Earplugs

Do you get cold water vertigo? 

Do you paddle in windy conditions?

Do your ears get plugged up after rolling or swimming?

Do you get ear wax build-up and/or ear infections?

Do you value your hearing?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, you should consider wearing earplugs when paddling.

I am not a doctor and you should consult your doctor for health advice.  I am sharing my personal experience with "surfer's ear," and how I have found ear plugs to be helpful in preventing cold water vertigo and improving comfort on and in the water.

Early in my paddling career, I went in for a physical and the first thing the doctor commented was on my surfer's ear.  HUH? She explained to me that I had bone growths in my ear canal and that the condition is often called surfer's ear. With a bit more research, I discovered that surfer's ear is common in kayakers as well as surfers.  Cold water is not the only culprit.  Wind is also a significant factor.  

After my appointment, I realized that in the past year I had been experiencing more wax buildup and instances of water being trapped in my ears (even after showering).  I asked around the kayak community and found that many in the whitewater kayak world knew about surfer's ear, many experienced it, and many had started wearing earplugs.  In the sea kayak community, I was surprised that only those that were avid surfers knew about surfers ear.  Today, I am still surprised not to see more paddlers wearing earplugs.

One of the biggest issues is that some ear plugs impede hearing.  The trick, I found is to find plugs that fit and also allow you to hear.  All ears are shaped differently so it takes a bit of shopping and trial and error.  Many paddlers like Doc's Pro Plugs.  I have never been able to get them to fit properly.  I found that they were great at blocking the wind but trapped water in my ear when I rolled.

Mack's Ear Seals have become my go to earplugs.  I find that they keep the water out and allow me to hear.  I also like that they are relatively inexpensive and easily accessible - you can often buy them at your local drug store and even some grocery stores carry them.  I find the strings pop off easily unless you glue them to the plugs with aqua seal.  In recent years, I have ditched the strings and just use the plugs.

If I am not rolling but am paddling in cold or windy conditions, I lightly put the earplugs in my ears.  It is amazing how much warmer and more comfortable I am on windy days with the wind not whistling through my ears.  If I am going to be surfing, rolling or swimming, I insert the plugs further into my ears.

I also discovered that wearing ear plugs helps prevent cold water vertigo which is caused by cold water in the ear canal and on the ear drum.

Have you used earplugs for paddling? If you have any success stories to share, please share them in the comments.

Cheers,

Cate

Gearing up for Winter Kayaking

It's a new year!  Are you excited to get out on the water but concerned about chilly air and cold water temperatures. Here are some tips that I have found helpful for staying warm when kayaking in the winter months.

 

Sea kayaking on a chilly day on the North Coast of California. Photo by Pelle Hammarstrom

First  - what is cold water?  

The National Institute for Cold Water Safety says we should treat any water temperature below 70F with caution.  

What are the dangers of cold water? 

Cold shock, drowning, heart failure, stroke, and hypothermia are the dangers.  For more information, check out Why Cold Water is Dangerous.

Tips for Winter Kayaking Warmth

Thermal Protection -

 My number one choice for paddling in the winter months is a drysuit - specifically one that includes feet.  I make sure that my drysuit is roomy so that if it is really chilly or I am going to be in the water a lot I will still be warm.  Read my blog post on drysuits.

Drysuits are a super comfy option for cold water and cold weather paddling. LFK instructors Jeff Laxier and Cate Hawthorne showing off their colorful and functional Immersion Research Drysuits.

My layers under the drysuit vary depending on air and water temperatures, how hard I am going to be paddling, and how much time I plan to be in the water.  My go-to base layer is my Immersion Research Women's Union Suit.  I have found the Immersion Research (IR) women’s onesie to be the best fitting and functional of the union suits available.  The 2 features that I really appreciate are the relief flap in the crotch and no zippers.  Depending upon water and activity level, I may layer over my union suit (both top and bottom).  I also carry an extra fleece top in a dry bag in case I get chilled and want another base layer under my dry top.

 

Immersion Research makes a super comfy zipperless onesie with a convenient relief flap.

If a drysuit is not an option, then a wetsuit and drytop combination is my second choice.  Here are 2 combinations that I have found to work

1.      5/4 surf suit and a dry top

2.      3mm Farmer Jane with a union suit and additional fleece top.

Keep Your Feet Warm

I often wear a pair of wool socks (sometimes 2) and a pair of neoprene boots in my paddling shoes.  When its cold, I find neoprene paddling shoes/booties to be warmer than my regular paddling shoes.

