The Best Paddling Gear to Extend Your Paddling Season

[@Mrjmhill]

Totally agree .. fall paddling is the best!!!

[@rickquist3992]

Whenever I hear the word "tuque" I think of the McKenzie Brothers & Geddy Lee singing, "Take off to the Great White North". (it's a beauty way to go) Canadians know a bit about dressing warm! Eh?

[@PaddleTV]

Ha! I had to dig deep to find a different word than 'tuque'. Beanie just isn't a word I use... but I knew if I only said tuque, I would get beaten up. :)

[@shish99]

Great video! Love your down to earth approach in your videos. I've found that after a paddle, I dunk my booties, skirt and other neoprene into a Rubbermaid bucket half filled with water and with two caps of mint mouthwash in it. I let it soak for about 15 mins and afterward, rinse well and hang up to dry. That's kept the smell and germs at bay for years now. Another tip is for a paddling jacket that doesn't have a gasket, you can wear gaskets temporarily over the *outside* cuff of the jacket. Looks weird, but it prevents the drips from going inside and yet is safe enough that if you go into the drink, the water can still flow out the arms.

[@debrag.3722]

What a great washing tip! Thanks!

[@PaddleTV]

That is a great washing tip! Awesome.. I'll have to try that. I'll still hate the feeling of putting wet booties on though... :)

[@sterlgirlceline]

Great tip; thank you!

[@turtlepurple9304]

@@PaddleTV ken just have four pairs of booties. i hate putting wet gloves back on so i carry a spare pair in my dry bag then after our lunch stop its fresh dry gloves on the way home. another great video thankyou

[@qaannat]

Excel Reef Walker booties are pretty excellent.

[@laggmonkei]

Maybe it's not a normal consideration or the options just aren't there but i've always found the PFD too be a great provider of warmth. A bulkier PFD i reckon is a great way too protect the core from wind and cold.

[@TheDcrocks1]

Absolutely!!

[@PaddleTV]

So true... the PFD adds a lot of warmth. I never take my PFD off on cold days because of that. I also love PFD's with integrated fleece lined pockets!

[@GrandmaAbby1]

Nice backdrop with the falling leaves . Fall/winter my favourite time of year to paddle 🇨🇦

[@PaddleTV]

Colors are turning quick here now! Love this time of year...

[@tomcaldwell5750]

Thanks for this helpful info for paddlers in colder climates. That's a lot of expensive gear. I am glad that I paddle in central and south Texas because we have warm weather almost all year around and do not need a bunch of cold weather gear.

[@PaddleTV]

I won't lie... I'm a bit jealous.

[@iviewthetube]

With the cooler weather, this is a great time of year to do cold water crossings in a dry suit. If the air temperature goes over 65°F or 18°C, you'll bake like a potato in a dry suit.

[@parnold-mora8924]

I am new to the sport and this info is so valuable. As always, well done and informative, thanks.

[@LaLtheGaL]

I am new too! It's such a wonderful activity eh?

[@PaddleTV]

Glad to hear it's helpful!

[@parnold-mora8924]

@@LaLtheGaL absolutely!

[@BrianthatiscalledBrian]

Thanks, Ken. I'm going to check out those boots for sure. 👍🙂🚣‍♂️

[@PaddleTV]

I used to wear nothing but wool socks on my feet while paddling... I'm long past that now! Happy feet, happy me! :)

[@davemiller9570]

I find my spray skirt a great way to keep my lower extremities warm, even when them is no spray.

[@PaddleTV]

Great point! The spray skirt tunnel also helps keep the upper body warm, especially if it's a neoprene tunnel.

[@FlexDRG]

Working with a spray skirt does indeed help. But my legs can sure benefit from more than shorts in fall weather. Both for when standing outside during a rest or portage, but also from the chill of the water and air whilst paddling as they suck away the heat. Most of my regular group wear some kind of water repellent hiking pants. Possibly with a base layer. Getting wet/taking a swim is rare on our waters. And for that we bring a change of clothes. I'm currently looking for some quickdry water repellent, wind proof pants to expand my gear options. I have my Columbia baselayer and a 5-6mm neopreen longjohn. But early fall that combo is way to hot. And the Columbia with shorts over it looks silly and isn't wind proof to be comfy outside of the kayak.

[@oo7moses]

I thought you should always dress to prepare for an unexpected dunk into cold water, since it can kill you. I want to fish from a fishing kayak in the fall, but I don't know how to stay safe and stay comfortable. I know fishing kayaks are stable, so maybe I don't have to get a full drysuit if I keep my PFD on. Water gets a lot colder than the air during fall in Michigan though.

[@micahgelfand8282]

Yeah a full dry suit is the only safe outerwear for cold water

[@PaddleTV]

Yes, you have to dress to prepare for immersion, but that doesn't mean a drysuit is your only option. A wetsuit is another good option if you could end up in the water for an extended period of time, although it's not as comfortable. While a drysuit or wetsuit is essential in very cold conditions, or when traveling far from shore where a capsize will result in immersion for extended periods of time, if you stay close to shore, there are other options. This is the gear that I'm looking at in this video - a step down from drysuit and wetsuit. The trick is staying close to shore and bringing warm/dry clothes in a dry bag, so that if you do end up capsizing and getting soaked, you can swap your wet clothes for dry gear once you get to shore.

