Vortex is the way to go if at all possible. After 8-9 years they sent me a new suit for the cost of me shipping it to them one-way.
How cold do air and water get by you SW?
The Kokatat is a drysuit. It has latex seals with a protective neo cover.
@Steveey said:
The Kokatat is a drysuit. It has latex seals with a protective neo cover.
My bad. Steveey is correct. The Kokatat is a dry suit, not paddling suit.
I live in Louisiana where it gets in the mid to upper 30’s Fahrenheit at the coldest and on average in the mid 40’s Fahrenheit around November up into about February I am not sure how cold the water gets…so not much of a Winter but still it does get cold. A dry suit may be overkill but I do need some gear to keep warm during those Months…perhaps just a separate dry top and dry bottom pants and then wear what Paddledog recommended such as a polartec liner underneath? Sounds like this would be much cheaper.
I’ll try talking to some fellow Louisianaian Kayakers next week when I go kayaking again and see if they have any recommendations but I must say…not many people in Louisiana like to Kayak during the colder Months…me I LOVE the cold Months this would be my favorite time of the year.
Here are some coastal water temperatures estimates for LA: https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/egof.html
You can get water temps for the Missippi at Baton Rouge at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=07374000. I pulled up for end of January last year and it was around 40F.
@SilentWaters
You’re dressing for the water temp, not the air temp, so it’s important to know what the water temperature is.
Where do you paddle? Ocean? Large lakes? Rivers?
I paddle in swamp areas mostly as swamp tours are my favorite…we call these the “Bayous” but sometimes the lake as well.
Probably not below 60° water temp I would think?
@PaddleDog52 said:
Probably not below 60° water temp I would think?
A couple fishing sites state bayous can get down to 40F in the winter. In the mid to high 50s in February.
@Rookie said:
@PaddleDog52 said:
Probably not below 60° water temp I would think?A couple fishing sites state bayous can get down to 40F in the winter. In the mid to high 50s in February.
That means drysuit to me
Just remember that its the underlayer that prevents hypothermia, so that will vary depending on conditons. In Louisiana you might get by with pretty light underlayers part of the winter, but not in really frigid waters.
Wouldna them thea’ gators git ya 'fore the chill do kill ya?
(Pathetic attempt at New Orleans accent in text… :neutral: )
Gators probably can’t move in the cold like bugs
Someone should make gatorsuits. Doesnt do much good to stay warm and dry if you’re gator food.
@qajaqman said:
Someone should make gatorsuits. Doesnt do much good to stay warm and dry if you’re gator food.
Gators like hot food!
Plus your comfortable till you’re done. although guess you’re better numb.
Alligators hide in their dens during the Winter…and yes the waters get very cold during the Winter…I’ll be doing a Kayaking trip this coming Monday with a professional…I would think he would know what equipment I should buy. I can’t wait. ::
Hard for us to give a specific answer, as I am not sure we are clear about what temps you will see and for how long (is it a week a year, or months). And your preference for materials and such.
To make it more confusing, you also have the option of getting a wet suit and paddle jacket. Quite a bit cheaper. 3mm farmer John is standard for wet suit, but 2 mm and/or shorty type are options if you dont get real cold. Pay the extra for a relief zip. Wet suits keep you warm, but don’t stop wind chill, which is why you want a paddle jacket.
I guess (as someone who hasn’t been to your neck of the woods), I have trouble understand how cold it can get in LA. Just not believing water temps can get into 30s or 40s.
I don’t think they do. I have paddled in LA in Feb and while mornings are chilly the water temps are never in the 40’s. I paddled Atchafalaya and the north side of Ponchartrain by Mandeville… NOAA shows an absolute minimum water temp of 54.in Feb.
If you feel you need a drysuit ( which would extend your paddling range further north) consider Mythic Dry Suits
https://www.mythicdrysuits.com/
The owner believes everyone in Maine needs a drysuit on the water and has made his market the weekend paddler. Not for guides who live in them year round but they hold up for the vast majority of us.
We are extremely humid…meaning when we do get cold Winters we are sometimes in the teens…not every year it gets cold but when it does it is absolutely freezing…and that includes the water. We actually have snow every year now which is insane. I have a lot to think about here and like I said this pro kayaker I’ll be going out with this coming week can probably give me some good advice.