Neoprene Waders and Kayaking Safety

The sport of kayaking covers a wide variety of boat types and bodies of water. It is important to remember that any type of kayak is prone to flipping and that being able to safely exit your boat and get to yourself to safety is a concern that should be addressed before ever getting into a boat on the water.

  1. Basic Kayak Safety

    • Both the American Canoe Association and the U.S. Coast Guard list wearing a life jacket as their first safety recommendation for anyone going out on the water. The nature of kayaking makes wearing a life jacket at all times a must. Life jackets should be Coast Guard approved and be either a Type III or IV flotation device.

      The life jacket rating and Coast Guard approval will be listed on the inside back panel of the jacket. If you are paddling in moving or shallow water, or a combination of both, a helmet should be worn. When a kayak flips over your head quickly becomes the lowest part of your body, opening you up to serious injuries.

    Wader Safety

    • The big danger in using neoprene fishing waders is the possibility that they will fill with water. This becomes even more of a concern when riding in a kayak with the possibility of flipping over. Although a filled pair of waders will not necessarily drag you down, the combination of heavy waders and moving or cold water can be a deadly combination. A belt around your waders will help keep the water out if you get flipped out of the boat. A belt will help limit the amount of water that leaks into a pair of waders, but a life jacket is a must when wearing them in a kayak.

    Insulation

    • Staying warm while kayaking can be challenging. Water conducts heat away from your body about 25 times faster than air. Any time spent in a kayak will inevitable result in you getting wet, so laying correctly to stay warm is must. Neoprene waders are a great choice to help you stay warm while in your boat. Make sure to wear the correct type of top to keep your upper body warm as well. Lightweight jackets are good for flat-water kayaking, and a dry top, a type of jacket with rubber seals around the neck and wrists, is better for white-water and rougher water.

    Egress Concerns

    • Many kayaks are designed with tight-fitting hip and thigh pads. This tight fit is designed to allow the paddler to get the most maneuverability out of their boat. The downside of a tight fit can be difficulty getting into and, more importantly, out of a boat. Many kayaks use soft close cell foam to form the hip pads and other fitting pieces on the inside of a boat. This soft cell foam can grip with neoprene with a surprising tightness and make it difficult to exit your boat if it tips over.

      Foot entrapment while attempting to exit a flipped kayak is also a concern. Large, awkward footwear, such as felt bottomed wading boots, can become tangled in the inner support wall of a kayak or even wedged against the wall of the kayak itself. Sandals with webbing that wraps around your feet also can become caught up in the fitting of a kayak. Make sure to wear either no shoes, or slipper-style booties designed for kayaking.

      Once you know what you are going to wear out on the water, make sure that you practice getting out of your boat on dry land. Make any adjustments in your gear or the fitting of your boat so that you can get into and out of your boat as easily as possible.

    Summary

    • Neoprene waders can be a great piece of kayaking gear as long as basic safety concerns are addressed. On the positive side, they provide great insulation both in the boat and in the water. But their bulk and neoprene's tendency to be sticky on the fitting material of most kayaks makes them a safety concern when exiting a flipped boat. Proper preparation of your kayak on dry land and wearing the correct safety gear can lessen these concerns.