What do you wear for the salt/freshwater?

It seems that the discussion about what we wear when we go out to fish is almost as big as what kayak we ride. I guess thats a good thing since our water temps can be downright freezing at times. Feel free to cut and paste what you think is best from other posts or throw in your own .02 and lets give them newbs a hand.

Z

Here's some threads to get it started:
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,1527.0.html
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,2097.0.html

I am in the market for a drysuit so I thought I would revive this thread. I currently have a dry top that I combine with a  farmerjohn wetsuit and booties(it's my surf kayaking outfit). I am interested in some of the kotatat products for a few different reasons--comfort, call of nature when you're out for several hours, among others. What are you using and where did you buy it?
T2

Kokatat is where its at. I have the T3 meridian dry suit and love it. Put it to the test last winter and it did great
I'd steer clear of the paddling suits as they are not real dry suits. They will pretty much do the job, but I have had problems with durability.

Lee let me know about a going out of business sale at a kayak shop in tacoma, and i got my t3 for $400. Just gotta keep your eyes peeled!  Also watch craigslist for used ones.

I have the stohlquist b-pod dry suit. I use the relief zipper a lot more than I thought I would. Glad I got it, I love it.

I have a Stohlquist G-pod, with the latex neck gasket that I use in the salt and on the fresh during the winter.  I have only had it a few months so I can say much about the durability, but the relief zipper has come in very useful. 

Kokatat is where its at. I have the T3 meridian dry suit and love it. Put it to the test last winter and it did great
I'd steer clear of the paddling suits as they are not real dry suits. They will pretty much do the job, but I have had problems with durability.

Lee let me know about a going out of business sale at a kayak shop in tacoma, and i got my t3 for $400. Just gotta keep your eyes peeled!  Also watch craigslist for used ones.

I love my kokatat supernova semi drysuit.  But like tallman was syaing about reliability, I don't like the fact that this one has only a 2 year warranty.  but so far it works great.  With a pfd on, I will never have my neck underwater so neoprene gasket is fine.   As often as I am adjusting my wrist gasket as it cuts off circulation to my hands, I wouldn't want to deal with a latex neck gasket for all day fishing.

I just ordered the T3 Super Nova Angler Semi Drysuit from outdoorplay. $24 to ship here to Canada--not bad at all. With that comfort zipper I won't have to forego my morning coffee before heading out on the yak. 
T2

I love my Kokatat Gore-tex drysuit.  It breathes well and is very comfortable.  I have had it a couple years now and it seems very durable.  I believe it has a life-time warranty.  The one thing I do not like is the neck gasket, but resolved that with a neck ring that OS Systems makes to hold it away from your neck.  It still seals up against the neck, it's just not strangling me anymore.

Ditto on the Koke Goretex---I got the new one with the neoprene, less chokey neck gasket.  Love it.  Was motivated to buy the dry suit after my buddy's near miss in January:

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,5770.0.html

Kayak Academy has a nice selection and very helpful! Its worth checking out their used selection!

I bought one of their lightly used (Kokatat KA Label T3 Swift Entry Dry Suit w/ Relief Zipper, Dry Socks, waterproof/breathable Tropos 3-Layer T3 KA T3SE-R) from their rental fleet. Looked brand new to me! After a little trimming back on the gaskets, I LOVE IT!

They currently are listing 25%-30% closeouts on select new 2010 Kokatats

Erik

For those of us on a budget, I have been quite satisfied with Cadis, breathable waders and a splash jacket with jeans and a t-shirt.  They are around $100 each piece and good for air temps from about 50 to 80.

T2,
I just ordered the same suit two days ago I hope you're not having it sent UPS or you might get some nasty brokerage fees on this end - at least I have in the past. I didn't see that they were on sale at Outdoorplay so I hope you got a good deal. They're on for $478 at clavey.com and they said they would send it regular post to reduce the chance of higher brokerage. I've never ordered from them before though so we'll find out.

There's a good chance now that I may be in your neck of the woods mid August and would love to catch up with you to go chase some salmon. I can never tell for sure until I'm there as family life keeps me on my toes these days. I think I can forget about the AOTY so I just want to have fun

@WayneWhit

The waders and the splash top are suitable for many places, but you do have to place limits on them. The jeans don't have a place anywhere though in my opinion. Please just get a cheap fleece or something that is light, wicking, and will dry easily without being so restrictive. As the saying goes "Cotton Kills", and even if it doesn't it's total crap in the outdoors. I know what you mean about the budget, everything just keeps totalling up sometimes and just when you think you're done...

Cheers

For those of us on a budget, I have been quite satisfied with Cadis, breathable waders and a splash jacket with jeans and a t-shirt.  They are around $100 each piece and good for air temps from about 50 to 80.

If you're in the salt and after immersion protection.  The best "cheap" route you can go is a good surfing wetsuit.  A 5/4/3 or 4/3 can you keep you comfortable in the water for hours and hours even on the Oregon coast.  They can be had for about half to 1/3rd the price of a dry suit. 

When I was younger and in better shape I would would hit PC in January and surf for 3-4 hours plus in my 5/4/3 with nothing more than cold hands.  And when the water is warmer than the air just dip them to warm them up ;-)

If you're in the salt and after immersion protection.  The best "cheap" route you can go is a good surfing wetsuit.  A 5/4/3 or 4/3 can you keep you comfortable in the water for hours and hours even on the Oregon coast.  They can be had for about half to 1/3rd the price of a dry suit. 

I'd second this.  I've been using my surfing wetsuit in the salt for years.  If something catastrophic happens a couple of miles offshore, I know that it's not hypothermia that's going to kill me.  They're not as comfortable as a dry or semi-dry suit but I've had no problem paddling 15miles in search of mythical sea creatures to slay.

-Spot-

I have two good surfing full wetsuits: a 4/3 Rip Curl hoodless backzip that is easier to get into, and a 5/4 O'Neil Mutant (with hood) that is way warmer and lighter and more flexible than my older Rip Curl 4/3, yet more difficult to get on. (Ya gotta climb in thru the neck hole, which is very stretchy, then pull the hood over one's head and zip a small horizontal zipper across one's chest). This newer system eliminates the stiff, sewn zipper seam traditionally found on full-zip suits, and makes them noticeably more flexible. But they're a PITA to get on and off, compared to the older style back-zip models.

These surfing wetsuits can get a bit warm on sunny days when the wind isn't blowing, and have no relief zipper, so I'm thinking of getting an NRS farmer john with a front-zip and one of those Hydroskin tops to layer underneath it for the colder days, or maybe even one of those Hydroskin jackets to wear over it. This will be for heading out in my Tarpon 140.

I already have a pullover Stohlquist splash top with velcro-closure neoprene cuffs and neck gasket that works great to break the wind chill.  I've been wearing that with breathable waders, or else with shorts or surf trunks under cheap rain pants (work great as splash pants!).

I'm on a low budget right now, since I have to pay some medical bills out of pocket (got no insurance), and that is eating up most of my discretionary yak-fishing spending. A new drysuit is out of the question.

So.... I guess I'm soliciting for suggestions on the best farmer john for NW waters, and any reviews on Hydroskin tops.  Thanks! This will be for next spring and summer, but I want to take advantage of sale prices which are happening now. I usually try to buy my winter stuff on sale in the late spring, and my summer stuff on sale late fall or early winter.

Anybody here have any experience with yak garb made with "Hydroskin?"  I'm thinking a jersey or top of that would be better than fleece, layered with a farmer john. Thinking of summer warm days, but on cold water.