Question: How Do Cold Water Kayakers Keep Warm And Dry ?

[Capt Brady Bounds]

What does a correctly outfitted kayak angler wear to stay warm and dry in coldwater ?

[CB kayak 02]

layers, waders with booties and dry top.

other way is a dry suit, but they can be pricey

[MDFishin]

I went the past to days here in Salisbury, once on the Nanticoke and twice on the Wicomico. Yesterday was plenty warm however today got chilly around 3. I have just started to get into cold water kayak fishing, and Im on a college student budget so keep that in mind for me attire.

I wear waterproof pants and layer underneath that as necessary. Under Armour is very nice because it drys super fast. I wear a nice waterproof jacket with layers underneath. For footwear I wear my scuba diving neoprene booties, if cold I put on wool socks underneath. I KNOW that if its cold and I do go in I will not be fishing anymore I will be going home. Let me also add I havent gone more than 2 miles from my launch site, and I keep a dry spare set of clothes in a dry bag in the hatch. If it was extremely cold (i probably wouldnt fish) but I could simply paddle to shore and change into my spares to avoid hypothermia problems while paddling back to my launch.

All that being said the past two days were awesome! Never once complained about the cold, I did add a layer today however.

[MetroMan]

UnderArmor type base layer. Personally, I avoid the actual under armor brand name, as it is over priced IMO. Get the "champion" brand from target

Over than I wear a layer of sweatpants. Sometimes nylon...fleece if it's really cold.

Over tha I wear my waders. Anything more than these layers, I overheat. Neoprene gloves, and a good hat...all set.

As far as keeping dry, the waders work well for miscellaneous sprays and splashes. Otherwise, I just try my best not to fall in lol

[kevinfry]

Here is my low budget cold weather gear. The Columbia splash jacket is an incredible deal at under $100.00

[ronaultmtd]

I went all day today on the water with just a pair of pants and breathable stocking foot waders over them, under armor long sleeve underwear and a long sleeve Tshirt- at 3 PM the cloud cover stopped the warm sun and winds made me put on my NRS dry top to knock down the wind chill- most of the day I was comfortable-until the clouds blocked the sun- as soon as I put my dry top on I was snug and warm again- any more clothes and I overheat-

[ictalurus]

Hi Captain,

There are a couple threads about this that are worth checking out:

http://www.snaggedline.com/showthread.php?t=2755

http://www.snaggedline.com/showthread.php?t=2259

http://www.snaggedline.com/showthread.php?t=607

I wear either a breathable dry top and breathable waders or a dry suit. My dry suit has had some issues lately, so I haven't been wearing it.

As my base layer, I have a variety of fleece, wool, or polypro thermal tops and bottoms. My favorite set is made by Kenyon and is made from a material called "Outlast", which does an excellent job of heat management between paddling and sitting and fishing. As my outer layer, I have various wool or dense, quick-drying nylon shirts and pants that I select in combination with the base layer depending on the weather and type of fishing I plan on doing. If I'm paddling a lot (trolling), I'll dress lighter. If I'm sitting and casting a lot, I'll dress warmer. My selection also depends upon how sunny and windy it is.

I'm a big fan of wool, but my mother-in-law bought me a really nice fleece shirt that might have changed my mind. The fleece is lighter and easier to move in than my wool shirt or my heavier nylon shirts, and I don't seem to sweat as much. I'm thinking of getting a pair of fleece hunting pants to wear instead of my wool pants. One reason I preferred wool is that it seems to block the wind better, but since my dry top and waders do that, the fleece seems like a better choice. Wool insulates even when wet, but fleece can be shaken out so that it's nearly dry (my fleece stuff comes out of the washer almost dry).

[Southerly]

i stay warm and dry by not falling in. but in case i do, i dress for the water temp. i wear a wetsuit and neoprene booties and pfd. if i fall in i will float like a cork, have good mobility and some unknown amount of time to straighten myself out. a non-leaking drysuit would offer better protection and comfort if used with sufficient dry layers inside.

i didn't feel like it, but in late december i practiced tipping over and climbing back in about 5 times in a row. i'm confident i can do this in very cold water over and over again. i had forgotten to put the hull plug in so it was sinking the whole time and had taken on 5 or 10 gallons by the time i was done but still had reasonable stability. 2 tests in 1.

overall, it's a weird situation - there are guys out there in jonboats, rubber dinghies etc all winter. they almost never wear pfd's. if they fall in, especially with motor running, their odds are less than avg kayaker, but they have less chance of tipping over their boat.

[jsnyd86]

You've already received some great input but just to drive the point home I add my .02. I have some hunting gear that I probably shouldnt wear away from the hunt, but I do for budgeting purposes and it works great. I do some other outdoor activities and worked in a shop that sold Gore-tex so I learned a bit about proper layers. Im a little passionate about it to because the technology in simple clothes always amazes me. You can put as many layers on as you want but if its not the right stuff it is almost pointless. You dont have to look like a marshmellow man either. First, you want a good base layer. Something like a thin thermal that breathes but will insulate you. Then you want a good mid layer like a heavy fleece. Finally, a shell. Waterproof is best but it gets pricey. you could wear a trash bag but you would sweat horribly and over heat. Water-resistant is lighter on the wallet but will only protect you in the rain (or splashing) for 30 minutes or so depending on how hard its coming down. Dont forget about your legs. These layers apply as well. For me, feet is important only because I do some hunting and hiking. Cold feet and hands are the worst. So just some good fabrics to look into are wool and polyester. Cotton is your worst enemy. I wont wear something that is mostly cotton. A poly/cotton long sleeve is ok if you need an extra layer but at least keep it off your skin (remember the base layer... its magic). Another main objective is staying dry. Even in 70 degree heat, you can get cold when wet. If you're dry, you are warm. So quick drying material is a must(wool). When you paddle you sweat. If that sweat doesnt dry, you get cold. I hope I didnt ramble. I could talk a while about this. I dont have the best gear by any means, but the right idea is a start.

[ronaultmtd]

Yeah, you're right- but I don't wear the heavy-weight Under Armor- I wear the lightest weight- it is super-fast drying, wicks away sweat and keeps me comfortable- base layer next to the skin...and I have the name brand- pricey, I know, but it is very well made and I think it is a good value. I bought the K-Mart brand first and it was cheaply made and didn't last- I wore it but it wasn't as comfortable and didn't fit as well- must be that the Chinese anatomy is different than American...

In a few weeks none of this will matter as the weather will warm quickly, but right now, you better pay attention.

[Meadeo]

Here is my low budget cold weather gear. The Columbia splash jacket is an incredible deal at under $100.00

Love this illustration... The beard is the key the bigger and manlyier the better hah!

Meadeo