Rooster Women’s SuperTherm 4mm Long John

I have never got on with paddling in a wetsuit, but having only heard good things about Rooster’s Aquafleece range, I was pleased to be able to try out their Ladies Long John. However, I am 5’0, so I have struggled to get wetsuits and long johns that fit well. The crotch and knees always seem to be in the wrong place. This was not the case with the Rooster; it seemed to fit and felt lovely, soft, and flexible. The front zip made it very easy to get on and off on my own.

I headed over to the lake for some buoy turns practice. This was during a warm spell in August, so a 2km warm-up did get very warm. It was quite a relief to get wet and cool off. Once I’d been in a few times, I started to forget I was wearing a wetsuit. It was comfy, and the racer back meant I had excellent freedom of movement for my arms.

The next test was a two-day paddle/camp down the Ardeche. I am a novice at white water paddling, and the river was relatively shallow in places, so I spent much more time on my knees than I’m used to. I took my tourer board, which I found a bit slippery when I had to move forward to keep my fin up, just wearing shorts. I tried the long johns on more rapidly flowing water, and the reinforcement on the knees made a big difference. I felt I could grip the board much better with it on. The reinforcement covered my knees well despite my short legs, and I felt comfortable.

I also had a river race training session on my inflatable race board. With it being very warm and moving around a lot on the board, my legs did feel a bit more restricted, but that’s only a minor issue, and I’m sure it won’t be a problem in the cooler conditions the long johns were designed for. I am keen to try the long johns through the winter.
Price: £235.00