Chicago Whitewater Association & Kayak Club

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Paddling Gear: What do you need? and what do we suggest?

student doing a roll

choosing a boat

o add content bout choosing a boat – types (river, creek, play).. rocker, chines, lengths, volume…

Member suggestions:

Jackson Fun Series, RPM for older school longer boat

choosing a paddle

Most beginner paddlers will want to get their own paddle, so the question comes - what do i get?

The most important thing is that you get a whitewater paddle. Do not go to a generic sports store - they typically won't have a ww selection. The paddles will be too long and not designed to withstand the force whitewater paddlers put on their paddles.

Material: Stay away from plastic paddles if you can afford it. Odds are good that it will break in the first year or so and you may as well spend a little more to get a good fiberglass or carbon fiber paddle. Most of these lower end paddles can be found for around $150-200. If you plan on hitting East Race (or plan on paddling a LOT) we'd suggest staying away from the fiber glass and paying extra for the carbon fiber or tipped paddles that can withstand the added abrasion of the cement walls. If you invest in a high quality paddle it will most likely last a very long time and will be worth the investment!

Features to look for:

  • Foam cores can be beneficial in that they may help during rolling by actually floating up towards the surface as you start the setup for a sweep.
  • Bent Shafts can sometimes make it easier to find hand placement when under water. Though you may want to borrow someone's first as they can take some getting used to.
  • stronger shafts can reduce flutter in the water when making really strong strokes.
  • blade design can differ based on paddle activity - play boating, river running, creek running

length of paddle can depend on the type of paddling - shorter paddles for playboating, longer paddles for river running

blade degrees - many playboaters prefer 0° to allow the paddle to sit on top of the water, but most river runners prefer anywhere from 15 to 30 to 45°. Paddles with a 90° feather seem to be a thing of the past and a good choice is a 30° paddle- this still allows for less wind resistance but does not require you to have to bend your wrist a lot to do rolls or braces.

best thing to do is borrow a few and go for a test run, see what feels right for what you are doing. Ask for opinions, see what other people are using.

Member suggestions:

AT2, Werner DBL Dialmond, Werner Player, Mitchels

choosing a PFD

type 3, over the head/zipper, rescue etc…

cold weather gear

This is one of the most important things when paddling in cold weather. Keep your core warm, but don’t forget your extremities either. Also don’t forget the rule of water temp + air temp – (FILL IN HERE) – anything below X means you need to bundle up to prevent hypothemia!

drysuit

this is a one piece suit that does what it says- keeps you dry. They are typically nylon or Gore-Tex and include attached booties, zippers for mid-day relief, and typically have gaskets for the hands and neck. These are really great for super cold paddling but can be quite expensive.

drytop/drypants

these are separate pieces that typically have gaskets on the wrists, neck, and ankles that reduce the amount of water let in to the jacket or pants. These are also made of nylon or Gore-Tex. Most of these will keep you mostly dry, but if you swim you will most likely get wet around the middle where they meet or depending on the tightness of the gaskets may have some leakage.

neoprene top/bottom/wetsuit

the most typical option is a farmer john 3-5mm thick wetsuit, this is a full body with no arms which means you'll still want something warm for up top but this will protect the body if it gets submerged - warming the water that is in between the body and the suit- keeping the body warm. many paddlers upgrade from a wetsuit to separate pieces of neoprene (hydroskin is a favorite) pants or tops for ease of use and comfort. The neoprene pants are also typically combined with a drytop which make an excellent combination that isn't super pricey.

Member suggestions:

NRS Hydroskin pants.

Paddling shirts

there is a wide variety of paddling shirts out there. For cold weather paddling many paddlers layer fleece lined tops (typically referred to as thick skins) with dry tops. Some prefer to use thinner shirts if they are doing aggressive paddling or the weather doesn’t require something heavier.

Member suggestions:

IR Thick Skins.

booties

a wide variety of booties are available - neoprene socks to felt bottom booties to 1-2" thick rubber soles and high tops. many people are limited by what boat they paddle- some shoes just won't fit. Again test out what kind of room you have and then go from there as to what kind of shoe best works for you.

gloves

a wide variety of gloves are available from fingerless thin to thick rubber and flexible to preformed. Usually the higher the cost, the warmer your hands will be. Definitely try out different kinds to see what works for you – borrow them if you can. If your hands are still cold, odds are good you may want to try out pogies. There have been many a paddler that ruled them out until they tried them on a cold day -- converted!

Member suggestions:

NRS Toaster Mits (practice wet exits with them on first!) or Glacier Gloves made for paddling.

pogies

a sort of mitten that velcros onto the paddle and has a hole for your hands so they can hold on to the paddle with no interference. They can be harder to put on, but many say it is worth the extra effort. They keep the warm inside but still allow direct contact with the paddle. Many come in different neoprene thicknesses, and some have fleece liners (a major plus).

Member suggested outfit:

  • #1 dry suit + pogies
  • #2 drytop/semi dry paddle top + thickskin (fleece top) + neoprene pants (hydroskin) + neoprene booties + pogies
  • #3 farmer john wetsuit + thickskin (fleece top) + wool socks + sandals + gloves