I gotta say, your explanation of this subject is probably the best I've watched so far. I Purchased a drysuit for Oregon ocean and deep lake kayak fishing. This is insurance against hypothermia. I am thinking of a thin wetsuit for spring, but maybe that's unnecessary as there would be no benefit. Pushing off, I only get wet up to my shins in 45-degree waters, but I'm not comfortable wearing chest waders or hip waders in case I do flip. I fish rough waters, so I do get wet from white caps and rain. I'm also usually the Lone Ranger on those days. (Not likely to flip in my Old Towne) I do wear comfortable wading boots to protect my drysuit booties. Good content here!
Jealous of your SE warm waters where a dry top is ok for beginners for 1/2 the year. But the PNW, dry top for beginners…..maybe for month of July and August only. Just a little caveat I’d have punctuated a little more for the beginners watching this video. Else, I think you did a fantastic job with covering the spectrum of options for the whole body! Love your videos Boyd! Keep ‘em coming!
Great walk through. Cashmere 🐐 as a base layer is actually 4 times warmer than merino, my friends laugh at me in my Cashmere but it's just an old sweater where the elbows have worn thin so has become my go to base layer, also I use a Cashmere v neck vest, under the thermals, no funky smell and keeps you both cool and warm. UK paddle season is winter btw 🥶
He's so right. I've survived some nasty scrapes with whitewater and hypothermia. I csnnot stress strongly enough how important it is to listen to the people you are with when you start suffering from hypothermia. Your judgement will be one of the first things to go as hypothermia begins. In my experience, hypothermia was the result of a long day on cold water. Try to identify as early as you can whether or not your bodys core temperature is going to become a determining factor in how you conduct your float. Conditions can change, equipment can fail and your body is designed to shed heat. Due to these factors, and countless others that you can't influence, your decision making capability(or lack thereof) can get you in to serious trouble. Just wanted to warn everyone. So dont be afraid to ask for help or take the easier way through or around areas of a river that are going to put you in to serious danger
Just starting to get back into kayaking after 20+ years off (I lost my bottle after a disastrous swim in the Austrian Alps) and it's amazing how long those latex seals can last if kept out of the sun. I dragged a 20 year old dry top out of storage and the wrist and neck seals were still functional. The waistline seems to have shrunk but that may be more down to me being 44, disabled and unfit. Anyway really enjoyed this video and your others as a refresher on stuff I used to know.
I have a cap that I wear in the winter that helps a lot, especially if you spend much time upside down. It has a fleece inner liner and synthetic exterior.
I use a 7 mil wetsuit for the winter, it was good for 8 hour shifts gold dredging in 45°f water, it fine for a cold river run. For a little warmer times a 3 mil farmer john does good.
😂 too bad I’m a medium… so much stuff! I just picked out one of each. I like to alternate drysuits and layer sets so I’m always putting on dry clothes and gear 😂🙈
I don’t wear anything most of the time, but a merino or fleece beanie under your helmet (as long as it doesn’t prevent proper fit for protection) is great. Thanks for watching!
Excellent advice but it only applies to certain types of kayaking, principally white water and sea kayaking where you are certainly going to get wet, including being thrown out of your kayak and/or needing to roll. For those types of kayakers, he is dead on. However, there are a great many kayakers whose environments and situations differ. Kayaking or kayak fishing in calm, protected waters, on days where there is little wind and in very stable kayaks, including many - but not all - inflatable kayaks, do not need 1k dry suits. I really wished he had addressed those kind of situations.
For those situations, you're better off in merino layers or cheap (also heavier) fleece and rain gear as a shell. It doesn't keep you dry if you flip, but you'll stay warm if you get wet. A wetsuit will feel warm while it's dry, fine in the water, but once back out of the water your core can drop too much to warm it so still not a good option for even those more recreational paddling moments. Cheap option though is goodwill synthetic/wool fleece and cheap rain coat and pants. Thanks for watching!
People don't fall in in calm waters? Seems too dangerous, just a 1 second mistake while complacent or a heavy wake and you're done. Unless you're specifically experienced with falling in in that temp with that clothing and know you can handle it. I think the key is to deliberately fall in in a safe environment at that temperature and see how you handle it. If you need help, then you shouldn't go out dressed like that.
