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Larry Goodson's Cold Weather/Water Clothing Choices in the Columbia Gorge
Deciding What to Wear for Cold Water
Larry:
We are at about 44 degrees F water temperature (6.66 deg C) now (Ed: Mid December) in the Gorge and cooling.
Recent Swim
My self rescue a couple of weeks ago included 5 remounts and approximately 30 minutes total in the water. I was just barely dressed adequately with the following:
4/3 Mateus Dante wetsuit with separate Excel neoprene hood
Full Drysuit over wetsuit
7mm booties with wool socks
black plastic mechanics gloves inside of neoprene pogies.
This rig is adequate for 60 minutes survival conditions at 45 degrees based on me testing for 30 minutes in 45 degree water.
Overheating
I can't paddle in less than 25 average wind with these clothes as I require constant splashing to keep core temperatures down. Fortunately, the winter downwinders are often in the 30's and 40's keeping me wet and cooled down. (super fun, just like summer).
The hoodie is crucial for the survival swim and can be flipped down letting my head cool off when I am sweating heavily which happens when under 25mph wind.
Decreasing Water Temps
I will be adding my 1mm drysuit insert over the wet suit and inside of the dry suit soon as water temperatures decrease.
I will be adding my 2mm drysuit insert over the wet suit and inside of the dry suit soon as water temperatures decrease a bit more.
In the wintertime, I paddle in two conditions only:
- over 25 mph average downwind with full clothing as above (awesome conditions in winter).
- under 10 mph with light gear such as a 4/3 wetsuit only with or without hoodie. In 45 degree water, one 4/3 wetsuit is adequate for sudden immersion shock protection and allows you 10-20 minutes of immersion to remount in 35-45 degree water.
- Between 10mph and 25mph average wind, I don't paddle in the winter unless a big wind dies on me. Why? I can't wear enough clothes to survive the swim as I will over heat while paddling. So I only paddle flat water and big downwinders all winter. Mostly downwinders as I like to erg as much as I like flat water paddling. Since I can't dress for the swim in medium conditions due to the heat, I just don't paddle medium conditions until April or May.
