Not everyone can live in Florida. And as strange as it may seem to some, not everyone wants to live in Florida. (Gasp!)
But for personal watercraft aficionados – whether you’re into speed and podiums, family fun days, or somewhere in between – there is one thing that cannot be denied: winter months in the northern climes are not suited for on-the-water fun. Even in the southern US regions, the upcoming months are not for the faint-of-heart when it comes to climbing onto a fast-moving vessel moving over frigid-temperature waters, especially when you toss in some wind-chill factors.
But all is not lost.
While grabbing the nearest and cleanest t-shirt, and pair of comfy shorts and barefooting it as you kick up a few lake wakes with your jet ski of choice is off the list of options (at least the majority of non-Florida people!) for the next few months, that doesn’t mean that there is no option but to winterize and lock away your onboard fun until spring sunshine comes back around.
The Watercraft Journal took a cruise through the RIVA Racing webstore to see what we could find to help extend the riding season.
Starting from the ground up, and from inside out, staying warm requires toasty-feeling toes, and the proper socks and riding boots can go a long way toward making cool-weather riding enjoyable instead of agonizing.
For socks, RIVA carries a classic crew knit sock, but it’s the water socks created specifically for watersports and to be worn with riding boots will give you the best stay-warm bang for your buck. RIVA carries both the Works H20 Design water socks ($12.95) and the Jet Pilot Neo Ride socks ($19.99).
For boots, RIVA carries several options, including the H2o Design Alpha-1 boots for adults and youth ($109.95-$129.00), the JetTribe Dual Ride Boots ($98.99), the JetPilot X2 Phantom Flex-lite boot ($79.95) and the Sea-Doo riding boots for $92.89.
For the other always-feels-cold extremities, Riva carries a wide range of gloves from a number of brands, ranging from $24.99 to $46.89 for the SeaDoo Neoprene gloves, providing warmth, padding and grip.
While hats aren’t practical while riding, keeping heat from escaping out of the top of your head is important and RIVA’s hooded sweatshirts, tour coats and shirts can help.
Core protection is vital in the battle against cold temperatures, and RVIA has you covered, literally, with a wide selection of jackets, tour coats, wetsuits and more, including the Sea-Doo Ladies Element Riding Jacket for $133.99, the Sea-Doo Mens Neoprene riding jacket for $149.89 and the JetPilot Division Tour Coat for $119.95.
And you can stay warm and stylish on the go with RIVA Racing’s new windbreakers! Perfect for those chilly morning runs or windy days on the water.
You can also check out The Watercraft Journal’s 2022 SeaDoo Cold Weather Riding Gear Lineup!