I like to use my drysuit with neoprene seals. No leaks. No rips, like the previous suits with latex seals. Divers use neoprene seals, so they must be good enough for paddling.
As a diver too, I can tell you that the neoprene used for diving drysuit applications goes through a special compression process to be more waterproof that paddling neoprene gaskets does not. In paddlesports applications, nothing is as effective as the latex. Thanks for watching!
Dang I wish I had seen this a week ago. I bought a wetsuit thinking I would use it but when it came I knew it wouldn't be comfortable to paddle in so I bought a level six emperor dry suit. I guess I have a wetsuit for summer now.
Check out the La sportiva tx Canyon shoes for footwear. They’re supposed to be great for Canyoneering and draining water. Pricey but I’ve heard nothing but great things.
I've heard great things too, but they have a similar issue as FiveTen on the glue. I've been breaking in a set of Arc'Teryx shoes and I'm loving them. I've also found random Adidas options with Stealth rubber too, and their glue is great. I don't why FiveTen doesn't just solve such an easy problem.
Possible option for the ladies - carry a "SheWee" type device and you can use a men's style dry suit. This opens up more options and allows you to not have to deal with the hassles created by some of the more complex zipper systems. I'm a dude but I know several women, including my wife, who have found these "pee funnels" to be game changers in the outdoors! Obviously I can't speak to this myself but might be something to check out.
I will have to check out that wool, you have any links to it, I have issue with over heating. I use a 2 piece Palm Zenith system, pants and top, I do carry an XL 5mm Short, front zip wet suite for emergency and thermal blanket.
Boyd, I’m about to take the plunge and buy a dry suit, which I just discovered this week. While it appears that you do not necessarily endorse product lines, could you please recommend the best brand and where to purchase? By the way, I just discovered your channel and found it to be extremely informative. Thank you.
I just bought a kokatat hydrus 3.0 semi dry suit. I’ve seen one RUclips channel that was very critical of this brand and model, and very critical of kokatat’s customer service. All of the other channels I’ve found seem to rate the suit good and the company’s customer service as excellent. Do you have any experiences with this company that you would be willing to share?
top brands to look at are NRS, IR, Kokatat, Level 6, HKO, Sandyline, Palm, Peak UK, and Sweet. Used is okay if you’re careful, but care and maintenance is important. 🤙🏻
yak wool is warmer, more expensive, and less versatile so it really depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. Merino is a better temperature regulator because it can also cool. Yak tends to be warmer even when that isn't what you want. hope this helps 🤙
I go a 1/2 size up typically… I’m 8.5 and buy a 9 for paddling. That includes wool socks, the drysuit booties and thin neoprene socks that I wear over those to protect the booties, something I wish I mentioned in the video. 🤙🏻 great question.
Just spend $1,000 on a dry suit. Not the option for most people. I kayak fish in calm waters. Get some cheap waders and a waterproof jacket. Wear thermals under in winter
Hypothermia isn't really the concern.. that misses the key danger of cold water shock which is instant. You're probably more likely to seize up and drown well before you get hypothermia. It kind of scares me how widespread this lack of knowledge is. Search 'cold water safety'.
I swear I could listen to you talk about tea spoons. You have such a soothing voice.
🙏
I gotta say, your explanation of this subject is probably the best I've watched so far. I Purchased a drysuit for Oregon ocean and deep lake kayak fishing. This is insurance against hypothermia. I am thinking of a thin wetsuit for spring, but maybe that's unnecessary as there would be no benefit. Pushing off, I only get wet up to my shins in 45-degree waters, but I'm not comfortable wearing chest waders or hip waders in case I do flip. I fish rough waters, so I do get wet from white caps and rain. I'm also usually the Lone Ranger on those days. (Not likely to flip in my Old Towne) I do wear comfortable wading boots to protect my drysuit booties. Good content here!
