Call out to companies: More cold water equipment for women, please!
“Is it time for a change?”, says Maja, a cold water surfer from Germany, who regularly surfs in icy and snowy conditions, “It is scientifically proven that women feel 3 degrees colder than men”, so why are there not more booties and hooded wetsuits for women on the market?
Despite what Instagram might suggest, not every woman is surfing or paddling in turquoise waters in a bikini (although we have to admit, that does sound lovely – can us Northern sisters join you?). The reality for many women in the water is full on winter and shivery changing post-session.
That said, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of cold water equipment made for women’s bodies (6-7mm booties, 6:4 wetsuits with hoods). So what’s going on here? Is it a lack of demand? Are there just not enough of us? Why do we need equipment made for our bodies anyway?
What’s the difference between men and women’s feet?
She Wear explains that back in the day, men’s work shoes were made for men, by men. When women started to enter these industries, women’s work shoes were made as a scaled down version.
But actually, women’s feet are not just smaller versions of men’s feet. We have a whole different thing going on, and it’s scientifically proven. There are a number of studies that have looked at this difference, including: ‘Gender differences in adult foot shape: implications for shoe design’ (Wunderlich RE & Cavanagh PR, Penn State University, 2009) and ‘Comparison of Male and Female Foot Shape’ (Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association).
Take a look at this image created by She Wear, which explains why wearing men’s shoes is not good for our feet, legs or lower back:
So why aren’t there many women’s surf booties?
Sadly today many brands don’t offer women’s surf booties at 6-7mm, meaning that women have to choose men’s models (e.g Excel, Srface). They are often too wide for women’s feet, or don’t fit properly, allowing too much water in and not keeping the feet warm.
Moment Surf, an online surf community and shop, addresses this on their page for women’s boots, acknowledging the lack of choice for women and suggesting that women opt for a size down when they can only access a men’s boot: “Picking a women’s boot can be tricky. Most brands don’t offer women’s specific sizes, so ladies are forced to guess on sizes sometimes. We recommend going with the size down from your normal shoe size (since most boot sizes are in men’s).”
Women’s 6mm wetsuits with hoods
Winter wetsuits for women that go up to 6mm in thickness, or have a built-in hood, are another product lacking on the market. There are companies out there that produce them (scroll down to find some useful links), but it’s still not a standard.
It is scientifically proven that women feel colder than men. For instance, a 1998 study at the University of Utah found that women have hands, feet and ears that are 3°C colder than a man’s (we can thank the hormone oestrogen and typically less muscle mass for that), so it’s surprising that there are not more options to keep our heads, hands and feet warm in the cold water.
Useful links
Manera women’s 6:4 wetsuit with built-in hood
It’s time for a change – Take part in our petition for brands
We’re standing with cold water surfers like Maja. We’re on a mission to show big brands that:
- There is demand for women’s cold water equipment – there are many of us! Who would buy these products; and,
- A lack of warm, properly fitting equipment is actively impeding us from taking part.
Do you agree? Show your support and have your voice heard by taking part in our women’s cold water equipment petition today.
Feature image by Tara Rice.
