The situation goes like this.  Its cold out.  You're on the side of the road and you've just run shuttle.  You're organizing your gear and dreading the whole time what must come next.  You have to put on your cold weather gear.  This means you must strip down on the side of the road, and fingertips numb, begin to contort into your dry suit.  This can either go smoothly or be the most frustrating part of your day.  And, while it is true that the design and technology of dry suits over the last 15 years has increased drastically, knowing how to put on a dry suit definitely makes life a lot easier.  So, go ahead and practice ahead of time so you're  not standing in your skivvies in some small town giving the locals a show while you wrestle with your gear.

While temperatures drop and snow storms occur around the United States, paddlers have for the most part hung up their gear and buried their boats in their garages.  For the kayakers, canoeists, and rafters that are willing to brave these frigid conditions they must figure out what to wear to keep themselves warm in their boats.  Some boaters like dry tops, others like full dry suits, and yet there are some boaters that still like wet suits.

The question though, is which type of paddling outerwear is advisable and best for given cold weather circumstances?  In order to decide that, one must first know the differences between dry tops, dry suits, wet suits, and paddle jackets.

What do you wear when the water and air is cold?

Each year at about this time I challenge my readers to reflect back on the previous year's paddling accomplishments. 

Did you improve your paddling technique?   Were there any memorable paddling trips that you took?  Did you buy a new boat?  Learn a new paddlesport?  How many days did you get out on the water?

My philosophy is that we should all set annual goals for each aspect of our lives that we deem important.  Therefore, if paddling is an important part of your life you should have some things you'd like to accomplish with regard to it. 

I can hear the arguments already.  "But that will take the fun out of the sport."   "That will ruin the freedom I feel when I paddle."

I get that and I'm not at all saying to turn your hobby and passion into a chore.  What I am saying is that there are at least 5 goals every paddle should have each year.  When you read them you'll realize that they are easy to set and will give you something to look forward to. 

Why not give it a try in 2012 and see if your paddling enjoyment isn't taken to the next level?

Happy New Year!

Many people want to get into the sport of kayaking after only brief exposure to the sport.  For this reason all of the nuances associated with choosing their first kayak are not often clear to the beginner when going to buy a kayak.  There are many factors such as what type of kayak to buy, should you buy a plastic or a composite kayak, and the size the kayak should be.  This minefield of questions can only be answered through discussion with other paddlers and doing some good research. 

Fear not, however, buying your first kayak is all a part of the journey that is kayaking and it is actually a very exciting time.  So have fun with it!