As the cold creeps in, it’s time to think about what to wear to make sure we are dressed ready for winter paddleboarding.
Here at the Paddle Cabin, we love to live the paddle life all year round. Paddling in the winter makes your heart soar – beautiful sunrises, sunsets, reflections and empty waterways – what is not to love?
Nothing beats a cold, crisp winter morning on the water, it is something magical. So, as we prepare for the temperatures to drop and the dark to close in, we need to make sure we are dressed appropriately with the right water safety equipment to hand.
If you are new to paddle boarding, check out our blog aimed at new paddleboarders to make sure you are set up ready to go.
If it is your first winter paddling, read on as we chat about all things winter clothing. Remember, we always want to be dressing for the water temperature, not the air temperature. When the water hits 12 degrees, this is when cold water shock can be really dangerous so always be prepared.
Neoprene for winter paddleboarding As we head into autumn, neoprene leggings (1-3mm) and a neoprene top can be enough to keep you warm. However, neoprene tops can be quite restrictive in their sizing, especially the ones with sleeves. Sleeveless ones are often more comfortable and less restrictive for your paddling. If you do get one with sleeves, it is best to go a few sizes up. We often prefer to wear neoprene leggings with thermal layers on top (anything aiming to insulate your core) plus a wind-proof or water-proof on top depending on the weather.
Bring spare clothing with you if you go down this route, in case you do go in the water, your thermal layers won’t keep you warm once wet. The thicker the neoprene, the warmer you will be, but be wary as it can be easy to go too thick, and overheat and sweat in your neoprene which can be dangerous.
Wetsuits for winter paddleboarding
As the temperature drops, here we come to the wetsuit or drysuit crossroads. Both have pros and cons, and wetsuits are typically more affordable than drysuits.
We recommend choosing a wetsuit with a thicker neoprene level for the core (e.g. 4:2, or 5:3). This means the torso of your wetsuit is 4mm thick and the arms and legs are 2mm thick which allows more movement. Triathlon wetsuits are also good as they are thinner on the shoulders and arms which are less restrictive when you paddle.
In terms of thickness, while a 3:2 is better for movement, you may find this too chilly if you were to go in the water, so we recommend a 4:3 or even 5:3, though be mindful that some 5mm wetsuits can be very restrictive. Sizing can be a challenging part of wetsuit shopping, so it’s worth trying a variety of brands if you’re struggling to find one that feels good. For plus sizes, Animal offer great sizing for their wetsuits, and you can get some amazing advice from Sarah Blues (@plussizedpaddler on Instagram, www.plussizepaddler.com) around plus sized clothing.
Bear with it – there WILL be a wetsuit out there for you!
Be mindful that if you do fall in the water, your wetsuit will keep you warm in the water, however as you get back on your board, your body temperature will drop with the cold air, therefore make sure you pack spare warm layers in your drybag, or stay close to your launch point so you can change easily if you do get too cold.
Caring for your wetsuit is super important, so when you wash your wetsuit, we suggest using eco washing up liquid or a product like Piss off Wetsuit Shampoo to care for your wetsuit, and dry it inside out.
Drysuits for winter paddleboarding
If you haven’t come across a drysuit before, essentially they do what they say on the tin – they keep you dry if you fall in. These come as a one piece, or two pieces. Drysuits keep you dry, not warm so you can then layer up under your drysuit as much as you need with thermal layers (merino wool is good) to keep you nice and toasty.
An immersion suit and a drysuit differ in relation to the neck. Drysuits have neoprene or latax tight around the neck so no water can get in, and immersion suits offer more flexibility around the neck, but they will allow a small amount of water in, if you were to have your head under water If you do buy a drysuit or immersion suit, make sure you always lubricate the zip so it doesn’t get stiff, and let out the air from the suit from the neck before you get on the water.
Two pieces are also great but some water may come through around the midriff if in the water for long periods of time, so we’d recommend a full drysuit if you can for full protection.
The down-side to a drysuit is the cost – they are an expensive bit of kit, but SO worth it. If you can spend the extra, we’d definitely recommend a drysuit over a wetsuit from our own experiences of using both through the winter if you want to remove a barrier to paddling and a fear of falling in during the winter months.
Our fav brands for winter paddleboarding kit
So, which are our top brands for winter kit? We asked the crew down at the cabin, and we came up with our favourites here for you…
Palm: Our favorite for drysuits, buoyancy aids, neoprene leggings, waterproof jackets and layers
Peak: Their jackets and two piece dry suits are top quality and brightly coloured so you can be seen on the water
Prolimit: Perfect for neoprene tops, bottoms, thermals and wetsuits
NRS: Their semi- drysuits (Immersion suits) are fab, and so are their jackets
Gul: We love their wetsuits for affordability and style, and their core insulation thermal tops, and their neoprene boots are brilliant.
C-skins: Their wetsuits are pricier but fit well and excellent thermal design
Where to go to try before you buy
Here are some well-loved places nearby to buy your winter clothes:
Kent Canoes: Wrotham, Kent (Paddle Cabin members get a discount)
Board-worx: Whitstable, Kent
Wetsuit Outlet: Shoeburyness, Essex
Wet ‘n’ Dry Boardsports: Basildon, Essex
Ocean Leisure: Charing Cross
Brighton Canoes: Newhaven
Escape Watersports: Online (Paddle Cabin members get a discount)
SUP safety winter accessories
Check out our blog all about paddleboarding kit and accessories for winter.
We’ll be talking about gloves, socks, shoes, hats, buoyancy aids and what to take out in your bag on the water to keep you safe.
In the meantime, if you like a SUP video, check out Hayley’s Red Ambassador video, giving us a snapshot summary of what to wear in the winter when paddling. For now, happy winter SUP clothing shopping!
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