Pros and cons of drysuit paddleboarding

Go on, get that drysuit. Or maybe not.

If your canoe is upside down, or you misjudge a paddleboard move then in winter a drysuit has many advantages. But will this two piece keep me dry? (C) NB

For me winter paddleboarding doesn’t require a drysuit on the canal. But over the past few years I’ve spent a lot of time looking at drysuits for sale. And also discussing them with people who use them.

We talk price (agh!), latex cuff comfort (agh!), brands (agh!) and much more. Like choosing a paddleboard first you need to decide if you want it AND need it. Then you start weighing up which type you want (agh!).

AGAINST DRYSUITS

If you’ve ever done the FSRT (foundation safety and rescue training) in winter/early spring, then you’ll know how much nicer it is to use a drysuit as you try to get craft the right way up in chilly wtaer. I mention the FSRT as it was one of my earliest British Canoeing challenges, though nowadays it’s rebranded as the Rescue and Safety Training (RST) and is run by Paddle UK - so similar but different.

But I hated pulling and squeezing a borrowed drysuit over my head. Getting into it was horrible. Getting out was worse! And then when I’d got over myself with a plan to borrow the same drysuit (as I knew it would fit), but needed to take it offsite, no one was willing to lend one to me because drysuits are pricey.

READING BREAK

Here’s a little extract from my novel Not That Deep involving drysuit misery for the main character, Lara, during a training course. I should add that this is a novel AND IT WASN’T BASED ON ANY PERSON REAL OR IMAGINED LOL:

“Suddenly I feel the flapjack’s sugar overload has caught up with me. Wobbling on to my knees I see spots pulse in front of my eyes as if I’m caught in a lightshow: ah I get it, I’m over heating! As I’m encased in a drysuit, the only way to cool down is to slither off my board into the water. But Houston we now have another problem: that cooling slap of water is doing strange things to my paddle-exhausted body and now I’m desperate to wee. This is solvable surely? I’m sure I can wee illicitly, there, under water without anyone realising, so I go ahead, but then - double horror - I feel my right leg in its comfy leggings go strangely soggily wet as gradually the wee edges its way down to my all-in-one booties.

I’d thought the rescue flips would be challenging, but now I’m determined to get off the water asap, just in case anyone figures out my rookie wee error. Sloshing around in a drysuit while I’m being ‘rescued’ would be beyond humiliating.

I’d have to change my name, Sim card, paddling job, everything…”

FOR DRYSUITS

A drysuit is a big investment. You probably won’t regret it:

• They’re a once in a lifetime purchase as they have good repair options if the neck or cuff/ankle seals go.

• They can save your life - assuming they fit right and all comfort zips are closed when you do hit the water.

• You can use them two days (or even two sessions) in a row without having to crawl into something chilly and wet. If you can cope with putting on a damp set of ‘water’ clothing then pick a wetsuit.

• Their design has improved so women can use them easily too now. By easily I mean that some have comfort zips to allow you to use a loo/take a wee without clambering out of the whole drysuit.

RESEARCH RABBIT HOLES

For 2025 I decided to buy a two piece drysuit that can be joined together. These are much easier for women to use (eg, getting in and out, and especially for those wee moments). You can even buy the two piece drysuit of jacket and trousers at different times to spread the cost. And - NOTE - I did this in the January sales so (in theory) was one of the most affordable months to be sorting out kit for next season/trips. But even in the sales a drysuit is pricey. As I was still procrastinating, it suddenly occurred to me that what I want is a drysuit top to avoid cold water shock on immersion etc, and a wetsuit bottom to make it easy to go to the loo midway through a trip. Should a loo be available. Also I already own some wetsuit legs.

Or do I need a drysuit bottom so I can wade on to my board and a more comfy, zippered top as I’m probably (probably!) not going to fall off?

I turned to the internet for answers. And thankfully it was clear. Mixing up wetsuit and drysuit decisions is just daft.

If you NEED a drysuit, which keeps you dry and thus warm, then that’s what you should be wearing. A wetsuit (top or bottom) lets you get chilly and then keeps you warm enough by letting your body heat up a trapped layer of water between skin and neoprene.

But neoprene is off my buying agenda because it’s so terrible for the people who make it, see this post. That said, if you have a neoprene wetsuit already then keep using it, or buy your next neoprene one secondhand or find alternatives. This was a useful article.

Drysuit trousers. These are Yak Chinook trousers. I bought them in large and have been able to paddleboard and cycle in them. I’m trying not to think about chinook helicopters - at least chinook also means a warm dry wind blowing down the east side of the Rocky Mountains © NB

TURNING THAT NO TO A MAYBE

So back I swing to the drysuit sellers and finally end up with something that is designed for paddleboarders and much recommended (in videos) by two women at the seller SUP Inflatables. I especially liked these reviews as the women are very different sizes (5ft4 and a size 14-16 and 5ft10 and a size 10-12), but both have managed to find a fitting drysuit. Plus their suggestion doesn’t have dry feet attached to the trousers (I really don’t need these) and the neck seal isn’t super tight, a feeling I really hate when paddleboarding and even on my wetsuit makes me burp!

Although I barely buy any new clothes, I’ve had my fashion moments and definitely believe in the price per wear equation. If this new drysuit gets a few outings every year ,and makes me less feeble about getting in low temperature water then it’s a fantastic investment. Probably one I should have made a long time ago.

And owning this drysuit gives me the option to do some more exciting trips on rivers and lochs. I’ll still be using my wetsuit, but I’ll probably be doing more paddleboarding thanks to this very belated drysuit purchase.

NOTE

Once you’ve got your drysuit you will need to:

• practice getting into it,

• learn how to secure it so you stay dry,

• plunge into water to check seals. and

• learning how to dry it for your next trip.

My purchase of the Yak Chinnok trousers and Yak Apollo Cag need to be joined carefully. On my first immersion I got pretty wet. But then I rang up the SUP Inflatables team and they sent me a ‘how to get into it’ video with some added tips about rolling up the two inners as if they are a dry bag. I’m pretty certain that this makes the outfit a drysuit now. But if you really need to be dry on a long paddle trip then a two piece might not right if you’re falling in and out of the water. These two pieces are more for that unfortunate moment when - whoops - you are suddenly swimming. The tip is to get out quick.

I should add that wearing my two piece drysuit, rather than a restricting wetsuit, was a joy on my board. Instead of moving around as if I’d been poured into an ice cube tray (my typical winter look) it was far less restricting to move around and I felt confident that going in wasn’t going to hit me up with cold water shock. I’m not sure you’ll even recognise me as I pivot and spin…

OVER TO YOU

So where are you on adding a drysuit to your wardrobe? Still at ‘no way’, or do you feel you are also getting closer to ‘of course that’s a yes’? Please do share your drysuit journeys and/or click like. It’s lovely getting feedback.

Happy paddling.