One of the first questions we have to ask ourselves when we are going to kitesurf is: How cold is the water? or in other words: Kitesurfing and water temperature
When we practice kitesurfing we must always consider the water temperature. In any case and if except we are kitesurfing in tropical waters, for many different reasons it is adviced to use a neoprene.
If the water is really warm and a neoprene is not necessary from the point of view of body temperature, in any case a long sleeve lycra and lycra pants will protect us from the sun and also from possible jellyfish contact.
A neoprene will protect our body from hypothermia as well as rashes, bruises and contusions that generally can occur while we are sporting, but the main reason to use a neoprene when kitesurfing it is definitely to keep our body temperature on the needed normal conditions. Our body, in normal conditions, has a temperature that oscillates between the 36 and 37 degrees Celsius.
Kitesurfing and body temperature
When a person is subjected too long to very low temperatures can suffer what is known as hypothermia, that is, when the temperature drops below 36 degrees. In these cases, medical attention is needed and symptoms such as tremors, muscle contractions or breathing problems appear.
On the opposite side, a temperature between 37.1 degrees and 37.9 degrees is considered low grade. In case the temperature rises above 38 degrees, it is called fever or hyperthermia.
A significant decrease in temperature causes alteration of cellular functions, while a temperature of 43 ° C or higher causes death by protein denaturation.
We have to keep in mind that while we are kitesurfing, unexpected situations could happen. If it get windless we will have to stay in the water until we’ll be able to reach the shore again.
How to choose your neoprene
Even if the water may seem not cold in the first place, when our body is submerged on the sea, our body temperature will drop soon to levels in which we may enter in hypothermia, if that happens, we would be in risk of death if we are too far from the beach.
Always wear a neoprene and never kitesurf as far that you cannot swim back to the beach.
