5 ways to stay comfortable while kayaking, paddleboarding, and more
In the summer, many athletes live for kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding—only to put the beloved activities aside as soon as winter hits. But some experts argue that you should continue taking part when the temperature drops.
"It’s exhilarating and invigorating to be out on the water year-round,” says Sian Sykes, owner and instructor at Psyched Paddleboarding in North Wales. Every year she leads a group into open water on New Year’s Eve to gaze at the stars and drink champagne at midnight.
The benefits of winter water sports go beyond a sense of awe and novelty. First of all, you’ll continue to improve your skills and tighten your bond with the friends who join you, says Alecia Gende, DO, a sports and emergency medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Lacrosse, Wisconsin.
From a fitness perspective, you’ll burn more calories than normal as your body tries to keep warm. “Any cold-weather sport is harder on the body as it does the background work of maintaining a healthy temperature,” Gende says. There’s even some evidence that you accumulate calorie-burning brown fat the more time you spend in arctic conditions.
That said, smart planning is key for success. Here are five strategies for staying comfortable on the water through the coldest months.