Keep Your Hands Warm

Pogies are my first choice for keeping my hands warm.  On very cold days, I will wear gloves and pogies.  My favorite paddling gloves are Patagonia’s neoprene fly fishing gloves.  Their XS fits my small hands perfectly. 

Pogie are mittens for kayaking.  They velcro over the shaft of the paddle and work quite well.

Keep Your Ears Warm

Keep your ears warm.  I prefer ear plugs because they keep out cold water and wind, work with my helmet, and protect my ears.  Some people prefer to wear neoprene hoods or skull caps.  If I am doing a lot of rolling or swimming in cold water, I wear both ear plugs and a hood.

Ear plugs are an essential item for kayakers to protect their ears from the wind and cold water.

Protect Your Eyes from the Wind

Try wearing sunglasses or glasses with clear lenses. You might be surprised how much they cut down on the wind and help keep you warm.

Another excuse to wear my Maui Jim's.

Keep Well Fueled

Make sure you stay well hydrated and fueled.  I usually bring a small thermos with hot tea and honey or hot chocolate.  On a cold day, I find the warmth and sweetness are more appealing than plain water.  At lunch time, I find that fatty foods like cheese and/or a nut or seed butters work well.

Other Comforts

Poncho – I often carry an inexpensive easily packable poncho to pull on at lunchtime and when we are off the water but not getting out of our paddling kit right away.  This provides a wind break and keeps heat in.

Dry Gloves and Hat – for off water breaks, I keep a dedicated pair of warm gloves, and a warm, dry, knit or neoprene hat to pull on during lunchtime and off water breaks.

 

Sunglasses and knit wool hats are part of my cold weather kit.  Thanks mom for the cool hats.

After paddling, I change out of all of my paddling clothes (including base layers) and into dry, warm clothes.  For changing out of my paddling base layers, I use my fleece changing station for warmth and modesty.  Usually I have another warm knit hat stowed with my extra dry clothes to be extra toasty (thanks mom for all the warm wool knit hats).

Please share in the comments below if you have other tips for staying warm when kayaking in the winter or if you have found any of these tips to be helpful.

Protect Your Ears

A couple of years into my kayaking career, I went in for a yearly physical.  The first thing my doc noted was that I had an ear infection.  She also commented on my "surfer's ear."  Surfer's ear is a bone growth that occurs in the ear due to repeated exposure to cold water and wind.  If you want the gory details check out this Magic Seaweed Article - "Surfer's Ear - An Inconvenient Truth."  For the not so gross photos - Wikipedia's entry on Surfer's Ear is fairly straight forward.

After my physical, the wheels started turning . . .  

I went on the search for ear plugs.  Lots of kayakers recommend Doc's Pro Plugs.  Doc's come in different sized and are vented so that you can still hear.  I tried them.  Despite trying multiple sizes, I could not get them to seal.  They were great for blocking the wind.  Wearing them, I could hear fairly normally and found that I was much warmer when I was wearing them.   The problem was that they didn't seal out water and actually would trap it in my ear.

The next plugs that I tried were Mack's AquaBlock Earplugs.   These worked!!!  They kept the water out.  I also discovered that the cold water vertigo that I often experienced when doing a lot of rolling or surf kayaking was not an issue when I could keep the water out of my ears.  The problem was that my hearing was definitely compromised when wearing them.  I started using these as my primary plugs for surfing.  They were great except when I was bs'ing with guys in the line up.  I would have to pull one out to hear and then pop it back in when I went to catch a wave.  These also would not work for sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, and teaching where hearing is important.

For a while I kept both Docs and Macks in my pfd and wore which was appropriate - Doc's when I was instructing and guiding and Macks when I was surfing.

One day, I lost on of my Mac's.  In the drugstore picking up some other things, I discovered  Mack's Ear Seals.  DING - DING - DING!!!  We have the winner.  These plugs keep the water out when I am rolling and surfing.  I also have discovered that I can partially insert them in my ear to block the wind but still be able to hear.  When I am going to be rolling or getting wet, I push them in the whole way to seal the water out.

Tip - the plugs do come off the ends of the string easily.  Before using them, pull them apart and put some aquaseal on them before using to help keep the plug from pulling off the string. 

I keep my ear plugs on my helmet.

A few notes, we all have different size ears and ear canals.  What works for some might not work for others.  Other forms of ear protection include hoods and helmets with ear covers.  It is personal preference.  I am sharing because I think that too many paddlers don't protect their ears until they have started to have problems.  I also am sharing an inexpensive and convenient fix that has worked for me in my multiple disciplines of kayaking. 

Now you know what those strings are poking out of my ears.