Boots are one area where we need to invest wisely in as we spend more time on our feet than any other surfing sport. Cold feet = less mobile feet = less balance, it’s a simple equation. These days you can buy wetsuit boot technology incorporating the same high tech materials as used in top end wetsuits and it’s a worthwhile investment. 7mm boots are my preference as they not only keep your feet toasty but also offer a lot of support and padding when on your feet for a long session and when clambering over rocky reefs and stony shores. The dipped latex type of boots offer more flexibility and warmth but are more susceptible to damage.
Don’t get hung up on the split v round toe debate – use what feels most comfortable to you – I’ve seen good surfers using both, it’s a choice not a rule as to whether you use split or not, for the record I use round toe.
Gloves, I’ve always preferred using none or the very finest 1.5mm so I can keep good contact with the paddle and my fingers mobile. Making sure you core is warm with a good suit and layering goes a long way to keeping your exposed hands warm in my experience.
One of the greatest myths about staying warm in winter is that “40 to 45 percent of body heat” is lost through the head. The myth is thought to have arisen through misinterpreted conclusions from experiments in the 1950s, when military researchers exposed subjects to frigid temperatures and left their heads uncovered, meaning most of their heat was lost through their heads. Using more controlled parameters, a 2008 report in the British Medical Journal found that a person loses 7 to 10 percent of their body heat through their head and the heat loss is fairly proportional to the amount of skin that’s showing. The face, head and chest though are more sensitive to changes in temperature than the rest of the body, making it feel as if covering them up does more to prevent heat loss. One study showed when the head is allowed to get cold and the body is effectively insulated, the body’s core temperature drops a lot more rapidly than expected, so there are still advantages to keeping insulated up top. My preference is a peaked hood, it shades you from low winter sun and when the rail, hail and snow start falling the peak offers some welcome protection and the hood helps guards against surfer’s ear.
