Coxing: Winter Wear

Layer Up!

If you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’re in the midst of some shorter, colder days. This is the time to embrace form over function and step into your puffiest, driest, and coziest layers so you can spend your time on the water steering straight instead of shivering.

Because you don’t have the same needs out on the water as your rowers, it’s more important to stay insulated and dry than to wear multiple layers to wick away sweat. Even if you sweat during pieces, you’ll want to focus on comfort and warmth. If that means you look like the Michelin man, so be it. You want to dress so all your attention is on your job, and not how you feel.

Synthetic fabrics and wool are your friends here, and layering is a must. A sweatshirt and sweatpants are not going to cut it. Get fleece-lined leggings and a top you can wear as base layers and use a more traditional fleece jacket and warm pair of joggers as a mid-layer. If you run freezing cold (as so many of us do), don’t hesitate to add multiple layers.

You may have heard the old adage that wool (or another material) keeps you warm when wet. This is true—up to a point. If you’re soaked in cold weather, you’ll lose body heat quickly, regardless of what you’re wearing. If it’s cold out, you should be wearing rain layers every day, regardless of the forecast.

If your raincoat isn’t keeping you dry, inspect it carefully. Many raincoats and waterproof pants have a shelf life that expires once the waterproof membrane inside the jacket begins to deteriorate. If the fabric looks intact but is beginning to “wet out,” it’s likely your items have a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating that needs to be refreshed periodically. Check the tag.

While Gore-Tex is considered the gold standard in waterproof fabrics, there’s a reason lobsterman-style bibs and jackets are worn by so many coaches. Rubber and plastic are waterproof and require no special treatment so long as they’re intact. Read the labels carefully so you know whether your item has a full waterproof membrane or is coated with a waterproof material, then treat and wear it accordingly. In a frigid downpour, you should put on multiple rain layers. Once you’re wet to the bone, it’s going to be difficult to focus on practice.

Keeping your feet warm also can be a challenge during a wintry session. Thick wool socks are key, but so are waterproof boots. You’re going to get splashed during the session, and you don’t want your toes to turn to ice. Depending on your leg length and the boat you cox, wellies aren’t the best option—unless you’re wet launching (if so, best of luck!). Instead, opt for mid-calf or shorter waterproof boots so you can tuck yourself into a bowloader easily. I recommend lined boots for extra warmth.

In my experience as a coxswain, the greatest winter challenge was keeping my hands warm while still being able to feel the steering cables to the degree that I wanted. My solution was a system with three parts.

First, wear glove liners as a base layer for your hands. Make sure to get a pair that is fitted and thin enough that you’re able to feel the steering cables and use your CoxBox and a wristwatch easily. This way, your bare skin isn’t exposed and you can remain dexterous enough to start your CoxBox, pop spacers on and off, and more.

Second, keep a pair of thick gloves handy for stretches when your hands require less dexterity.

Third, tuck disposable hand-warmers in your pockets or bag so that when you stop, spin, or take a break, you can warm your hands quickly. Disposable warmers don’t work once wet, so don’t drop them in the bottom of the boat.

Turning to hats, it’s hard to cox if you can’t hear. That’s why many coxswains favor a baseball cap and a fleece headband, but a baseball cap and a beanie also will work, and you can push the beanie up over your ears if you’re having trouble deciphering your coach. While a beanie alone might look more reasonable, it can cause your headset to slide around.

If your program has survival suits (known affectionately as “super suits”), embrace the look—if you can fit in the boat with it on. While I love my suit as a coach, I was reluctant to wear one as a coxswain. Survival suits are made for flotation, not comfort, and you’ll still need to layer up underneath.

If you’re anti-suit, I encourage you to be open-minded; a survival suit adds a layer of wind resistance and makes you a lot safer out there in the cold. Wet layers and boots are heavy, so if you’re anti-suit, I encourage you to add a life jacket (Henley requires them, so they’re arguably extremely cool).

Go ahead and look foolish. If you’re warm, dry, and coxing well, that’s always a great day on the water, regardless of the season. 

Hannah Woodruff is an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Radcliffe heavyweight team. She began rowing at Phillips Exeter Academy, was a coxswain at Wellesley College, and has coached college, high-school, and club crews for over 10 years.

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