What equipment to take with you on your autumn fountain trips?

We get a lot of questions, both in spring and autumn, about what would be good equipment for colder weather. Wet suit? Dry suit? Neoprene socks, neoprene slippers, neoprene gloves? In this article we will go through some tried and tested equipment specifically for finning, but of course the products are also suitable for other sports and e.g. Cress neoprene socks are extremely popular with, for example, open water swimmers.

The point is always to stay on the sup board and keep swimming as a separate sport, but it's good to be prepared for that too. Of course, the most comfortable and safest option is to get a good paddling suit that keeps you dry and makes it easy to adjust your layering according to need and weather conditions. We tested in the spring Artistic paddling suit in very icy conditions, so you can read more about the suit here. Highly recommended if you don't want the calendar to determine the length of the season.

Then wetsuit, which differs from the dry suit in that the neoprene garments are worn over bare skin and are supported and protected by the fact that when wet, the heat generated by the body warms the suit instantly and after a momentary cold, the suit is very comfortable to wear. 3mm neoprene is still nice and supple and does not restrict movement. However, on longer, faster-paced runs, the wetsuit can feel a little too hot.

However, if you feel that the extremities, i.e. the toes and fingers, are the most critical and most affected by the cold, a handy aid is neoprene socks and -gloves! Neoprene socks Joben 2mm socks are like a second skin, very discreet on the foot and can also be worn inside sneakers. The feeling on the sup-sole is also very similar to bare feet. Jobe socks are very flexible.

Another sock option is Cress neoprene sock, which have a more grippy and coarser sole, these have been particularly popular with open water swimmers, although of course a coarse sole is also comfortable on slippery beach rocks for example.

For the hands, on the other hand Cress 2,5mm neoprene gloves seems like a pretty perfect choice; just the right thickness to handle even near 0 degree weather, and the gloves' roughened surface gives a good grip on the paddle. The Cress gloves are also very flexible and comfortable on the ground.

For the feet, there is also the neoprene slippers. You can wear them as they are or you can supplement them with neoprene socks. For autumn and spring, a thicker material is well suited. 5mm Artistic neoprene slipper, which already have a much sturdier sole, so you can leave home and walk comfortably for the necessary transitions, and your feet will stay warm for the whole trip.

In addition to these, it is good to remember that none of these are flotation devices, although with suits you may feel that you are doing fine, so always take a flotation vest with you! One of the most popular buoyancy aids this season was the new type of "semi-automatic flotation vest", a convenient and lightweight waist pack Spinlock vests.