Essential Equipment For Lake Surfers
As the colder weather starts to creep in, we thought we’d create an equipment guide for lake surfers. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran looking to make some gear upgrades or a first timer wondering where to start, this list should cover the basics of what you’ll need to brave the harsh winters as a lake surfer.
Wetsuits, Gloves and Boots - A full hooded wetsuit, gloves and boots are extremely necessary for any lake surfer. With lake temperatures reaching below zero in the winter, you’ll want to be as covered as possible when you’re out in the lineup waiting for your next wave. Wetsuits range in thickness and style. For the winter you will want a full body suit with a hood at 5/4 thickness or more. 5/4 refers to the thickness in millimetres around your body versus your arms and legs (5mm thick around your body and 4mm thick around your arms and legs for more mobility). For gloves and boots, you will also want to look for thicker options. Most likely 3-5mm thick gloves and 5-7mm thick boots. To find an awesome selection of wetsuits, gloves and boots for any season, we recommend checking out the supply at Surf Ontario.
Surf Poncho/Parka - Picture this: It’s 7am, mid February. Winds have been howling for days, air temperature is well below freezing and you get a text saying that your local spot is pumping. You see this, turn on, do not disturb and go back to bed because you don’t have the right gear. Whether you are getting in or out of the water, a good surf poncho/parka could be the biggest difference maker of your coldest sessions. We recommend grabbing one of Slowtides Surf Parkas for the winter season.
Surf Board - You may have heard that soft top surfboards (foamies) are only for beginners, and yes it’s true that when you go to your first surf lesson they’ll hand you some beat up foamie with a wonky fin. However, foamies are excellent boards for surfers of all skill levels and are perfect for surfing on a lake. One reason for this is that fresh water provides less buoyancy than salt water, so the extra volume in a foamie is necessary to help you catch waves. Also, with unpredictable wave conditions on a lake, a foamie will help you catch even the smallest, crumbliest waves. If you have been searching for your new favourite board, our friends, Oak Surf Club have an awesome selection of versatile foamies from CRIME surf boards perfect for all skill levels.
Coffee - Last and certainly not least, a good cup of coffee to help get you in the water or warm you up after a session is a non-negotiable for surfers everywhere. Our favourite place to get beans is from Anchored Coffee, a roastery in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia built by surfers.
All businesses mentioned above are Canadian or Canadian owned, please check them out!