Let’s chat about all things paddleboarding safety kit and equipment for cold weather paddleboarding.
Autumn and winter is definitely upon us now and we hope you’ve been able to find yourself some appropriate clothing to dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. Wetsuits and drysuits are both great options and if you haven’t got your kit yet, check out our “what to wear for winter paddleboarding” blog with all our tips to help you choose the right winter clothing option for you.
Now that we’ve got our bodies warm with our wetsuits or drysuits, it’s time to talk about SUP accessories, buoyancy aids and paddleboarding safety.
Paddleboarding Safety Accessories Let’s start with looking after our extremities! We need to think about our gloves, socks, shoes and hats to make sure we are fully kitted up. For gloves, you can go down the neoprene route of varying thicknesses, to keep you warm (but wet) or you go down the waterproof route to keep your hands dry.
Gloves are often a personal choice of palmless mitts so you can still slide your hands on the paddle, or gloves. Just be careful as if they are too grippy, then it’s hard to move the paddle, and not grippy enough means you can slip holding the paddle.
One of our fav pieces of kit is waterproof socks to keep the feet nice and dry! On top, you can wear boots or shoes. If you are buying neoprene boots, always go at least one size up to fit in your socks and not cramp your feet. Water trainers with good grip are also great for icy and slippery banks too.
Keeping your head warm is key to keeping your body warm. We love the classic bobble hat but if this gets wet, it won’t be much use, so neoprene hats are also great when it is really cold.
Paddleboarding in Buoyancy Aids
Wearing a buoyancy aid in the winter is always highly recommended for an extra layer of warmth and flotation support when you are hit with cold water shock. We love the range of Palm buoyancy aids but as with everything, it’s all personal preference. We love the Palm Meander for a great slimline option with a handy pocket, and another favourite of ours is the Palm Peyto because of its fleece lined hand warmer pockets for extra winter warmth.
Buoyancy aids with whistles built in, pockets, and zipped areas for a hydration pack/bladder are great to be able to carry your essentials and water with you, however do consider how bulky your buoyancy aid is, and whether that may affect your ability to self-rescue.
Always make sure your buoyancy aid is at least 50 Newton and buoyancy aids should only be worn if you are a competent swimmer, in sheltered waters or where there is safety cover at hand. Children and anyone who can not swim should wear a 100 Newton life jacket which keep you more buoyant and are designed to keep your head upright in the water if you were to fall in.
What’s in your paddleboarding safety kit bag? Being responsible is at the heart of the Paddle Cabin so we like to carry a range of paddleboarding safety equipment with us to keep the group safe and make sure we are prepared for any emergency. You can take as much or as little kit as you see fit, that is appropriate for your paddle. Here’s what we carry:
First aid kit, including sterile dressings, saline solution for eye injuries
A waterproof knife for cutting a leash or branches if you become entangled
A spare fin and fin bolt
Tear aid Type B for a slow puncture on a board and a valve tightener
Spare thermal layer and waterproof*
Waterproof phone and case
Gaffa tape for repairing a paddle, and a screwdriver for tightening the paddle
Insect repellent and sun-cream
Foil blanket and group shelter in case of an emergency
Webbed neoprene gloves in case you have to paddle with your hands
Tow line and carabiner
Spare snacks and water for the group
A 360 degree white light for those night paddles (required on waterways)
*Don’t forget to re-waterproof your jackets in the washing machine with a Waterproof tech wash like Nikwax.
Always be prepared, so when you get off the water, a microfibre towel is great to dry yourself down and a dry robe/changing robe is fabulous for keeping you warm. Just make sure you strip off the wet clothes underneath it first. Bring along a thermos of hot drinks, hot soup or a hot water bottle to help you warm up on land, plus warm dry boots and a change of clothes.
Our fave paddeboarding brands
So, which are our top brands for winter paddleboarding safety kit? We asked the crew down at the cabin, and we came up with our favourites here for you…
Red Original: We love their waterproof active jackets, drybags and deckbags, their performance top layer and dry robes
Palm: Our favorite for buoyancy aids and neoprene accessories
Sealskinz: Our favourite are their paddling gloves and waterproof socks
Where to go to try paddleboarding kit before you buy
Here are some well-loved places nearby to buy your winter kit:
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 (members remember your discount code!)
So, we hope that has given you some food for thought to work out what your kit is going to look like for your winter paddles. Don’t hesitate to get in touch and chat more about this with the crew down at the cabin – we love a good chat about all things clothing and kit.
Happy paddling!
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