I know for sure that I would need a dry suit and a pfd, but what else?
I got lots of questions and I don’t have a kayak friend or mentor so thank you for your wisdom in advance.
I’ll be mostly on calm lakes in BC, Canada. I really want to try Kayaking on icy water.
Glove? Can I use a ski glove? Or is there a kayak specific waterproof glove? Or do I need a poggy?
Spray Skirt. Is it a must? I have a pakayak. Is there a budget friendly one that lasts at least 2 seosons?
shoes? Do I nees watershoes or something on top of the drysuit?
I’m going to try aliexpress drysuit. Should I go one size bigger so I can wear warm clothes underneath? Should I wear wetsuit under drysuit or regular clothing?
Anything else that I am misssing here that’s a must?
As the water gets cold here (Wyoming) I use gloves and after that gloves inside pogies.
Spray skirt? YES! Keep in mind that the water is not colder then 33 F or it’s then ice. So the inside of the kayak will never get colder then 33F if you have the skirt on, and as you paddle it warms up a bit from body heat.
Shoes? I wear standard paddlers booties 1 size large, with a thick pair of wool socks inside them.
Dry Suit? I have no idea.
I have never used one because from the time the water turns cold to the time it turns hard in Wyoming is usually only 2 weeks or a month at the most and I can’t justify the dollars demanded for a dry suit for the short times each year I’d need one. I use a thick wet suit for those few weeks in the fall and again for probably 6 weeks in each spring at the most. Paddling on a reservoir, the river runs all winter and the water comes from the bottom of the dam so the spillway doesn’t freeze. However that means the water level is lowest in late winter and early spring before the sun starts to get us a melt and run-off. So at the times the water is very cold but gone back to liquid to the run-off the lake level is sometimes too shallow to use anyway. Can’t do a lot of paddling in water that shallow. Once it’s all melted, the water level often stays low for 3-4 weeks before the run off starts in earnest because it warms at the valley level (where the reservoir is) and yet it’s still well below freezing at the higher altitudes. All that said; Spring time paddling here is not just waiting for the ice to melt on top of the lake, but also to wait for the lake to re-fill. When that happens it will be very cold for a few weeks, but not all that long so again I have not seen a justification to buy a dry suit because the time I’d use it is short where I live.
Keep your face and head warm. Also having glasses to protect you if the wind is blowing is important.
Chinese cheapo drysuits like you are considering are a risky choice. If you are truly considering winter waters you want to equip yourself with quality gear. Besides a breathable drysuit (Goretex or similar fabric), you will need insuating layers like a Polartech “bunny suit” beneath. Regular paddle shoes are not enough. Wool sox or wetsuit neoprene socks inside of built in booties on a quality drysuit with 5mm neo diving boots on top will keep your feet warmer and give you ice traction on land for launching and landing. Better be darned sure you can rapidly self rescue and/or roll.
A well fitted sprayskirt is a must in freezing conditions as are thoroughly waterproof insulated gloves (Glacier Gloves are one model.)
There are objective dangers in paddling frozen waters including entrapment in, under and atop solid or broken ice masses.
Despite being a pretty experienced paddler and winter backpacker, mountaineer and backcountry skier, and having all the gear needed to keep warm and dry, I would not attempt iced waters paddling except in a group of others I knew as having similar experience and judgement .
Whatever personal kit you put together, wade into freezing water up to your chest in freezing water in a shallow place and test it before committing to paddling in it. Your reaction to cold shock on immersion may be an eye opener.
Your life depends on your equipment. You going alone? Skip the alli dry suit.
You’re looking at probably a minimum of 2000 bucks in gear aside from the kayak.
I don’t go out below 35° to avoid water freezing on the deck. I reduce my risk factors in all areas greatly.
I think you need to be very informed about all kayaking before attempting cold water kayaking. It’s not like putting a rain coat on and going out in the rain.
It’s a bit like putting a space suit on and stepping into space.
Dress for immersion. That means gloves, a hood, and a cockpit you can wet exit from. It also means carrying a knife, rescue gear like a paddle float and throw lines. Then you need to practice using them and making deep water rescues.
I get ready for winter kayaking by cleaning and inspecting the boats and gear, and stashing it all in my “boat room”. Not yet, though. There’s still 8 weeks +/- of paddling left (I hope).
Pogies, I like the thick neoprene with fairly large wrist openings. I want to be able to remove my hands from the paddle shaft instantly should a wet exit insue. Just type in “nrs pogies” something of quality should pop up.
For true icy water paddling I would go full dry suit. If you are just looking to extend your paddling season a bit and are willing to keep immersion times short (near shore) then you can think semidry. When you get your suit, you will want to bleed it of excess air, folks often hunch down and pull on neck gasket after they are all zipped up. You will want a front entry suit that is a bit large to make room for layers, and make it easier to put on by yourself.
