Elements...

Today is exactly the kind of day we're hoping we won't get on the trip coming up: cold and rainy. There is a worse kind of day, though, which all kayakers and canoers know; cold, rainy AND windy. This triple combo can really mess up your day! Traveling on the water cold and wet all day, plus being chilled by wind, can get you sick, so we're taking some precautions.

We're all getting a rainsuit (jacket and pants) that is completely waterproof and windproof, and as a plus just also happens to insulate. Triple-threat clothes for triple-threat weather! I picked mine up for $10 the other day, and gave it the best run-through test I could at the time: I put it on over my clothes and went in the shower with the water turned all the way cold! I only had a t-shirt and shorts on under it, but still stayed quite warm and dry. Oh, and this particular rain jacket has a waterproof hoodie as well; BIG PLUS!

One other waterproof item is a must; rubber boots. Good ol' cheapo rubber boots will work great to both keep out the cold and the water around our feet, and the rainproof pants can pull right over the tops of them. An extra item that I'm still debating on is waterproof gloves of some kind, though I wouldn't say that they're an absolute necessity.

Now, one problem with cheaper waterproof gear is most of the time they tend to insulate too much. The plasticy material that they're made our of keeps water and wind out because it pretty much keeps everything out. It also keeps everything IN on the inside, including your body heat, so that after a while it can feel like a sauna! Why not just buy some breathable waterproof gear, you might ask? There are two reasons: 1) all four of us are pretty much totally broke, and 2) we enjoy doing stuff with everyday, "average Joe" kind of gear, just to prove that the gear doesn't make the man, the man makes the gear. We might get a little sweaty,sure, but if we do end up putting on the gear mentioned above, then chances are that the weather is pretty nasty, and sweating would be preferred as opposed to facing the elements directly.

Quite honestly, I can't wait to be back on the River again! We've been planning this trip since summer of this year, and now that we're within a month of the start date, I'm definitely getting antsy!