[@oo7moses]

@@PaddleTV Ah, that makes sense. I'm sure I can get by on some of the gear you cover in the video if I'm just fishing small lakes near shore. Thanks for the response and great videos.

[@robertpanes]

How about them apples? Couldn't keep my eye off of them. Great info vid. Thanks

[@JeffLancaster1]

Liked and subscribed

[@PaddleTV]

Cheers!

[@RonK]

excellent, thanks a lot!

[@PaddleTV]

My pleasure!

[@albertaadventures7750]

Great video. Thanks 😊

[@PaddleTV]

You’re welcome 😊

[@MRabbitFrog]

I find the gear to be pricey, so I stick to a full 4/3 wetsuit with a rain coat to stop the wind.

[@PaddleTV]

Yup. That's a great option too!

[@cablo69]

Hi Ken, thanks a lot for your very informative and high quality videos from Germany. But i have a question, which microphone do you user for your awesome videos, especially when you are on water? Thx

[@PaddleTV]

Hi Carsten. Thanks for the good words! I use the Sennheiser EW112P G4 Camera-Mount Wireless Microphone System nearly all the time - on the water and off. I use an upgraded mic with it - the Countryman EMW: countryman.com/product/emw-omnidirectional-lavalier/ Not a necessary upgrade for KZbin videos, but it's what we use for broadcast TV shows as well.

[@qaannat]

neoprene mittens are better than gloves. fingers share heat.

[@wisenber]

A video about cold weather paddling gear? I believe you've already made at least two of those.

[@taytus]

shut up

[@fullsendt1d125]

Hey brother, quick question. It’s irrelevant to this video, sorry, but I am stressing about which inflatable kayak to purchase. I will eventually have 3. Touring, whitewater, and one that is good for both. For my first one, I would like the all rounder. Do you have any suggestions for an inflatable dual sport kayak? For example, able to track straight and comfortable enough for a 8hr paddle but also capable of sending a class 3 river. Thank you in advance and great channel by the way! ... also, I just ordered the Navarro 110 but idk 🤷‍♂️

[@PaddleTV]

That's a tricky question! Class 3 whitewater and flatwater touring are so different. You want something self bailing and maneuverable for whitewater, but something that tracks well for touring. The Star Tandem Raven would be good for whitewater, but not so great for touring (although better than the single Raven). Hmmm... this is going to require some research.... Sorry I don't have the answer at the tip of my tongue. I think you will have to decide which is most important.

[@fullsendt1d125]

@@PaddleTV thank you so much for the response. My girlfriend would like to know your thoughts on the Aqua Marina Casacde, and their Tomahawk. Thanks again brother and lol she says your response here was likely as fast as you are in the water hahaha

[@amyshelton3250]

I would also like to know what scupper plugs you recommend. I’ve tried several different ones. I haven’t found any that keep the water out of my kayak 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@PaddleTV]

Unfortunately I can't help with that one. I haven't tried a variety of scupper plugs. Sorry!

[@jacobcastle2741]

Ken, if I am on a budget and want to paddle in the winter what do you recommend? Should I just get a dry suit?

[@PaddleTV]

Unfortunately, if you're paddling in freezing conditions, there aren't too many options. A drysuit is the best, but most expensive option. A cheaper option is a thick wetsuit. It's not as comfortable to paddle in, but significantly cheaper. Cheers!

[@jacobcastle2741]

@@PaddleTV do you have any recommendations for thick wet suits?

[@Antipodean33]

Do you sweat with the non cotton, poly under garment when layering?

[@PaddleTV]

Well... if you're sweating with it, then it's too much. That being said, the good thing about an underlayer made from a synthetic, technical fabric, is that it wicks moisture from the body, and so even if you sweat, you shouldn't feel gross, or get chilled, like you do with cotton.

[@qaannat]

dude, i paddle all year. it just means different clothes. simple, not so simple.

[@zirinovskis]

Winter paddling in Canada? Brrrrrrrr.....

[@PaddleTV]

But, oh so cool! :)

[@michaelhubbard3169]

I like your channel but would appreciate you provide reviews that are a little less vendor promoting and provide information that is vendor agnostic.

[@PaddleTV]

I'll be honest... I'm not sure what to do. :) When I do reviews of gear, they are 100% unpaid and unbiased. On the other hand, this video isn't a review, but information about what 'type' of gear to wear. I was showing the gear that I use. Yes, there's a lot of NRS gear in there... because that's what I use mostly. And when I don't tell people what the gear is, I get comments asking me to let people know what gear it is. When I do tell people what the gear is, I get called out for being promoting. :) I'll keep doing my best to provide unbiased content.

[@TheDcrocks1]

@@PaddleTV keep it going! The videos are good.

[@viaujoc]

Usually, if I find a brand that fits my morphology, I tend to stick with it. Recently, I bought a farmer john wetsuit. After trying different brands and models without any preferences, the NRS was the one fitting me best. It seems that each brand has its own standards regarding mensurations for each size (length, girth, height, etc.), so if you are closer to the model used by a specific brand, there is a good chance that most of their gear will be a good fit. Also, a serious brand will also make sure that their different products will integrate together nicely, which is a gamble that you may have to take if mixing different brands of equipments.

[@wisenber]

"The Best Paddling Gear to Extend Your Paddling Season" Reverse??