Jealous of your SE warm waters where a dry top is ok for beginners for 1/2 the year. But the PNW, dry top for beginners…..maybe for month of July and August only. Just a little caveat I’d have punctuated a little more for the beginners watching this video. Else, I think you did a fantastic job with covering the spectrum of options for the whole body! Love your videos Boyd! Keep ‘em coming!
Great walk through. Cashmere 🐐 as a base layer is actually 4 times warmer than merino, my friends laugh at me in my Cashmere but it's just an old sweater where the elbows have worn thin so has become my go to base layer, also I use a Cashmere v neck vest, under the thermals, no funky smell and keeps you both cool and warm. UK paddle season is winter btw 🥶
good to know! I think if I did that I'd bake
He's so right. I've survived some nasty scrapes with whitewater and hypothermia. I csnnot stress strongly enough how important it is to listen to the people you are with when you start suffering from hypothermia. Your judgement will be one of the first things to go as hypothermia begins. In my experience, hypothermia was the result of a long day on cold water. Try to identify as early as you can whether or not your bodys core temperature is going to become a determining factor in how you conduct your float. Conditions can change, equipment can fail and your body is designed to shed heat. Due to these factors, and countless others that you can't influence, your decision making capability(or lack thereof) can get you in to serious trouble. Just wanted to warn everyone. So dont be afraid to ask for help or take the easier way through or around areas of a river that are going to put you in to serious danger
Just starting to get back into kayaking after 20+ years off (I lost my bottle after a disastrous swim in the Austrian Alps) and it's amazing how long those latex seals can last if kept out of the sun. I dragged a 20 year old dry top out of storage and the wrist and neck seals were still functional. The waistline seems to have shrunk but that may be more down to me being 44, disabled and unfit. Anyway really enjoyed this video and your others as a refresher on stuff I used to know.
I’ve definitely had a waist line shrink on me before too, usually after Thanksgiving 😂. Thanks for watching!
Nice video, well done, very informative and lots of good advice. Thanks
thanks for watching!
I find headliners to be a key piece of my cold weather paddling gear. They are great for helping regulate your temp.
I have a cap that I wear in the winter that helps a lot, especially if you spend much time upside down. It has a fleece inner liner and synthetic exterior.
I use a 7 mil wetsuit for the winter, it was good for 8 hour shifts gold dredging in 45°f water, it fine for a cold river run.
For a little warmer times a 3 mil farmer john does good.
Got a lot of dry suits there bud! Got an extra XL to give a way to your favorite fan ;P
😂 too bad I’m a medium… so much stuff! I just picked out one of each. I like to alternate drysuits and layer sets so I’m always putting on dry clothes and gear 😂🙈
This channel is awesome kid!
☝️🍋
Excellent!
Really good video! What do you wear for your head in colder rivers and temperatures?
I don’t wear anything most of the time, but a merino or fleece beanie under your helmet (as long as it doesn’t prevent proper fit for protection) is great. Thanks for watching!
Excellent advice but it only applies to certain types of kayaking, principally white water and sea kayaking where you are certainly going to get wet, including being thrown out of your kayak and/or needing to roll. For those types of kayakers, he is dead on. However, there are a great many kayakers whose environments and situations differ. Kayaking or kayak fishing in calm, protected waters, on days where there is little wind and in very stable kayaks, including many - but not all - inflatable kayaks, do not need 1k dry suits. I really wished he had addressed those kind of situations.
For those situations, you're better off in merino layers or cheap (also heavier) fleece and rain gear as a shell. It doesn't keep you dry if you flip, but you'll stay warm if you get wet. A wetsuit will feel warm while it's dry, fine in the water, but once back out of the water your core can drop too much to warm it so still not a good option for even those more recreational paddling moments. Cheap option though is goodwill synthetic/wool fleece and cheap rain coat and pants. Thanks for watching!
People don't fall in in calm waters? Seems too dangerous, just a 1 second mistake while complacent or a heavy wake and you're done. Unless you're specifically experienced with falling in in that temp with that clothing and know you can handle it.
I think the key is to deliberately fall in in a safe environment at that temperature and see how you handle it. If you need help, then you shouldn't go out dressed like that.
