How about this one?
http://www.nrs.com/product/22151/nrs-30-farmer-john-wetsuit-closeout
Is this all I’ll need or will I still need hand and foot gear? $72 is very reasonable.
Spend the extra 30$ and get the 3.0 nrs farmer john ultra. It’s way more comfortable and warmer because it’s lined with this cozy vapor lock material. Great wetsuit!
@Ohioguy25 said:
Damn that’s crazy where is that?
Kenai Lake Alaska
And what kind of boat is that?
Northwest Sportee
Where’s Paris? Home in front of the fireplace, I hope.
Ohioguy: wetsuit booties are about $30 a pair, like this pair from “Deep See”.
http://www.amazon.com/Deep-See-Atlantic-6-5mm-Dive/dp/B0124S6EP0
Scuba shops sell them. And Glacier Gloves will keep your hands warm:
Wear a hat, too. You lose more heat through your head and neck than any other part of your body.
But don’t go out AT ALL until you have been able to practice getting back into your boat out in water over your head. It is not as easy as people think it will be, and if you are cold it is even more difficult. Resist the temptation to take out your new kayak until the water is warm enough to swim comfortably in next Spring. If you really want to “use” it before then, take it out “sledding” to a golf once we get enough snow cover.
One comment. OP mentioned waiting till spring. Just keep in mind spring isn’t exactly safe as you think. The water after a cold winter takes quite a while to warm up. I have seen paddlers paddling in May on a nice warm air temp day thinking they were perfectly safe wearing shorts and a t shirt. What they were clueless about was the water was still about 45f. That’s cold water and even on a day at 75F air temp that water will kill quite quickly in open water. Just thought I would mention that so you might want to buy a wetsuit for the spring.
@dc9mm said:
Just keep in mind spring isn’t exactly safe as you think. The water after a cold winter takes quite a while to warm up.
Excellent point. You see it every year, the 3 guys out in the canoe without PFDs paddling a few days after the last ice. Heck, it’s got to be at least 15 deg. C, which after MINUS 15 deg. C feels really freakin’ warm! But alas, that water is deadly cold.
Spring is the hardest time of the year for me to dress for, and a major reason why I was so set on learning to roll comfortably. Staying wet helps me to have a comfortable paddle in these conditions, despite having to dress for the water.
In the spring I would not be in the water unprotected till about May 15 in the water surrounding Long Island. You need to know the temps of the water by you. Even a cheap thermometer can tell you that. 60* would be the max for me with out my dry suit. Even at 60* you should use a wet suit. Do yourself a favor and get in the water safety near shore with a spotter and stay submerged 5 minutes and see how it feels. Get in a cold shower and check the feeling. Remember you body will protect it’s self by shutting down circulation and bring blood by to you core / heart area. This has given people heart attacks from the rushing blood exerting pressure on their heart. There are a few web sites and youtube videos to read and watch. Spend 1 hour learning and you will see and KNOW the dangers of cold water paddling. You get one life same to waste it as many do due to lack of knowledge or respect for the water. Find some one in a club to go out with also until you get some cold weather experience. Better to be 5 months late paddling than just going once because you died.
@willowleaf said:
Where’s Paris? Home in front of the fireplace, I hope.
She was not mine then. Still, ya gotta put the little bitch on ice sometimes
“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”.
LOTS of great advice & tips here! Hope the OP pays heed.
Thanks everyone, I am now definitely NOT going out tomorrow as tempted as I am. I appreciate all of the great advice and information. Seeing how experienced and knowledgable people here are makes me wonder if I shouldn’t have held off on buying a boat until I had paddled a few and researched some more. I’d like to think I got the best for my current needs but I’m worried it won’t be long before I want better performance and care less about fishing and lazy river paddling/cabrewing.
But I think come April you will be sorely tempted… And April is crueller than Nov for water temps… If you can bust a good deal on a wetsuit it will be useful for many years to come…
You can also mitgate cold weather concerns by starting on flat currentless water and keep close to shore, where you can easily tow the boat to shore… Rec Kayaks are notoriously difficult to drain on the water.
You need to flip a boat to see how far you can push it. Never gone over means you are unprepared for winter boating. Do most of my paddling from december to June. Always assume you will go over even if you haven’t lost it in years. i
Snow and Ice is why I live in Florida.
@Ohioguy25 said:
Thanks everyone, I am now definitely NOT going out tomorrow as tempted as I am. I appreciate all of the great advice and information. Seeing how experienced and knowledgable people here are makes me wonder if I shouldn’t have held off on buying a boat until I had paddled a few and researched some more. I’d like to think I got the best for my current needs but I’m worried it won’t be long before I want better performance and care less about fishing and lazy river paddling/cabrewing.
Wait…What???
After multiple threads asking folks what kayak you should get, and hundreds of responses giving you advice on what kayak to get, and three damaged deliveries from Amazon, you finally have the boat of your dreams. Now you’re second guessing your choice without even putting the boat in the water & paddling it. Seriously?
As soon as it warms up, put that kayak in the water and paddle. Dress appropriately for the conditions, pick a safe location, and paddle with friends. Then continue to paddle your butt off all summer and get some experience. By the end of the summer make a decision…keep it because it fits your needs, or sell it & buy a better kayak. Or like most of us buy another kayak and keep the first one as a loaner. I currently have 2 rafts & 2 kayaks at my house, and over the last 20 years have owned a total of 8 rafts & kayaks.
?? Sigh not worth the time… Clearly to me kayaking isn’t in the plans. Looking cool is. What is cabrewing?
You can get a hell of a workout in a slug boat and you can learn a lot of tecnique in a less than sexy boat.