Cold weather gear tips, I know its a bit late

[jumptheshark]

Base layer is key, top and bottom. When the water is 3-7 deg, I dress at the house. Base layer keeps you from getting sweaty, much more comfortable. Recommend a lightweight quick dry pant and a jacket. Wear it over the suit for the drive, rigging up and down and over the wet suit for the drive home. Keeps from looking like your cos playing batman and the car seat stays drier. Merino or poly pro under a top notch suit and your core is toasty enough to afford thinner gloves. Base layer works best when you use all the other pieces like gloves, boots and hood, as they limit water ingress. More airspace means more warmth. With the base layer and neo socks on its super easy to get into a winter wetsuit. Being thicker and fuzzy on the inside, my winter suit is substantially easier to get into than a stretchier and stickier 4/3.

Starting to warm up now. Lake is up to 10 deg C. No more base layer, no more gloves and hood. I find with foiling, I stick with my warmest suit until later in the season. I crash a lot and the evaporative cooling seems worse on foil.

[Kiterisland]

It’s fairly temperate where I ride and I just use neoprene and thermal rash vests and leggings, marigolds. However I have used the Canadian trick of keeping a flask of warm water to poor into your wet suit and gloves before you packdown. Not sure it would be wise to use it as a session extender but it did make me feel better packing the gear away.

I do this also, when going in 0-5c I pour some hot water down my back and save some for after the session also. Go from shivering to feeling like your warm in a hot tub. And it lasts for some time.

[jumptheshark]

Are you guys talking 0-5 degree air temps? Man, I never kite on water in less than 5 degrees air temp. Too hard on the nose and cheeks. If' Im worried about freezing the tiny bit of exposed skin there is.... I'll wait.

I can't seem to get in the water before 3 degrees, and the air temp has got to be up over 6 and sunny. Gotta be a nice day! If its rainy, everything bumps up a few degrees.

[bkkite]

Base layer is key, top and bottom. When the water is 3-7 deg, I dress at the house. Base layer keeps you from getting sweaty, much more comfortable. Recommend a lightweight quick dry pant and a jacket. Wear it over the suit for the drive, rigging up and down and over the wet suit for the drive home. Keeps from looking like your cos playing batman and the car seat stays drier. Merino or poly pro under a top notch suit and your core is toasty enough to afford thinner gloves. Base layer works best when you use all the other pieces like gloves, boots and hood, as they limit water ingress. More airspace means more warmth. With the base layer and neo socks on its super easy to get into a winter wetsuit. Being thicker and fuzzy on the inside, my winter suit is substantially easier to get into than a stretchier and stickier 4/3.

Starting to warm up now. Lake is up to 10 deg C. No more base layer, no more gloves and hood. I find with foiling, I stick with my warmest suit until later in the season. I crash a lot and the evaporative cooling seems worse on foil.

Sounds like I got a try Marino wool under my suit. I’ve never considered it because my body doesn’t really get cold in a 5/4 , it’s really only my hands when it drops below zero and the wind is really up. Didn’t consider that warm core would help with the hands?

So like a merino wool long sleeve like I would wear under my ski clothes? Just pop that on and wetsuit over top?

[bkkite]

It’s fairly temperate where I ride and I just use neoprene and thermal rash vests and leggings, marigolds. However I have used the Canadian trick of keeping a flask of warm water to poor into your wet suit and gloves before you packdown. Not sure it would be wise to use it as a session extender but it did make me feel better packing the gear away.

I do this also, when going in 0-5c I pour some hot water down my back and save some for after the session also. Go from shivering to feeling like your warm in a hot tub. And it lasts for some time.

Sounds like I gotta try the hot water trick. You just bring a big thermos?

[edt]

Base layer under armor every session. Only polyester but still the best

[Kiterisland]

It’s fairly temperate where I ride and I just use neoprene and thermal rash vests and leggings, marigolds. However I have used the Canadian trick of keeping a flask of warm water to poor into your wet suit and gloves before you packdown. Not sure it would be wise to use it as a session extender but it did make me feel better packing the gear away.

I do this also, when going in 0-5c I pour some hot water down my back and save some for after the session also. Go from shivering to feeling like your warm in a hot tub. And it lasts for some time.

Sounds like I gotta try the hot water trick. You just bring a big thermos?

Yeah it helps a lot. You can use a big thermos or insulated bottle. Pour in boiling water when your at home. Be careful it’s not to hot when you pour it on yourself but usually it cools off enough that it’s just really warm.

[edt]

of? Am I missing out?

Nobody needs a dry suit but yes tie missing out. It's not necessarily that they are warmer but they give you the same thermal with less constriction you can get out of it pack up and ready to drive away then the wind picks up again you put the deysuit back on. That doesn't happen with a wetsuit. More total thermal with less total weight is also nice.

A proper wetsuit is just as warm but the convenience is what does it. Surfers never use drysuits so of course they aren't needed.

Also if you get tired come in for a rest and are standing on the beach a wetsuit will continually cool you via evaporation. A dry suit doesn't so you take more breaks because you know coming in won't cool you off so much you have to quit