GEAR Up for COLD WEATHER

Long after the big boat is put away for the season, the right clothes get you out on the water in a variety of small craft.

- MARK PILLSBURY

With the cold season approaching in many parts of the country, it’s time to take a look at gear that will let you enjoy time on the water with toys such as kayaks, rowing and sailing dinghies, paddleboards, and the like.

Samples of cooler-weather kit were provided by the manufacturers and by Team One Newport in Rhode Island, which sells brands such as Helly Hansen, Musto and Patagonia. The hands-on testing was rather informal.

Living outside Boston, where big boats often get put away by mid-October, I was launching my inflatable for dinghy rides and my paddleboard late into the fall thanks to Mustang Survival’s Taku dry bib and Taku dry top. The chest-high overalls and socks are watertight and rugged, with room to wear heavy socks and a pair of jeans or long underwear underneath. Made from waterproof fabric, the bib’s seat, knees and socks are reinforced with Cordura to resist abrasion, and the overall-style outerwear comes in designs for men and women.

The men’s version includes a waterproof Aquaseal relief zipper, and the men’s and women’s bibs have an adjustable neoprene waistband.

Wearing the dry bibs and my trusty Crocs for footwear over the rocks, I was able to wade into some pretty chilly water and go as deep as I needed to mount a motor on the back of an inflatable or land a paddleboard without grounding out its fi n. On windy days, spray was not an issue, nor was rain, especially with the dry top on.