paddling.about.com
All this person ever does is come here to link to his (lame) site. Seriously, do an “author” search with his nic, every post of his is nothing more than a solicitation to visit his site.
A great resource for you…
Atlantic Kayak Tours has one of the best sites I have found to check out MANY kayak-related questions…including yours…
Be conservative…be careful…become more experienced a paddler in ‘safe’ water…
cold water kills rather quickly…
Bob
http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/Pages/ExpertCenter/Coldwater/Coldwater-1.shtml
http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/Pages/ExpertCenter/How-to-Dress/How-to-Dress-1.shtml
NRS has something called a
Mystery Helmet Liner. I have a full cut model. It’s like sticking your head in a toaster. Quite thin and light.
3mm wetsuit and such
Sailboarding and sailing Hobie Cats, I use a similar outfit, and I don’t go out if the water is less than 50 deg. or the air less than 55.
As an often-swimming new paddler …
… with no roll, I had:
- a 4mm regular farmer john
- double-skirted semi-dry longsleeve top that leaked a lot from the neck
- med. weight fleece longsleeve
- 5mm 6"-high neo booties
- 3/4 coverage vented Pro-tec helmet
… and I did fine swimming about 9 different times in moderately fast, 55-degree water on a 55-degree slightly breezy, cloudy day on 8 miles of Class II+ whitewater with a decent amount of splashing between swims during the 4-hour river trip.
Your set-up sounds warmer, and I’d definitely recommend a Fuzzy Rubber full hood with neck or the NRS Mystery Storm Hood with great coverage – to these you could always add a thin, head-only hood underneath. And gloves – perhaps mid-weight neoprene like the 1.5mm, flexible and grippy NRS Rapid gloves or similar ones by Salamander.