siravingmon wrote:
Wetsuits with no fabric on the outside work fine for me down to about 60 F or a bit less. Neoprene doesn't wick body heat away and if it's black any sun at all will heat it up. Surfers or windsurfers wetsuits work. Freediving wetsuits can be good too with the fabric on the inside. Pure neoprene wetsuits without fabric tear too easily
You may be right, Simon, but long ago I quit wearing neoprene-type gloves because my hands were freezing--temps were probably 60 deg and below. Also, I always wear neoprene booties or boots. Again, when the temps get in the 50's, my feet are freezing, so much so, that I've been known to wear plastic garbage bags around my feet early mornings. Plastic bags over neoprene booties make your feet toasty warm.
We may not have any disagreement. You seem to be talking temps above 60 deg. I'm saying neoprene alone is bad in temps below 60 deg. The older I get, the more that cold feeling creeps above 60 deg. Neoprene by itself has never worked well for me.
Nowadays, I have the dry pants mentioned by Drewyaker above. Those with socks and slightly oversized neoprene boots keep my feet warm. On top I wear a Kokatat jacket with neoprene neck closure and latex wrist closures. Again, Gore-Tex does not keep you warm, especially if it is windy, much the same problem as neoprene. If it is really cool/cold due to wind and water, I will wear a wind-breaker over my Kokatat jacket. I guess the key is, as usual, layering. You have to have things, especially on top, which can be added and removed.
Keith