We are often asked the question, “What do you wear for cold-weather paddling?” So we thought we’d give you a brief top line of recommendations that work for us.
The short of it: Layer up – that’s the key. A good wicking base microfiber polyester shirt underneath “soft” layers like wool and fleece, aka “insulating layers,” and then finally a “hard” shell top like a jacket – all these go a long way to keeping you warm. Or at least not miserably chilly. Also, intentionally wearing your PFD adds a little extra core warmth to your torso, not to mention safety. And if you have a spray skirt, why not wear that too? Not only will it provide another layer to your torso, it’ll also prevent cold air from entering an otherwise open cockpit. The essential thing is just to layer up in the right materials, and always pack a spare set of clothes in a dry bag in case of an accident.
Here are some more specifics with some examples you’ll find on Amazon (sorry we only linked to Men’s items – we are dudes after all – but if you have trouble finding the appropriate female version, let us know and we’d be happy to direct you to something).
Basic Outfitting
The absolute minimum when water temps have fallen just below normal.
Head
Knit cap (mostly for the ears).
Hands
Water-proof gloves or mittens or fleece mittens inside neoprene mittens.
Feet
Waterproof boots with one or two pairs of thick wool socks, or rubber boot slip-ons over your normal closed-toe shoes.
Torso
Base layer of wool or fleece (or both), a wool sweater or fleece (or two) and a waterproof/water-repellent) jacket.
Legs
Wool or nylon underwear – just nothing cotton. A good wool or fleece base layer (or two), beneath a pair of water-proof or at least water-resistant pants.
Advanced Outfitting
If there’s a likelihood of getting wet (rapids, for example), then the outfit would be totally different and consist of the following:
Head
Neoprene beanie.
Hands
Fleece mittens inside neoprene mittens.
Feet
Neoprene boots and neoprene socks.
Torso
Base layer of wool or fleece (or both) (or together with neoprene rash guard) under a dry suit-style splash jacket.
Legs
Wool or nylon underwear – just nothing cotton. Dry suit-style splash pants over a wool or fleece base layer.
Extreme Outfitting
The is the ideal outfit for any cold-weather paddling.
Body
The “economy” option is wet suit materials, aka neoprene. The pricey but bomb-proof alternative is a one-piece dry suit, typically made of GoreTex or nylon. This, of course, would be paired with wool or fleece base layers. A dry suit is always preferable to a wet suit, especially in cold weather paddling, but we totally get that not everyone can afford a dry suit (including us!). That said, as a rule of thumb, it’s best to “Dress to excess or you’ll catch your death.”
Head
Neoprene beanie.
Hands
Fleece mittens inside neoprene mittens.
Feet
Neoprene boots and neoprene socks.
Amazon Associate Disclosure: To fund MilesPaddled.com, we use Amazon links to earn commissions. It’s not much, but it makes a difference. Links to Amazon create revenue for the site, because as Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. We don’t link to just anything though, it’s almost always something we recommend. We just want to be transparent. Paddle on!
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