Charlie wrote:
But why make yourself cold and wet when you can be warm and dry? Seems
bloody stupid to me!

Being dry requires not only that outside water stays out, but that
inside water (i.e., sweat) doesn't stay in. And whatever you're told
about breathable waterproof fabrics by marketing, /none/ of them will
let out sweat at anything like the rate a paddler doing even a moderate
amount of work will generate.
Consequently I avoid wearing a cag unless there'll be sufficient
rain/spray to get me wet faster than my shirt will normally dry.
Otherwise I'll be /too/ warm, and not very dry.

That's for typical sea paddling, in the surf or the (white) river I'll
always wear the cag as otherwise I'll get wet and cold. For Allan's
flavour of paddling (fla****er and fast AFAICT) I'd agree that something
like a Helly Lifa top is just about ideal, and I'd certainly want a lot
more in white water. "Paddling" can mean either, or quite a few other
things too. Would polo players bother with dry suits? Doubt it...

I love my dry cag, wouldn't want to learn to roll
without it. I also get cold after 30mins on the sea even with dry cag and
fleece, so I dunno where you're paddling!

Dry cag /and/ fleece? Bloody 'ell Charlie, you must be /very/ prone to
the cold or not doing any work!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/