Winter is when the waves get good and the crowds thin out. It is also when a careless hour can leave you shivering and cross for the rest of the day. Staying warm in a Cornish January is mostly preparation, and a little kit goes a long way. The people who surf all winter are rarely the toughest, they are simply the best organised.
Dress for the walk down
Pull your suit on at the car, but keep a changing robe over the top until you are at the water's edge. The Harbour Changing Robe is waterproof outside and lined with a fast-drying recycled fleece, so you can get changed in a car park without an audience and stay warm on the walk down. Boots go on last so you do not fill them with sand on the way, and a woolly hat under the hood makes a real difference while you watch the sets.
The suit and the extras
From December to April the water is 8 to 12°C, so this is hooded 5/4 weather. Our Tidewalker 5/4 is built for it, with taped seams and a chest zip. Add 5mm boots, gloves and a hood: cold extremities end a session faster than anything else. If you feel the cold easily, a rash vest underneath adds a layer without much bulk, and a flask of hot tea back at the car is worth more than any gadget.
Reading the day
Winter conditions change quickly. Check the forecast before you leave and again at the beach, and watch the sea for ten minutes before you commit. Look for a wave you can paddle out through and a spot you can get back to. If in doubt, head for a lifeguarded beach and surf within your ability, and speak to the lifeguards about rips before you go in. Never surf alone if you can help it, and tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
The cold bites after you get out, not during. Have the robe and a flask waiting, and get your feet out of wet boots as soon as you can. Rinse the suit in fresh cold water when you get home, dry it inside out in the shade, and keep it off the radiator. A suit looked after this way lasts for years. Our care and repair page has the full routine, and we repair any Swell suit if something does go. A dry suit in the morning is the best part of a winter routine, and it starts the night before with a good rinse.
A quick checklist
- Change at home or the car, robe over the suit for the walk down.
- Wear a hooded 5/4 with taped seams and a chest zip.
- Add 5mm boots, gloves and a hood.
- Check the forecast, then watch the sea before paddling out.
- Surf within your ability and choose a lifeguarded beach when you can.
- Have a robe and a warm flask waiting for after.
- Rinse in fresh cold water and dry the suit inside out in the shade.
