What city in Colorado for (Denver, Center: 2015, live, metro)

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by stablegenius

don't know what whitewater SUPing is, but sounds fun! I could probably get into it.

Stand Up Paddleboarding

[Meerame]

Consider Sonoma County (or Marin) in CA. There is SUP on the San Pablo (SF) Bay, Tomales Bay, Russian River, Lake Sonoma and you are still striking distance to the ocean (although its cold). Public transport is not good to SF though if you like late nights, but it is a beautiful place to live and there is plenty to do in Marin and Sonoma. But all that comes at a cost, but living in CA already, you probably know that. We do get a rainy season that you might find frustrating if you need sun, and there are always a few weeks of it being very hot in the summer, but generally its mild temps all year. Check out Petaluma and Sebastopol in Sonoma County or even the town of Sonoma.

[WinterJo]

Looking at your original post, your biggest issue seems to be your gear. Other people have some great suggestions for location but yes, a lot of our water doesn't get that warm in the summer. I moved here from AK. There were people up there that surfed on Kachemak Bay (off of Cook Inlet) and the bore tides in up on Turnagain Arm (again, part of Cook Inlet but north). We had lots of SUPers on the bay. They all wore wetsuits of varying degrees of thickness. I am pretty sure K-Bay never hits 68 degrees. You can do what you want pretty much anywhere there is water, you just need the gear.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by WinterJo

Looking at your original post, your biggest issue seems to be your gear. Other people have some great suggestions for location but yes, a lot of our water doesn't get that warm in the summer. I moved here from AK. There were people up there that surfed on Kachemak Bay (off of Cook Inlet) and the bore tides in up on Turnagain Arm (again, part of Cook Inlet but north). We had lots of SUPers on the bay. They all wore wetsuits of varying degrees of thickness. I am pretty sure K-Bay never hits 68 degrees. You can do what you want pretty much anywhere there is water, you just need the gear.

True, and important for safety. I always assume a poster does not have full immersion wear unless he or she says so.

A good source for buying wetsuits not far from Denver is the Sierra Trading Post headquarters store in Cheyenne. It is a crapshoot as to specifically what brands and models and sizes of suits are available at a given time, but watching their catalog listings can land you good deals.

When the water is very cold, a drysuit works well. A 5/4mm full wetsuit feels more restrictive than a drysuit does. But with the administrative closures, the beginning of the end (of the season) might still need “only” a 3mm or 4/3mm fullsuit.

BTW, someone who used to SCUBA dive in SD said he wore TWO 7mm wetsuits that took over 30 minute to put on. From my experience, a wet wetsuit is even harder to take off, so I wonder if it took 45 minutes to remove them.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by pikabike

True, and important for safety. I always assume a poster does not have full immersion wear unless he or she says so.

A good source for buying wetsuits not far from Denver is the Sierra Trading Post headquarters store in Cheyenne. It is a crapshoot as to specifically what brands and models and sizes of suits are available at a given time, but watching their catalog listings can land you good deals.

When the water is very cold, a drysuit works well. A 5/4mm full wetsuit feels more restrictive than a drysuit does. But with the administrative closures, the beginning of the end (of the season) might still need “only” a 3mm or 4/3mm fullsuit.

BTW, someone who used to SCUBA dive in SD said he wore TWO 7mm wetsuits that took over 30 minute to put on. From my experience, a wet wetsuit is even harder to take off, so I wonder if it took 45 minutes to remove them.

Yep.

I whitewater kayak in a full dry suit. It’s very comfortable and easy to add or subtract fleece layers underneath depending on the weather. Anyone wanting to whitewater SUP in Colorado would definitely be smart to wear one.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Yep.

I whitewater kayak in a full dry suit. It’s very comfortable and easy to add or subtract fleece layers underneath depending on the weather.

AND the insulating layers come in handy for hiking, too. Something the OP will probably also be doing in winter.

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by stablegenius

That's interesting that you thought San Diego was too crowded 30 years ago. You should see it today. I can't figure it out, but there's something about being surrounded by so many people that wears on my mood. It's like I can feel the energy of them all. I should also add that I surf every weekend, but I am NOT out on the water all the time, nor do I need to be. If there is some downtime where I can't get on the water throughout the year that is ok. I told my wife we should fly into Co. Springs and then drive down to New Mexico, just to see what that part of Colorado is like, including Aurora. Like you said, Denver may be too much these days.

Did you mean Pueblo?

Aurora is east of Denver, literally minutes from DIA. It’s not south of Colorado Springs.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by pikabike

True, and important for safety. I always assume a poster does not have full immersion wear unless he or she says so.

A good source for buying wetsuits not far from Denver is the Sierra Trading Post headquarters store in Cheyenne. It is a crapshoot as to specifically what brands and models and sizes of suits are available at a given time, but watching their catalog listings can land you good deals.

When the water is very cold, a drysuit works well. A 5/4mm full wetsuit feels more restrictive than a drysuit does. But with the administrative closures, the beginning of the end (of the season) might still need “only” a 3mm or 4/3mm fullsuit.

BTW, someone who used to SCUBA dive in SD said he wore TWO 7mm wetsuits that took over 30 minute to put on. From my experience, a wet wetsuit is even harder to take off, so I wonder if it took 45 minutes to remove them.

Re the bolded, there is a store in the Denver metro at 5910 S. University Blvd. Unit A-15 Greenwood Village, CO 80121. We also have one of these in Colo Spgs; 5916 Barnes Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80922. May not have the selection or discounts available at the headquarters, but its a much shorter drive to get to them.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by TigerLily24

Did you mean Pueblo?

Aurora is east of Denver, literally minutes from DIA. It’s not south of Colorado Springs.

No some people mentioned Aurora, I did not realize it was not south of COS. I'll have to study a map some more.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by stablegenius

No some people mentioned Aurora, I did not realize it was not south of COS. I'll have to study a map some more.

Parts of Aurora can be questionable, but Smoky Hill, by the E-470 is definitely a nice area...…..if you can afford it. Southlands Shopping Center is very nice, by the E-470.

We use to live in Parker and Smoky Hill area, and the Shopping Center, was basically a "hop, skip and jump" down the E-470 for us.