Paddling Clothing

A drysuit is the ultimate in cold-water safety and comfort. Imagine being fully immersed during your paddle, then getting into your car totally dry — without a change of clothes!

Kokatat produces the highest quality drysuits available. We carry the Gore-Tex Meridian drysuit. Gore-Tex is the premier waterproof/breathable fabric, with surprising durability and abrasion resistance, and Kokatat offers a lifetime warranty on Gore-Tex garments. The Gore-Tex Meridian suit features integrated Gore-Tex socks and a relief zipper (men's) or drop seat (women's), both indispensible for comfort and ease of use. The Meridian also has a double-tunnel for your skirt to help keep water out of your cockpit.

When the water is cold, the air is cold, or you know you'll be immersed repeatedly or for a long time, neoprene paddlewear will keep you warm. Many different choices are available, and having the flexibility to choose between a variety of options (maybe a wetsuit one day, shorts and long-sleeve top another day) is extremely valuable.

Hydroskin neoprene paddlewear is an ideal mix-and-match system that offers the perfect blend of comfort and warmth. Hydroskin is 0.5mm neoprene with thinner Lycra panels under the arms and crotch for moving comfort. The fabric contains titanium to reflect body heat back to your core, and DWR coating to bead and shed water quickly. Pants have a high-back waist and drawstring to prevent ride-down.

Neoprene shorts are really nice, but not everyone wants to go outside in tight-fitting apparel. Enter the Neo-Lined Guide Short from Immersion Research. They hide a neoprene inner short under board shorts, all in one stylish package! The outer is loose-fitting, quick-drying polyester with a cargo pocket. The inner has a high neo back to reduce chafing.

Paddlers generally prefer Farmer John wetsuits because of the comfort, arm mobility, and reduced cost compared to a full wetsuit. We offer the Aquatherm Farmer John because of the paddling-specific design (including stretchy panels in the seat and knees) and reasonable price. You'll want a relief zipper, and the Aquatherm includes the appropriate zipper in both the men's and women's styles.

Gloves can be a good choice whether it's cold or not. Gloves can offer protection from blisters and sunburn. When it is cold, gloves and pogies will keep your hands warm — choose pogies if you like a direct grip on the paddle shaft; choose gloves for warmth even when your hands aren't on the paddle. The keys to selecting gloves are fit and grip on the shaft, while for pogies you want easy access to the shaft without resorting to your teeth.

NRS offers a full line of gloves for cold and warm weather. If you tend to get blisters, try the half-finger Boater's Glove, available for both men and women. For colder weather, try the Maverick Glove. In between, the Rapid Glove will keep you comfortable yet unencumbered.

Snap Dragon's Hot Hands are our pogies of choice because their neoprene construction keeps you warm (you'll be surprised how well they work!) and allows easy access to the paddle shaft. No more holding the opening with your teeth to reach in your second hand. Try pogies and we think you'll love them!

Your choice of base layer — the clothing directly in contact with your skin — is very important for your comfort and safety. You want a fabric that will wick moisture away from your skin (keeping you drier and helping to regulate your temperature) and dry quickly when wet. We carry NRS Hydrosilk as our base layer of choice.

Lightweight Hydrosilk is perfect as a base layer in cooler weather and alone during the summer. Hydrosilk also provides SPF 50 UV Protection against the hot summer sun.

Your outer layer can make or break your outfit, and not just in a stylistic sense. Whether it's wind and spray, waves and surf, or rain, you want to be prepared with a paddling jacket and pants to keep you dry, warm (but not too warm), and comfortable.

We've chosen IR as our primary supplier of paddling jackets because of their style, quality, and fit. The Session Jacket is a semi-dry top made with waterproof, highly breathable, and unconstricting 2-layer shell fabric with an antimicrobial mesh liner, a super-comfortable neoprene neck gasket, latex wrist gaskets, double-tunnel, and a wide, adjustable neoprene waistband. It is available in both long- and short-sleeve versions for men and women.

If the water is cold, a waterproof paddling pant can be a great choice. The Tempest Pant is made of waterproof/breathable Tropos T3 3-layer fabric and features a wide and adjustable neoprene waistband, plus integrated Tropos T3 socks to keep your feet totally dry. The waistband does a great job of keeping out water when immersed, and also mates perfectly with your double-tunnel drytop for a great 2-piece dry outfit.

Whether it's warm or cold out, you need to pay attention to headwear while kayaking. During the warmer months, you'll want a hat to keep the sun off. During the colder months, or if you're being immersed into cold water, you'll want something to keep you warm. And if you're surfing or playing in rocks, you'll want a helmet.

To keep your head warm during cold weather or cold-water immersion, try the NRS Sea Hood and Storm Hood. Made from their Mystery fabric, these hoods shed water while providing insulation. The Sea Hood covers the head and ears, while the Storm Hood also covers the neck (like a balaclava). They even fit under your helmet!

The Pro-Tec Ace is our helmet of choice for surfing, playing in rocks and tidal currents, and light whitewater. The comfortable foam padding and adjustable chinstrap make wearing this helmet a breeze.

Sunday Afternoon produces hats for active outdoorspeople that are made from quick-drying nylon and are designed to keep you cool when it's warm. The Offshore Water Hat and Field Hat have wide brims and mesh side panels, with the Offshore offering a heftier chin strap system. Or consider the Sun Tripper, a stylish, military-style cap.

When we paddle, we inevitably get out of our boats and walk along rocky shores and hiking trails. We want footwear that will protect our feet when out of the boat, and give us heel protection when in the boat. If the water is cold, we also want a shoe that will keep our feet warm.

We carry NRS booties because their thick soles wrap around the sides and heel to protect your feet and the 3-mm neoprene keeps your feet warm in cold water and comfortable in warmer weather. The Paddle Wetshoe is a high-top bootie designed for colder water, and includes a zipper for easy access. The Kicker Wetshoe is a low-top bootie for warmer weather that includes over-the-foot strap for support.