NRS Rodeo Pants : Ride Wet, Stay Warm

When the subject of paddling in the winter comes up, I'm often asked if I wear a wetsuit. It's a perfectly legitimate question, and the implied advice is well-meaning, but for years my answer has been, "no and let's not discuss it, please." That's because in my mind wetsuits are the province of divers, surfers, and white water boaters -- aquatic types who spend copious amount of time IN not ON the water. I always assumed neoprene was too restrictive for a hard-charging marathon paddler like me, and would cause me to overheat. But I'm mature enough to admit I was wrong - at least, half wrong.

This winter I donned a pair of 2 millimeter Rodeo Pants by NRS. Not only were they warm and (for neoprene) comfortable, thanks to the ankle zippers they were mercifully easy to get in and out of. (There are few
things more maddening than being stuck in soggy neoprene when you're cold and shivering and need to relieve yourself.) With a high-cut waistline and
drawstring that allows me to tightly tuck pliable layers up top, frigid water didn't seep down my lower back.

I wore my NRS Rodeo Pants during my coldest kayak paddles this panst winter, in the early spring I used them again, canoeing on the Susquehanna in central New York when the air was plenty warm but the water was very cold.  Now, in mid-May, when I paddle in the nippy Atlantic on my deckless ocean racing sit-on-top kayak (called a surf ski), I go the Rodeo route and really appreciate the padded knees which provide much-needed warmth. In my book, warm knees equals well-being.  

Make sure you check their size chart for height and weight before ordering.

Bottom Line: Warm, comfortable, and padded in the right places, the NRS rodeo pants are a valuable addition for any four-season paddler. --J.G. (June '06)

Price: $74.95

Manufacturer's Site: www.nrsweb.com

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