Common Sense
Conditions determine any paddle.
fitness paddling is usually in easy condtions. if you go out far from shore or face rough water. use your head!!!
If it is really crappy go to the gym or if you want to train seriously get a speed stroke from kayak Pro. it is just as good as any outdoor fitness paddle!
Training with lots of gear on is bulky and throws off your stroke and rythmn.
For me dressing up like the kid with a snow suit on is a waste of time for serious paddling. much better off in a gym or Cross country skiing.
Cheers Dan
Depends on how serious your are about training!!
Instead of blowing smoke and making
– Last Updated: Oct-07-09 3:57 PM EST –
all your nonsense safety remarks, why don't you go back and read the OP' post!
If he buys a dry suit, it will be a waste of money, because after the first day he wears it it will hang in his closet unused.
Cheers,
JackL
I Agree…
if you gonna go for fitness, hit the gym instead. Better workout and safer.
Drysuits are only dry for lilydippers. Anything beyond an easy pace, you’re soaked.
sing
It will hang in his closet unused when
he has died from hypothermia. One could make the argument that paddling close to shore is for lily dippers. Spare me your bravado an stop giving people who might be reading this the impression that it is ok to NOT DRESS FOR IMMERSION. Are fitness paddlers so very tough by nature that water temperature does not apply to them. I think I stated my case clearly as far as understanding the risk is concerned,you choose to hear only what you want so that you can have something to rant about. What are the conditions? Period! Bill
better workout?
I think whether the gym or paddling is a better workout is contingent on the ability of the paddler and the goal of the workout. If weather is too severe to do the desired workout on the water properly then the gym or the erg is definitely preferred.
I Think That’s What Murn Posted And
that I agreed with.
sing
Sporthill 3sp top
Ditto on this top- best one I own by far for X-country skiing, biking in cool weather etc. Warm, windproof in front, warm and very breathable in the back. Almost cried when I thought I’d lost it once.
Peter
“Bravado” has nothing to do with it
Read a few of the other posters reply and then get some common sense.
I won’t comment to you any more since I am just wasting my time.
JackL
You are right, trying to convince me
paddlers should not dress for immersion is a waste of your time. I love the way an OP ask’s for opinions or feedback, and all you want to do is criticize the opinions offered. I’ll offer my opinion and you can offer yours. Why do you feel the need to critique? I noticed the same beligerance in the sexual harassment post from you as well. What’s the matter Jack? You can’t play nice? Bill
Paddling here it is dry suit or Darwin
In Newfoundland sweat can freeze inside the suit.
I don’t paddle to stay fit but rather to chase bergs, whales, seal, dodge ice flows and the likes.
If it is simply a sweat you want to get going this is an unsafe environment.
Here getting ashore is not the same as getting out, Our last rescue involved a radio call to coast guard and a jet boat. Hypothermia hit anyway and it was summer.
In short here a dry suit or an exersize bike.
Alex
You’re screwed
If you overheat in 30s wearing what you stated, you can’t protect your ears and sinuses from the shock they’d get from an unexpected dunking in frigid water. Never mind the whole drysuit or not question–your HEAD cannot be kept comfortably cool while still preventing some horrible things from happening if you capsize.
Note that I said “frigid water”. Not 55-degree water, or 50, or even 45. But “frigid” as in 30-something degree water. Have you ever held your bare hand in 30-something water? Now imagine your bare head in the same. Better yet, try it yourself by standing in the water and putting your head into the water. Remember that this little test is something you expect and are mentally bracing yourself for, so it’s a best-case scenario.
I think the land-based exercise is a better alternative unless you can stand some sweating inside a drysuit. And I’ll get shot down for saying this, but a Gore-tex drysuit that is dry or only slightly damp except under the gasketed places WILL make your torso sweaty when you wear a PFD (which blocks the sweat from moving out and evaporating into the air). So then you get to choose, “Wear a PFD in winter or not?” Not a great choice to be toying with (and I HATE wearing a PFD).
pfd with dry suit
You don’t really need a pfd if you are wearing a dry suit. The dry suit will keep you floating like a cork because of all the trapped air in your clothing. I always carry a pfd with me, as a SECOND line of defense, but RARELY wear it with the dry suit. Sometimes I will put it on if I am feeling too cool.
I "choose "to wear a pfd at all times.
I “feel” that if it is necessary to wear a drysuit, it is necessary to wear a pfd. All safety gear is a matter of choice, like a long list of other personal choices. I can imagine many situations where a stored pfd could result in a drowning, and thus “I choose” to wear a pfd at all times. I see Freya does not wear hers and she of all people is probably pretty darn good at calculating risk. Everything here is an expression of opinion and personal choice. As long as your choices don’t affect me or my freedoms, paddle anyway you want. I am here offering an opinion.
Bill
Dry suit and no PFD is a bad combo
My dry suit gaskets blew out while windsurfing years ago. Windsurfers don’t wear PFD’s. What a mistake. Now I wear neoprene to dress for immersion.
Dressing for immersion is a funny thing, because it depends on how long you plan on being immersed. In the winter I mostly paddle shallow rivers, so immersion times could be up to 60 seconds until you stand up.
In my winter testing I’ve found that I can be comfortably warm but overall and still have my hands become useless after five minutes in the freezing water. I’ve never used a dry suit in conditions this cold so I don’t know if it would be any better for my hands.
True, which is why…
on the last real winter paddle I did, I skipped wearing the PFD.
More recently, I tried on a kid’s PFD. It fit very well and the foam appeared to be more than adequate to float me despite its being rated to only 90 lbs. It dawned on me that as long as it does float me, what does it matter? It’s not like the PFD-enforcement types are going to weigh me! I could tell them I weigh 89 lbs or some other BS.
Gotta run…ask a kid if I can try on his PFD in the water, LOL.
I have
– Last Updated: Oct-08-09 4:33 PM EST –
I have used a dry suit in 30 degree air/icy water. I have rolled in icy water, and floated around in my dry suit with no pfd in icy water. It's pretty comfortable except for your hands and head. I use a hydroskin/neoprene hood, but the ice water still seeps into my ears/sinuses.
I think the only way to protect your hands for long immersion in ice water would be dry gloves.
You will always “float”
Thanks again…
for all of the replies and opinions. I’m still a bit undecided but I’m thinking that a drysuit may not be my best option. My winter paddling is done on lakes, close to shore, where rescue from a capsize usually means standing up and walking 25-30ft to shore. I need some protection from the cold water but a full drysuit may be a bit of overkill for my situation.
What are you doing for gasp reflex?
If you capsize and inhale a lot of water, the insulation or lack thereof is a secondary matter.