# Winter kayak clothes



## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

So I've been fishing warm water discharges this winter (60-80 degree water) with air temps ranging from 20 to 50 degrees. I know it's been pretty risky and after having to defend myself a dozen or more times for wearing inappropriate apparel I'm ready to do some shopping. And in addition I don't want to encourage anyone else who looks at my pics to go out in the gear that I'm in. 


I've done research and I still don't find any options suitable, so I figured I'd ask a few of you guys who have been fishing cold water for years what you prefer? 

Now to begin.....wet/dry suits aren't going to work for me. I have a weird body shape.....I'm 6' 260lbs and have legs the size of tree trunks and an abnormally large chest...haha. Seriously though I've had problems in the past with clothes. A one size suit isn't going to cut it...it'd be super tight in some places and way loose in others. Even if i did find a good suit I'm not sure I would wear them. (Limited movement) buying a 500 dollar suit to collect dust doesn't sound like something I wanna do. Maybe I'll get my girlfriend Amanda a suit, she will fit them better.

So onto my next option....chest waders with a belt? How effective are they going to be when you take a dunk? Yea sure they are going to repel water from your paddle, anchor, fish, etc. Once you tip, your wet and filling up with water anyway. 

What other options am I missing? I've got the water wicking tops.....wool, rain gear, etc. 


Thanks for the constant reminder of safety.......you only live once.  



I may get something tonigh.....so speedy replies are welcome. Haha.



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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Ps...I've read the dry suit thread....so no need to double post.

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Sean, I haven't been doing this for years like you said. But I bought some Cabelas neoprene 5mm stocking foot waders, the brown kind. I took them out with LimaEyeCatcher over the weekend and they were great. He has the same pair actually. I was standing in the water on the banks at times to launch, and just get out to stretch my legs. It was up to my thigh. Wasnt cold at all, and I stayed dry. They were like $80 bucks from cabelas with shipping. Also, I have a gore-tex coat and wader belt. Stayed completely dry without issue. Once again, i'm not a pro or even a vet, but they did work. I know a couple of guys on another thread were talking about breathable waders with stocking footies working very well also.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Oops, just saw your post about the dry suit thread...regardless, thats my take.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Northern1 said:


> Oops, just saw your post about the dry suit thread...regardless, thats my take.


Haha. No problem. I'm just curios to see some more in depth discussion on waders....and other options. 

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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

I get what you're saying. And you can search a hundred online articles on dry suits, etc...and make your own decisions. You'll find some combination of dry tops/waders whatever that will work for you.
But as far as actual clothing, it's all about fabric. Here's an excerpt that speaks to that:

_-Dress for the water temperature. If you have an untimely baptism you need to stay warm long enough to perform a rescue, whether assisted or self.
-Cotton kills. I can't stress this enough. Save it for when you are dry.
-Fabrics: Polypropelene, polar fleece, neoprene and fuzzy rubber are all excellent choices for paddlesports. The newer stretch fleece fabrics with the rubber coating on the outside (fuzzy rubber) are comfortable, quick drying and quite warm. They are much more comfortable to move around in than neoprene, but please take note that they are not quite as warm when you are exposed to prolonged immersion._

Read the COTTON KILLS thing like 10 times. It can't be said enough. It's just monster heavy when wet and literally sucks the life out of you at an alarming rate.
EVERY single time I've seen dunks go towards bad, the dunkee had a bunch of cotton on. Cotton just has a way of catapulting the dunkee into advanced stages of hypothermia in an instant.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Bubbagon said:


> I get what you're saying. And you can search a hundred online articles on dry suits, etc...and make your own decisions. You'll find some combination of dry tops/waders whatever that will work for you.
> But as far as actual clothing, it's all about fabric. Here's an excerpt that speaks to that:
> 
> _-Dress for the water temperature. If you have an untimely baptism you need to stay warm long enough to perform a rescue, whether assisted or self.
> ...


That is a great point about cotton. I do not wear cotton ever when its cold out and i'm paddling. It doesn't wick and it won't dry. Very, very dangerous. I wear a columbia poly-fleece blend under my jacket to keep warm.


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## FishermanMurph (Jan 29, 2012)

I don't understand the dry/wet suit thing unless you are whitewater kayaking or paddling across a very big lake or ocean. I'll just go with chest waders (posted the video of dunking in waders in that dry suit thread), water proof jacket, and no cotton. Though, only part there I follow at the time is the water proof jacket.  Will be getting waders before next season. And life vest of course. 

You are pretty close to shore for an easy evac of the water if you ever go over, which with our fishing yaks, it's not easy to flip over. Possible but the best chance of taking a dunk is getting in or out (can't always rule out a freak thing though on the water). Which, I think the only way I'm going over with the D10T is standing up and falling over. That thing is a freaking boat.


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## FishermanMurph (Jan 29, 2012)

Too add, I been talking with my Wisconsin friend who has lots of experience with cold water fishing and he also suggests this along with the waders: 

"Underarmour of some sort is excellent too. It wicks if you get wet so as long as you have an absorbing layer, it'll help dry you out by transferring moisture to that absorbing layer. I always wear underarmour when its cold too because it's the best at keeping ya warm
"


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to pick up some waders for myself tonight.....If Amanda shows interest I will buy her a set too. If not I may buy her a suit of some sort. She seems accident prone. (Has dumped in open water)...so it may be a good idea for her to have a suit.

Looks like I'll be close to a bass pro and a dicks. Anyone have suggestions. .... general or specific?

For the guys with footies on their waders, do they seem to wear thin over time? It seems like that would be an issue.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

SeanStone said:


> Thanks for the replies. I'm going to pick up some waders for myself tonight.....If Amanda shows interest I will buy her a set too. If not I may buy her a suit of some sort. She seems accident prone. (Has dumped in open water)...so it may be a good idea for her to have a suit.
> 
> Looks like I'll be close to a bass pro and a dicks. Anyone have suggestions. .... general or specific?
> 
> ...


