Kayak Clothing
Even when the outside temperature is mild and the sun is at its height, the stretch of water on which you are paddling might be cold enough to cause hypothermia in just a matter of minutes if you take a dunking. The solution? Isothermal clothing made of neoprene.
Buying kayak clothing
When they were invented some years ago, isothermal garments, commonly known as wetsuits, caused a veritable revolution in the paddling world. Just imagine: if you fell into the water and your clothing became completely soaked, you would still stay warm, even if you weren’t dry.
A rubbery synthetic material called neoprene is used to achieve this result. When you wear a neoprene garment and get it wet in the waters of a lake, river or sea, the water penetrates the clothing. This forms a thin layer of water between the skin and the garment that, once warmed by the heat of the body, holds that temperature, keeping the body warm, even if it is in the water or exposed to high winds.
Resistant to abrasion and rot-proof, neoprene garments also add to the body’s buoyancy in the water. Furthermore, the thicker the neoprene (from 0.5 to 3 mm), the greater its insulating capacity, although it also means an according reduction in freedom of movement.
Once water temperature borders on 10 degrees or less, it’s advisable to wear neoprene clothing. What kind? That all depends on the particular situation.
The earlier—and the later—you begin and end your kayaking season, the more you should get yourself a full-length, jumpsuit-style wetsuit. These are the warmest and most “watertight” models available. If you’ll be paddling in areas where the water is less cold, or when the outside temperature tends to warm up quickly, it’s better to choose an overall-style suit or a pant as well as a jacket, so that you can open or take off the jacket as weather conditions improve, even if it means wearing an insulated, brushed nylon fleece “chillguard” top underneath. Again depending upon the weather, it may also be advisable to wear a neoprene hood and gloves, especially if you will be out on a long sea kayaking trip.
Finally, kayakers who are sure they will be paddling in the heat can wear a nylon/lycra “rashguard” top for extra comfort under a PFD, as well as for protection against the sun’s UV rays and a minimum of insulation against splashes.
Wearing neoprene gloves and booties is generally recommended, unless the temperature is genuinely mild, in which case you can opt for lightweight gloves and amphibious shoes (see our section on that topic). Amphibious shoes are also the ideal choice for kayak campers, especially if they will have to make portages.
Use
In order for the layer of water trapped between the body and a neoprene garment to be an effective insulator, it has to be worn very close to the body. It’s therefore a must to try on the jumpsuit, overall or hood you are considering buying in the store to make sure it fits snugly. Not too snugly, however, as a too-tight wetsuit will restrict freedom of movement.
Maintenance
Neoprene garments should be thoroughly rinsed, either by soaking or hosing them down, following every use in salt water. Over the long term salt water will damage neoprene, causing it to shred.
Once the garments have been well rinsed, they need only be hung up outside, out of the sun, and left to dry.
If neoprene garments are torn or punctured, it is possible to repair them with small pieces of neoprene and a special glue called Aquaseal®, in somewhat the same way as patching a bicycle tire tube.
During the winter, neoprene garments should be stored, just like regular clothing, in a dark closet or clothes cupboard.