capsize! There is lots of drysuits used in goo conditions for grab on the various outdoor gear buy and sell of the net maybe you can keep an eye open....
I recently took a swiftwater rescue certification course. Drysuits and boots were provided for students. Mine, at least, worked pretty good and kept me warm and dry and it was comfortable to swim in, but the rubber cuff seals on wrists and ankles were very tight. I later looked into buying my own drysuit, but the cheapest ones worth considering started at around $1000 and up from there. Some students had their own,of different makes, but the instructors' specialized suits ran to $2000+.
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If you buy a dry suit always buy it with sock/feet, never handle gasket!!!
I just can't afford a dry suit. The purpose of my wet suit is just for some sort of protection in the event that I dump. I want to keep doing off season paddling because that's the time of year I don't have to compete with bass boats and fair weather campers.
Now I'm trying to determine if the suit I ordered, which is only 2 mm thick (from NRS) is worth keeping or if I should return it...
Now I'm trying to determine if the suit I ordered, which is only 2 mm thick (from NRS) is worth keeping or if I should return it...
Paddling wetsuits are not often over 3 mm. You get thicker and you will have less freedom of movement. If you are concerned about chafing get a NRS Hydroskin to go underneath. It will also give you a little more warmth. And very useful if your wetsuit is of the Farmer John type.
G
Guest
Guest
I used to use a wetsuit for winter day paddles. Put it on at home and left it on till got home. It was never real comfortable, but it would save my life. I later got a drysuit for cold weather canoe camping because I froze when taking off the wetsuit at camp and putting it back in to leave.
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I paddle year round on Buzzard's Bay in southern Massachusetts and have several thickness wetsuits and a drysuit. The drysuit is really the prefered option when the water and air temperatures drop. Right now the water is 45 degrees which is drysuit or heavy wetsuit conditions. My thick wetsuit is an O'Neil 4/3, it is a bit restrictive but workable for paddling. If you go the wetsuit option, yellowcanoe's advise to add layers underneath and over definitely helps. Appropriate foot, hand and head wear also go a long way to staying warm and comfortable. I always wear a rash guard underneath to reduce chafing and add some warmth. I will add my summer paddling jacket over for additional warmth. I have tried the wetsuits and drysuit in the water down to about 35 degrees. I would say the 4/3 wetsuit is comfortable in 50 degree water and would make 40 degree water survivable if your not in too long. My 1.5 mm wetsuit is too thin for water below 50 degrees. Hope this helps.
Tom
Tom
So... it sounds like the wet suit would save my life if needed. Iḿ mainly wearing it as a life saving device in the event that I dump. My paddle trips off season would be flat water, close to shore, short trips from my camp site out to the water to fish or just to have the paddle in the water. I will always wear a PFD and always bring a dry bag full of extra clothes.
The wet suit I ordered is the NRS 2 mm farmer john 2.0. If I can add to it, Iĺl keep it for spring paddles and add another layer underneath...
The wet suit I ordered is the NRS 2 mm farmer john 2.0. If I can add to it, Iĺl keep it for spring paddles and add another layer underneath...
So, wetsuits, drysuits, etc. I paddle year round, and have taught cold water paddling workshops for our club. The biggest message we try to get across is that you need to swim your gear to know how well it will work. Find a nice safe place you can wade in and submerge and still stand up. Put on what you plan to paddle in. Walk in, dunk, and stand there, up to your neck, hands in the water, for the amount of time you think it will take you to rescue yourself or get rescued. Still ok at the end of that? Warm enough to still have hand/finger coordination snough to grip your paddle, undo knots, etc? if so, your gear may be good enough for that water temperature.
Not only do you need a wetsuit or drysuit, but you need foot, head, and hand insulation too.
For shoulder season here in the Maryland bay area (water temps of about 55-65 degrees F), I will wear a farmer john wetsuit with thick polypro or kayaks specific thermal shirt and a paddling jacket, and neoprene boots of some sort. By the time the water temp drops enough for me to need gloves (below 55) I am in a drysuit, under which I am wearing 200-300 level fleece top and tobbom, and warm socks, and a neprene skull cap that covers my ears, along with neoprene gloves.
Your experiences may vary, but the big lesson is to practice swim your gear in the water temps you will be paddling, for the amount of time it will take to rescue yourself or be rescued.
Not only do you need a wetsuit or drysuit, but you need foot, head, and hand insulation too.
For shoulder season here in the Maryland bay area (water temps of about 55-65 degrees F), I will wear a farmer john wetsuit with thick polypro or kayaks specific thermal shirt and a paddling jacket, and neoprene boots of some sort. By the time the water temp drops enough for me to need gloves (below 55) I am in a drysuit, under which I am wearing 200-300 level fleece top and tobbom, and warm socks, and a neprene skull cap that covers my ears, along with neoprene gloves.
Your experiences may vary, but the big lesson is to practice swim your gear in the water temps you will be paddling, for the amount of time it will take to rescue yourself or be rescued.
