Hey there. We are relatively new to kayaking and are hoping for advice in what kind of gear to get to extend our season! We live in southern New Jersey with both bay and ocean kayaking options. We have sit on top self-bailing kayaks. Looking for advice on wetsuit options to carry us through the colder months (probably not the dead of winter). We have found on most days on the bay the winds cause enough choppiness to render our plugs useless and we still end up sitting in water (so we just stopped using them). Thinking farmer john suits and dry tops are our best options. Looking for any suggestions for our particular situation! Thanks in advance 
If you can’t keep the SOT’s for the
summer and get a couple of SINK’s for the winter, I would not want to sit in a farmer John Wet suit in the winter. I would get a two piece dry suit and wear polar fleece under it and I would use neoprene dry mukluks, (NRS boundary boots) or equal.
I even wear that in a SINK in the winter
Jack L
Basic paddling wet suit is not enough
– Last Updated: Nov-21-14 5:26 PM EST –
You are in a craft where you are quite exposed to the weather, and the basic paddling wetsuits that you are probably initially looking at are not adequate without a wind-blocking layer over them once they get wet.
There are fancier wet suits with these kinds of layers built in, but they are full body coverage and cost more than the Farmer John type wet suit.
What kind of money are you will to spend?
SOTs are summer boats.
Yes, you can use them in the cold, but you’re more exposed than in a SINK.
I’d agree that a drysuit or dry top and dry pants would be appropriate in those conditions.
Kokatat Light Weight Gore-Tex Suit
Straight forward features, comfy-er neoprene collar. Add lofting layers to underneath to comfort.
SOTs are all season boats. I use my surfski all winter till ice. There’s no bad weather just bad clothing.
Next week we have our Green Friday Special running if you’re in the neighborhood. If not, I ship.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
hudsonriverpaddler.org
Marshall@the-river-connection.com