Minimum water temp. How low do you go?

[TomW]

I've been out in 36f air and colder water. Drysuit, dry boots with 2 mm neoprene socks inside, hood, helmet, and 3 mm dry gloves that are not really dry. My hands get to point where I can't fell them, but feel like a ball. Heels are frozen. 45 min tops. Kite spot is shallow, otherwise I wouldn't do this. As it is, do it 2 times a year.

This year has been mild by Swedish standards, so it looks like early start !
BTW, I grew up in So Cal so anybody can do it..

[jannik]

This video is from back in the windsurfing days. I'm not sure just how cold it was but I remember that it didn't feel very cold.The day before I was snowboarding on the local ski hill. It's a 6/5/4 hooded wetsuit, 5mm. boots, and some kind of gloves.


This is from a week ago. Water temp. about 3c/38F, air about 4c/39F. Outfit was: drysuit, hood, 5mm boots, 2 mm. mits. Session was 2 hours and I wasn't the slightest cold.

[Bradford]

I kite through the winter in New England and two weeks ago I scored a 3 hour session with an air temp of 27 °F, water temp of 35 °F, and wind speed of about 25 knots. This was my coldest session to date. Amazingly I had an absolute blast out there. Overall I felt warm throughout the session, and I was actually sweating inside my drysuit. My hands got cold a few times, but I was able to warm them by either shaking them out while resting the kite on the beach or by riding one handed with the other hand shoved in my crotch (not a look I'm proud of BTW). I am pretty stoked about having finally dialed in my cold weather gear. This is what I wore:

-- drysuit with two layers of fleece
-- neoprene beanie, plus a 2 mm hood over that
-- Glacier brand 2 mm gloves (I used electrical tape to seal them to the drysuit)
-- 5 mm Coldfire booties, plus wool socks

Although I felt warm enough to kite in colder weather, I'm guessing limiting factor is the freezing of sea water on the safety system. By the end of that session, I had some build up of slushy ice on the top of the depower lines, but nothing alarming. My guess is that if it were any colder, there'd be ice buildup around more important areas like the quick release and the leash.

[Westozzy]

Respect cold brothers, respect. You are all made of harder stuff. We start complaining when it's below 15 degrees Celsius ...what's that...hang on 59 F over here..lol!! Damn it cold today we say....bahahahahhahahaha

[shawn13]

I went out today in Toronto.

Conditions:
5 degree Air (Windchill -2)
1 degree water
20 gusting 25 knots

I rode a 7m Switchblade with a NPX lucifer drysuit.

[NYKiter]

Me too (right below Toronto), 6m Rebel, Stearns Dry suit...

[Flight Time]

This is from a week ago. Water temp. about 3c/38F, air about 4c/39F. Outfit was: drysuit, hood, 5mm boots, 2 mm. mits. Session was 2 hours and I wasn't the slightest cold.

Thank you for self-launching like a man.

[jannik]

This is from a week ago.......

Thank you for self-launching like a man.

I don't know what you are talking about, I was acting like a little girl when I depowered before launch

[pj sofine]

Went out or season opener, water temp 35 deg ( 1-2 c ?) Air temp 52 deg.Was surprised how warm I was, bright sunshine helped. A little bit of a shock when dunked but very nice session,20-30 mph on my 10m promotion drysuit,3mm booties , neil pride cap and an old pair of pre-curved mitts.