With the Pakayak I would go with a seal shocker 2.2. Your waist tunnel will depend on your waist size. I’m assuming you aren’t rolling which would be difficult in a Pakayak, another reason to stay close to shore.
Don’t skimp on the pfd. I’m partial to astral. Take a beany/balaclava and wear it if you get cold .
MF: you should be able to find Austrian-made Dachstein boiled wool mittens and gloves in ski shops in your neck of the woods (either central Europe or the PNW).
I sold them at the outfitter I managed back in my 20’s (50 years ago) and had the mittens, gloves and the high necked Alpine mountaineering sweater and used them all for winter backpacking and Nordic touring. They are incredibly warm even when soaked because the natural wool resists absorption and the crimped fibers trap air and allow the knit to dry from the inside out due to body heat. (Tell your hubs you want one of the sweaters for Christmas…got mine from a smitten boyfriend in my 20’s but outgrew it long ago and traded it to a skinny guy in my climbing club who was headed to climb in the Karakoram. Got a nice pair of back country skis out of that swap.)
Being knit giant-sized and boiled to shrink down to size, Dachsteins can be machine washed and even machine dried, though I always use mild soap like Ivory flakes or Woolite to avoid stripping the wool. They get a bit fluffier and denser with use and washing.
Tough as nails too, i just unpacked the grey gloves that I have had for at least 40 years and they are still in great shape other than a small snag i caught on one of my ski bindings that I need to darn before it enlarges into a hole. I used to wear them for ice climbing inside a pair of Goretex shell mitts with non-skid palms. I used that combo once for a late Fall kayak outing when there had been an overnight freeze, and though it was a bit bulky with a GP, my hands stayed warm despite 50 F water running over them with every stroke. The double length snug cuffs really help protect your hands from cold and damp as well.
They used to just be available in grey. When we got the first rare shipment of reds in 1977 they sold out within days. Now they make a range of colors including neon. They come in 8 sizes so great fit.
I have had problems a few times when I was in colder water temps. My hands felt very uncomfortable when I got back to my launch point, but didn’t realize how bad off I was until I got out and started to unload the kayak and put things back in my Truck and also when I was tying the ropes to hold the kayak on the rack. I had a lot of trouble making my fingers work. It reminded me of the days in my boyhood after a snowball fight when it was time to take off my boots and I could not untie them.
Not everyone can do this because of their location, but my “Standard Operating Procedure” now is to have my back-packers wood stove handy with a full fire set already made up. I can get out of the kayak, strike a spark on my tender with the small knife I keep on my deck rigging and have a fire in about 1 minute. I warm my hands and also my gloves over the fire for 3-5 minutes and THEN go about doing what I need to for loading the kayak up on the top of the truck.
But if you are in cold conditions carrying a fire set of some kind (wood, gas, oil, wax, or alcohol based) is a very good idea.
Keep it in a dry bag or box inside your cockpit with a line tied to it so you can pull it out with no effort. A GOOD tender box which is 100% waterproof is what’s needed and for me, I use a Ferrocerium striker and a knife blade to make all my fires because there is no need to keep them dry. Only the tender needs to be totally dry.
This little camp-tip is something I learned when I was about 8-9 years old and I have done it ever sense. Hunting camps and outings, back country tips, ice, rock and mountain climbing, horse trips, and it’s not a bad idea to have along even on a road trip in your car. There are times when having an easy, convenient and fast “personal camp-fire” within a few seconds is wonderful beyond description.
When my hands get so cold they don’t work well I make a fire and warm them, but also I warm my wool gloves at the same time. If you keep a set of gloves in a dry box or bag and warm your hands and the dry gloves too, you’ll find that not only do your hand start to feel good and work again in just a few minutes but the warm gloves keep them warm for the time needed to do what every has to be done.
In areas when you can’t build a small wood fire, just using a back-packers stove is good too, but doesn’t give as large an area of heat as a wood fire will. Still, they work fine, but just need a bit more time to get your hands warm and so far I have not heard of anyone getting offended at their use.
On glaciers and snow fields I have used MRS Fire Fly and Whisper-lite stoves for years. But on the lake shores I prefer wood. I need not carry fuel that way, and the wood burner is cool enough to pick up with bare fingers in the time it takes me to load my gear and tie down my kayak. If not, I kick it over into the water, then pick it up and stash it in it’s bag and place it back inside the cockpit. I then make a new fire-set either before I drive away or as soon as I get home so it’s ready in a few seconds the next time I want instant heat. I started doing this with my kayaking trips only 4 years ago, but have been doing it in all other outdoor activities since about 1964.
