This post is also available in: French
December 2014
Spots : Étang de Berre and Grau du roi, South of France
Here are a few words about my experience of the Freetyle Libre while Kitesurfing in December 2014. The conditions were not very good but enough to ride a little and test some equipement.
Thank a lot : Flexible and fast to use plus the possibility to anticipate thanks to the arrow trends.
Advantages also very cool for an activity such as Kitesurf.
The main problem I had to cope with is that the FreeStyle is not water resistant. I had to find a device that can protect it from the water.
The mini waterproof phonecase has perfect dimensions for the FreeStyle Libre reader and is made for watersports. The photo on their website tells a lot…
I also confirm that the case is 100% waterproof. It just needs to be properly closed.
Another advantage of the case : a lanyard that enables to wear it around the neck and have an easy access to the FreeStyle Libre while preparing the material and while kitesurfing.
I also precise that scanning the sensor worked well through the case and through the wetsuit (4mm)
I used small dressing to protect the sensor and especially for it not to be torn free when I put on the wetsuit.
The sensor was located on the back of my left arm. While I rode, I could scan the sensor with my right hand, holding the bar with my left.
for a long time, I have looked for a Kitesurf impact vest that has pockets at the front and one at the back for a water pouch. Pockets in order to put sugar products in. Unfortunately, I have found none. But I found at Decathlon a security Kayak/fishing life vest that has a lot of pockets and which is not expensive compared with kitesurf vests. Here is the products can be found in travels shops. They are recommended for low and medium viscosity fluids such as shampoos, liquid soaps, condiments…. I tested with concentrated milk, it works fine. I also use these tubes under water while scuba-diving.
The photos below show the different products I used and the way it looks in the vest.
You can see that I put the Aquapac case, containing the FreeStyle LIbre, in one zipped pocket. It enables to stabilize and protect the reader during the ride.
Will all this equipement I felt confident about my diabetes while I was riding.
The vest is small and comes just above the trapeze which is a good point. However, its main drawback comes from its thickness. The neoprene plus the vest on it and you feel very tight. But when I started riding. this feeling disapeared.
I will try to open the vest and cut the foams in order to have a more comfortable vest to wear.
There is also a risk to twist ones neck with the lanyard of the Aquapac or the water pouch tube when falling. I have read no post about this kind of experience but I guess that it is something that could happen because of a big wipe out for example.
It was once again a very positive experience using the FreeStyle Libre. It brings a real confort. It’s very easy to get valuable information about the glycemia and its trends while kitesurfing.
If you have any other ideas concerning the vest or sugar products you use for such a sport, I am interested 🙂
I’ll ride during the next months in France, Colombia and Germany. I’ll be glad to share a Kite session if you are in.
See you soon
Guillaume
9 Comment on “Kitesurf and diabetes – FreeStyle Libre”
Gustav
1 February 2015 at 15 h 16 min
Awesome post Guillaume!
Just the info I was looking for. Have been kiting with my pump + sensor, something that’s work quite well. Now my doc wants to stop the sensors since they are really pricy. Freestyle libre came up as a suggestion and I wanted to make sure it works through wetsuit and aquapack.
Are the reading accurate or are they somewhat delayed in comparison to standard blood samples?
Regards,
Gustav
GM
2 February 2015 at 3 h 57 min
Hi Gustav,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, the readings were accurate. Except during the first 6 hours using the sensor where the reader showed some big differences compared with blood tests. Results varied up by 100%. Then the differences between the results decreased and were eventually at about 5 %. Using the second sensor, I did not have that big differences during the first day. While kitsurfing, my experience with the Freestyle is very positiv but to confirm this feeling, I will invest in new sensors and spend more time kiting with the FreeStyle Libre in a feew weeks:) Look forward to reading your feedback if you try it. In case of hypoglycemia do you bring something in particular for Kiting? Regards. Guillaume
Patrick
2 March 2015 at 15 h 47 min
Hi Guillaume,
Thank you so much for the great informations.
I am planning to go kiting next week – I will let you know my experience with the freestyle libre.
Cheers,
Patrick
GM
2 March 2015 at 15 h 49 min
Hi Patrick,
thanks for your message. I look forward to reading you. Enjoy your kite session next week.
Guillaume
jan
12 September 2015 at 10 h 38 min
Hi Guillaume,
Thank you for your interesting post. I’m thinking about starting to windsurf and I am wondering how you manage to put your wetsuit on and off whilst wearing the sensor on the back of your arm? That is what is stopping me from windsurfing as the sensors are to expensive for them just to get ripped off my arm.
Thanks for your help in advance. Best wishes Jan,
GM
14 September 2015 at 23 h 22 min
Hello Jan, a plaster and/or a bandage can help protecting the sensor when you put on and off your west suit. Some used Cellophane paper and told me it worked well. I also use :
Hope it will help for you. I Wish you great windsurfing sessions 🙂 tell me if you use sensor and find another protection for it.
Best, Guillaume
Sen
14 October 2016 at 0 h 22 min
Hi Guillaume
I’m an insulin injection using type 1 diabetic (not a fan of pumps just like you) and I just recently got this system in Australia.
Interesting that you said the sensor works through your swimwear, I called up the customer service line and they said they wouldnt recommend tight clothing… From your experience would you think that it would work through compression garments (e.g skins). Also where can you get the waterproof case, the link doesn’t work for me and I can’t find it on google let alone the aquapac website.
I’m about to partake in the tough mudder (half) next week (so no electric shocks, ice or fire) and I have some doubts whether the sensor will survive. The adhesive is already starting to peel a bit (this is my second day of using it). Any experience in this area?
On another note is there any chance you’ve been skiing before with this reader. I’d be interested to know how the sensor’s adhesive handles the constant extensive stacking and sliding on the ground. Temperature shouldn’t a problem through all the layers however the distance could be…
Your love of the outdoors with diabetes is inspiring,
Your help would be SUPER appreciated
Sen
GM
16 October 2016 at 21 h 28 min
Hi Sen,
I haven’t tried the freestyle libre sensor with a compression tshirt.
Swimming suits for diving or surfing are also pretty tight and It was no a problem for me at all. So I would try in your case with a compression shirt and see how it feels. But I would advise you
to use a material around the sensor to protect it: for ex a strapping tap or bandage ( . they advise to use compression top, but on the photo it does not seem to be one, does it ? In any case try it with sth to protect the sensor. And rather with long sleeves.
Bad scenario : it seems to be a team event and your colleagues might help you grasping your arm and, in the worse case, take the sensor with them, oups:(
However If you have this in mind I guess you’ll pay attention and will be able to avoid it
Waterproof phonecase :
Sorry for the link. I have just updated it. It is actually the aquapac website :
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