what is best to wear under a dry suit

Being new to this kayak fishing thing I don't know what I don't know.  Everyone talks dry suits no one talks about what you wear under it.  I used my dry suit for the first time Saturday, it turned out to be pretty miserable.  Since I am a newbie my choice was not so good.  My question is actually a three part question, what is your choice for wearing under your dry suit when it is warm, hot or cold?

I go completely naked.  It makes taking it off at the launch awkward for those there but it works for me.

Actually it depends on the outside temp to a certain degree... I typically wear a set of good long johns (not cotton) and some fleece pants and upper layer.  I am usually too hot... but not too bad.

Well it's good we got the birthday suit thing out of the way in with the first post!

I go completely naked.  It makes taking it off at the launch awkward...
Actually it depends on the outside temp to a certain degree...
I am usually too hot... but not too bad.

Ummmmm   

On a more serious note.... You'll want to minimize skin contact with the suit.  Long sleve polypro is a good choice year round.  I always have a thin base layer and add more Polypro or wool layers as conditions dictate.  Regardless of conditions, I like to wear Merino wool socks.  They add a little padding without being overly hot.

I picked up a Nike Dri-Fit long sleeve shirt last year and love it.  I wish they made a bottom layer of the same material!

-Mark-

Since I am a newbie my choice was not so good.  My question is actually a three part question, what is your choice for wearing under your dry suit when it is warm, hot or cold?

A dry suit keeps you dry.  The clothing you wear under and/or over the dry suit keeps you warm.  How much or little you wear depends on the temperature, the amount of wind, whether it's raining, and your personal preferences, i.e. whether you prefer to be quit warm or pleasantly cool.  In cold weather, wear a bunch of layers.  If it's snowing,  I may wear a polypro top and several acrylic sweaters on top, and polypro long underwear and two layers of pile pants on the bottom.  In hot weather, I may wear only one thin layer of polypro underwear, mostly to keep my skin from contacting the inside of my dry suit, which can feel kind of clammy even if it is made of Goretex or other breathable fabric.

Because my feet are frequently in and out of the water as I turn sideways in my kayak, if the water temperature is cool I wear a couple layers of fluffy socks under my dry suit's dry socks.  And I wear loose and oversized wetsuit booties, because tight footwear constricts your feet and can make them cold.

You don't have to wear all your layers under your dry suit.  It's real difficult to take layers off from under your dry suit while you're out on the water, so if it's cold in the morning, I wear enough clothing under my dry suit to keep me warm in the middle of the afternoon, and put a pile jacket and a large parka on over my dry suit.  As the weather warms up, I can easily peel off the parka and the pile jacket and stuff them inside my kayak while I'm out on the water.  If the weather gets cold and windy in the afternoon, I can put those layers back on while I'm out on the water.

Never ever wear any cotton when kayaking.  If it gets wet, or even damp from perspiration, it sucks heat from your body like a refrigerator, and it takes forever to dry off.  The best material to wear under a dry suit is polypro in various thicknesses.  Acrylic is almost as good as polypro, and at the end of the winter you can buy acrylic sweaters on sale for very little money, and they layer up very nicely.

If you get overheated when out on the water, splash some water on your dry suit, dip your hat in the water, or lower yourself into the water and practice climbing back onto your kayak.

Hey Combat Vet!

It was great chatting with you Saturday, sorry my anchor didn't want to cooperate much in that nasty mud bottom. I need to get a lead anchor, as soon as I loose that one permanently.

Saturday shaped up to be a pretty warm day and was probably more of an exception than a rule.

What to wear underneath can be a gamble, especially since everyone's body type is a little different. I tend to run cold, so most days I'll wear loose wool socks, nylon pants and some cheap fleece lined rayon jogging pants. Up top is where I'll change it up according to the weather. On Saturday I wore a thin fleece Dri-Fit top and a nylon shirt. It was great before noon, but I was pretty toasty afterwards.
Hanging your feet in the water will really help as well.

I picked up a Nike Dri-Fit long sleeve shirt last year and love it.  I wish they made a bottom layer of the same material!

@Spot - I'm pretty sure they do make the bottoms. I picked up a pair at Ross for like $15-20 and love them for the colder days. I've seen them at the Nike store downtown as well but they were in the $50-60 range 

Skidplate,
That was a good time, the anchor finally held all was good other than the overheating issue.  Once I get that in check and do a little trimming on the neck gasket where I can breath then I will be ready to give it a go again soon!  I am serious about those 2nds we talked about!!!!!

Merino wool! Hands down the best base layer I have ever worn. On 95% of the days I just wear a wool base layer and an extra later on top. They are soft light and don't stink like a locker room after a weekend on the water. The only time I wear more is when the temp is below 45 or I know I'll be sitting (anchor or duck hunting)

Polypro underwear. For my fleece, instead of buying 50 dollar REI gear I buy $5 on sale fleece bottoms at Walgreens or walmarts. It's a serious fashion statement with plaid and Snoopy being the decor of choice but it works!!

I've taken the no cotton thing too far. I never have anything to wipe down lenses and gear

I also consider water temperature in the mix.

I've been retasking hunting and sailing base layers under the dry suit.

Polypro underwear. For my fleece, instead of buying 50 dollar REI gear I buy $5 on sale fleece bottoms at Walgreens or walmarts. It's a serious fashion statement with plaid and Snoopy being the decor of choice but it works!!

I've taken the no cotton thing too far. I never have anything to wipe down lenses and gear

Plus if you lay down to nap after a hard day fishing your already dressed for that too. I roast in the sun so I choose a wetsuit with under armor but I don't fish the colder weather. If I get hot I dump on water if I start to get cold I paddle a while.

I wear my largemouth bass fleece pants. Lol.. Awesome I'm not the only one rocking pajama pants!

This stuff is great and if I remember right, it was about $16 for each of the pants and shirt of the lightweight.  I also have the medium and the heavy is a thin layer of fleece. I actually use this heavier weight as a pullover jacket. You can (at least in the past you could) get it at Andy and Bax Surplus in PDX.  They are located near Next Adventure's main store.



In the summer, I wear a lightweight polypro top and I wear some light weight poly mountaineering pants underneath with the zip-of leg so I can convert them to shorts when i get the drysuit off.  The brands I have are White Sierra and North Face.  Salmon blood washes out of the White Sierra's really well. I have not bloodied the North Face yet mainly because the White Sierra's are still full of mojo and I don't want to screw up a good thing. http://www.amazon.com/White-Sierra-32-Inch-Inseam-Convertible/dp/B00LT9EE2Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1430269453&sr=1-2&keywords=white+sierra+convertible+pants
When trolling Nehalem Bay for fall salmon I wear just these pants and a Poly long sleeve T-shirt and a Buff or neck and face sun protection.

The White Sierra's are also used for all non-ocean summer fishing due to their ability to convert to shorts.  I wade in the water with them on when launching, and once on top the yak fishing, they will dry within 5-10 minutes. You do have to be careful that you do not scoop up too much water with the open cuff or your nether region will be in for a chilling surprise on those initial pedal strokes. That is also where you will regret it if you are wearing cotton underpants.

One thing I love besides normal base layers... Is my fleece Union suit.
You crawl in thru the neck, it sits close to the skin with out anything to snag your suit.