Interest Free Finance
Firstly, we can’t stress enough the value in investing in a high quality winter wetsuit. It really does change the game in terms of warmth and comfort on the water. No one likes being cold so why put yourself through it when there is a simple solution. The amount of technology that goes into 5 and 6mm suits is vast, so we thought it deserved a specific blog to explain. Please keep your eyes peeled for that on the website shortly.
GLOVES
While a winter wetsuit is a great place to start you must not overlook your poor hands and feet. Gloves for windsurfing continues to be a tricky issue and we all have concerns about forearm cramp or lack of grip. The solution for many are open palm mitts and our own staff have never looked back since purchasing a pair. These can be worn as a full mitten with fingers inside but many sailors just put their thumb in. In doing so, you have greater dexterity but also benefit from wind chill resistance on the back of the hand. The staff favourite is the Ion version due to the toasty thermal lining on the inside and the single lined outer, which eliminates wind chill.
For those who prefer a full glove we would recommend staying with thin neoprene, around 2mm, and a fully glued seam. In this category the Ion 2/1 or O’Neill Epic 2mm are well liked.
BOOTS
Barefoot in the winter, looks cool but boy does it hurt. We’ve all forgotten our boots or thought we could hack it and whilst some of us may well be able to fight through the pins and needles and numb toes most of us aren’t that tough (or daft). Going barefoot gives you the ultimate feel and response from the board so when looking for a boot it’s important to look for something with a thinner sole so you maintain that feeling. There’s now a debate to be had between round toe and split toe boots, which is simply a case of personal preference. Whilst a split toe boot offers more support from the boot and less twist in the foot it does feel uncomfortable for some. Don’t underestimate the distraction of windsurfing though and many simply forget about the split toe sensation when riding. Like with wetsuits a boot can come thermally lined with liquid and taped seams like the O’Neill Psycho Tech Boot, which is the absolute dream spc for a winter boot. If you're looking for a more value focussed choice then there’s no better choice than the O’Neill Epic 5mm, which really takes away the harshness of the cold at a bargain price.
HEADWEAR
If your wetsuit comes with a built in hood you may want to skip past this section. As we all know keeping your head warm is vital for maintaining heat throughout the body. What will your choice be, hood or a beanie? Neoprene beanies are fantastic in that they offer brilliant warmth and are super convenient to wear and comfortable. Make sure it’s attached to your wetsuit because there’s nothing worse than losing a beanie to the depths. A moment for all the lost beanies please. Both ION and O’Neill offer fantastic options for beanies with the former offering more colour and even the option of a bobble for the fashion concious. Hoods undoubtedly offer greater warmth and come in a few different fits. S ome finishing before they enter the suit collar, while others integrate for reduced flush.
ACCESSORIES
The Mystic Poncho Deluxe, what can we say. This newly released product is an absolute game changer when it comes to rigging and coming in off the water. Offering full fleece coverage throughout, this poncho is the ultimate rigging, dog walking, mooch to the local kind of jacket. We’ve been so happy with these ponchos we took the opportunity to air freight some in from America for this Christmas period. If we had the choice I think that would be our permanent winter work clothing attire.
The last item we have on the list are thermals and especially the thermo-x range from O'Neill. For days when the winter wetsuit doesn’t seem like quite enough, this thermal takes it to the next level of warmth. We recommend customers to go for the short sleeve tops to maintain maximal range of movement in the lower arm and comfort. For ultimate warmth they also do a thermo-x short which again provides cracking warmth without restricting any movement. The thermo-x range can also be worn in summer as a single layer if it ever gets that warm.
We hope this has been an interesting read for you all. Make the most of great winter conditions in comfort. Don't miss out!
All the staff at Robin Hood Watersports
