Neoprene doesn't keep you warm — it keeps a thin layer of water warm, using your body as the heater. In a 4°C pool with no sun, that heater runs out fast. Here's what the gear pages are actually saying.

The 5/4 rule

In a dry canyon, a 4/3mm wetsuit is plenty. The moment a route has swims, you want 5/4mm minimum — and if the swims are long and the pools never see sun, a drysuit stops being optional.

Hands go first

Your hands lose dexterity before anything else, and your hands are what tie the auto-block. Neoprene gloves are not a comfort item. They're how you still tie knots at hour five.

Why we list temps, not guesses

Every wet route on canyon carries a measured pool temp from the last descent, not a seasonal guess. When it says 4°C, it means someone held a thermometer in it.