I like to use my drysuit with neoprene seals. No leaks. No rips, like the previous suits with latex seals. Divers use neoprene seals, so they must be good enough for paddling.
As a diver too, I can tell you that the neoprene used for diving drysuit applications goes through a special compression process to be more waterproof that paddling neoprene gaskets does not. In paddlesports applications, nothing is as effective as the latex. Thanks for watching!
@@CleanLineKayaking That's new to me. Thank you!
Awesome advice. Subscribed.
If you were those normal shoes for winter, what kind of socks do you wear to keep warm?
Dang I wish I had seen this a week ago. I bought a wetsuit thinking I would use it but when it came I knew it wouldn't be comfortable to paddle in so I bought a level six emperor dry suit. I guess I have a wetsuit for summer now.
I used a wetsuit surfing in Northern California with my K1 for years and it worked. Farmer Johns in the Pacific are not warm enough.
Check out the La sportiva tx Canyon shoes for footwear. They’re supposed to be great for Canyoneering and draining water. Pricey but I’ve heard nothing but great things.
I've heard great things too, but they have a similar issue as FiveTen on the glue. I've been breaking in a set of Arc'Teryx shoes and I'm loving them. I've also found random Adidas options with Stealth rubber too, and their glue is great. I don't why FiveTen doesn't just solve such an easy problem.
Possible option for the ladies - carry a "SheWee" type device and you can use a men's style dry suit. This opens up more options and allows you to not have to deal with the hassles created by some of the more complex zipper systems. I'm a dude but I know several women, including my wife, who have found these "pee funnels" to be game changers in the outdoors! Obviously I can't speak to this myself but might be something to check out.
I will have to check out that wool, you have any links to it, I have issue with over heating. I use a 2 piece Palm Zenith system, pants and top, I do carry an XL 5mm Short, front zip wet suite for emergency and thermal blanket.
worth checking out for sure!
What should you wear on your bottom half if you are going for the dry top option in the cold?... neoprene leggings?
Boyd, I’m about to take the plunge and buy a dry suit, which I just discovered this week. While it appears that you do not necessarily endorse product lines, could you please recommend the best brand and where to purchase? By the way, I just discovered your channel and found it to be extremely informative. Thank you.
I just bought a kokatat hydrus 3.0 semi dry suit. I’ve seen one RUclips channel that was very critical of this brand and model, and very critical of kokatat’s customer service. All of the other channels I’ve found seem to rate the suit good and the company’s customer service as excellent. Do you have any experiences with this company that you would be willing to share?
Could you recommend 3 dry suit brands? Not sure about the cheaper made in China suits. Would rather pay more for something that would last.
top brands to look at are NRS, IR, Kokatat, Level 6, HKO, Sandyline, Palm, Peak UK, and Sweet. Used is okay if you’re careful, but care and maintenance is important. 🤙🏻
Thanks! I went with Level 6 as they have a 45% off sale. @@CleanLineKayaking
Cold??? Can't even see your breath, Boyd! ;-)
What of yak wool? It's supposedly better than merino.
yak wool is warmer, more expensive, and less versatile so it really depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. Merino is a better temperature regulator because it can also cool. Yak tends to be warmer even when that isn't what you want. hope this helps 🤙
What size river shoes above your normal shoe size do you wear when wearing a dry suit with thin socks?
I go a 1/2 size up typically… I’m 8.5 and buy a 9 for paddling. That includes wool socks, the drysuit booties and thin neoprene socks that I wear over those to protect the booties, something I wish I mentioned in the video. 🤙🏻 great question.
@@CleanLineKayaking thank you very much for responding and all of your instructional videos
Just spend $1,000 on a dry suit. Not the option for most people. I kayak fish in calm waters. Get some cheap waders and a waterproof jacket. Wear thermals under in winter
Don't ever use a rain suit learned that the hard way lol
Hypothermia isn't really the concern.. that misses the key danger of cold water shock which is instant. You're probably more likely to seize up and drown well before you get hypothermia.
It kind of scares me how widespread this lack of knowledge is. Search 'cold water safety'.
While cold water shock is serious and affects more people statistically, Hypothermia is absolutely a concern in the sport of whitewater kayaking…