Sean, I use these in black over my wader footies. They are neoprene. I got 1 size bigger over the 5mm waders and they work great. They are actually specifically made for wading, so they can get wet with no issues and they have a very low profile. Good buy for $30 bucks. Also, consider if you want chest or waist-high waders. I use chest, and I like them so they don't slide at all and they are just higher for more splash protection. I would try both on. The shoes are from bass pro, and the RedHead waders from Bass Pro are top notch as well. Check out these boots:

http://www.basspro.com/World-Wide-S...-Men/product/55184/?cmCat=CROSSSELL_THUMBNAIL


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Don't worry about a belt, contrary to popular belief chest waders don't fill up and drown you, you'd be surprised once the water pressure hits not much water gets in. My next purchase will be breathable waders, you can use them more of the year, just use more layers when the air temp is lower. Neo you get HOT! Sweat is the enemy.

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

StuckAtHome said:


> Don't worry about a belt, contrary to popular belief chest waders don't fill up and drown you, you'd be surprised once the water pressure hits not much water gets in. My next purchase will be breathable waders, you can use them more of the year, just use more layers when the air temp is lower. Neo you get HOT! Sweat is the enemy.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Hm, that's a good point. I guess when i'm wading in the summer with my cheap-o waders, they compress right to my skin. Having said that, my aunt's father drowned on the maumee when his waders filled after stepping into a hole. Not sure of the exact circumstances, but obviously they filled up enough to where he couldn't swim. Just always have a knife handy.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

They'll make you float if anything, filling up is an old wives tale, they do make it tough to swim, and current in a river would be bad.

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

It would be interesting to try under controlled circumstances if you had a rope tied to you and a small hole that was just over your head. A buddy could pull you out if need be. I'm curious and especially for safety reasons i'd like to try it sometime in the summer with my neoprenes just to see if it works or not.


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## kparrott154 (Mar 26, 2007)

I seem to remember Jeff Coats(?) doing the wader test in a pool at a decoy show, he floated. I'll try to find the video 

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## lotaluck (Dec 17, 2009)

Northern1 said:


> It would be interesting to try under controlled circumstances if you had a rope tied to you and a small hole that was just over your head. A buddy could pull you out if need be. I'm curious and especially for safety reasons i'd like to try it sometime in the summer with my neoprenes just to see if it works or not.


Look in the dry suit thread just below this one. There is a video posted answering this very same question. Test was done in a pool.


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## Lima Eyecatcher (Aug 13, 2008)

Sean as Aaron said I have the 5 mm bass pro waders I also just got a paddling jacket. It is all warm and will help you float. I have river shoes I wear over the waders. In warmer weather I have a pair of the bass pro breathable waders. I am looking to get the wafer belt but right now I just use a regular belt outside the waders. I have one of the pull the cord inflatable life vests bit want to get a good paddling life vest soon


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## Lima Eyecatcher (Aug 13, 2008)

Also the the waders could pull you down with out a belt in strong current and that will allow water in if you head is upstream of your feet which is the way most people would float down stream. A good friend o mine tried to cross the Grand River a few winters ago and lost his footing. The waders filled and pulled him down stream. He didn't have a belt on and almost got hypothermia. He was lucky


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## LimaFlyMan (Oct 28, 2009)

I'll admit it...I was the guy on the Grand that cloudy day haha. I braved where no man dared go. Was it dumb? Of course! Was it fun in a sick kinda way? Absolutely. You DO only live once though. Cold as crap and unintentional but lessons learned.

Seriously though, it wasn't the water in my waders I was worried about. I could still swim which is how I made it out of the fast current. It was the fast current which was trying to take me under is what got me bobbing in the first place. Below is the video link someone referenced on wader myths.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Bubbagon said:


> Read the COTTON KILLS thing like 10 times.


Cotton is great in the summer but is really that bad in cold weather. Wool is awesome if you can stand it. I like Orlon under the wool, I used it a lot when I winter backpacked in the '70's and 80's.

I hate my chest waders for yakking. Chaps or waist high for me next winter.

I also stay *very close* to shore when I yak in the winter. CC has a lot of drops that put you in deep water 20' from shore. Good enough for me.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Enough with all these horror stories....just kidding. Haha.

I picked up 2 sets of red head chest high neoprene waders last night. Good thing they offered the waders in stout size....for fat guys. I got a 2xl stout and Amanda got a medium stout. 

On our way to safer paddling.

Thanks again.

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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

Neo's are gonna make you sweat lol! But, its better than jeans by a mile. I like breathable waders, fleece and some polypro and call it good. Also good socks.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

shwookie said:


> Neo's are gonna make you sweat lol! But, its better than jeans by a mile. I like breathable waders, fleece and some polypro and call it good. Also good socks.


Took them out yesterday and only wore shorts under them. Air temps were mid forties most of the day with an hour or so hitting 50. I was never warm....always slight chilled. I think 60 would be comfortable with shorts under them. ....more than that and I'll be in shorts.

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

SeanStone said:


> Took them out yesterday and only wore shorts under them. Air temps were mid forties most of the day with an hour or so hitting 50. I was never warm....always slight chilled. I think 60 would be comfortable with shorts under them. ....more than that and I'll be in shorts.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I wear fleece under mine to give you a slight barrier and warmth isnt an issue. Also wear good socks. If you had a slight chill, you might have sweated sometime in them. If you sweat at all, you will feel that "chill" that you talked about and it can be uncomfortable. Just make sure you put your waders on LAST after packing all of your gear, and unpacking it at the site and you won't have any sweat and chill problems. Thats what I like doing anyway.


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