Surfing Waves

Hey guys
I've got an O'Neill 4/3 wetsuit, old style with back zip. It cost 135 new from a reputable surf shop here in the algarve (did seem too cheap!), Portugal where I've been surfing from summer until now. In the colder weather I'm ok in the water but when waiting out the back my chest and torso get really cold to the point I want to end the session! I'd say outside air temps are around 8-12 degrees sometimes with considerable wind. I'd expected a 4/3 to keep me warm in those conditions, but I may be wrong. So I looked up buying a layer for underneath but they are advertised as keeping you cool in the water (not out of it). Might seem a silly question but would an extra layer keep me warmer out of the water, or actually just contribute to the cold as more water would be retained?
And if I was to go for another layer, would a rash guard under a wetsuit be a good idea?
Thanks!

There a number of 1mm neoprene under wetsuit vests , I use one called Radiator, but they may not be available in Portugal.
Part of the warming process is a thin layer of water between your body and the neoprene, most quality wetsuits have a thickness to temperature recommendation, + the wetsuit needs to be snug, too loose and you will have too much of an infill to heat!
Booties gloves and a head cover, these guys are surfing just above 4C
Fresh water river coming off snow mountains in Austria!

So to answer your question , a warmer and the rash guard is only to stop rash or UV rays in warm surf!
Check the recommendations. Enjoy

Search for: Body Glove Insotherm 0.5MM Ti-Si Titanium Hooded Vest

It's my go to under my 4/3 if it's windy. It is super thin and without any sleeves it doesn't bunch up under your arm pits. The titanium lining reflects heat back to your body and aids in making it slick so it doesn't stick to your skin.

Plus if you're not already wearing a cap, the built in hood keeps your body heat from escaping out the top of your head.

I used 1,5 mm vest tucked into 1 mm shorts! It definitely helped a lot. You may also try a hood that covers your and shoulders. It will also result in the overlapping of the material and address leaking of water and wind siphoning in the neck/should area (which is vulnerable in back zippers)

A hood will make the most difference, but they are pretty awful to wear. When I surf Portugal in winter I generally wear my 4/3 and bring my boots too. That's usually plenty for me.

Why is it so horrible for you? Have you tried the one with a narrow chin strap? I prefer it for not so cold weather. No issues at all. Even helps with the hair.
I have three different hoods:)

Maybe I was a bit harsh. They aren't totally awful, but I don't really like wearing them. Mine doesn't have a chin strap as such, it's more like a balaclava. The chin part is what irritates me the most. It naturally wants to cover my mouth which is fine for warmth, but when I'm paddling hard I need to breathe properly. If it's cold enough for me to wear a hood, my nose will be dripping with snotty seawater so I need to breathe through my mouth. Having 5mm of neoprene covering my mouth makes that difficult, so I usually end up pulling it down under my chin.

Try this one. It’s actually the cheapest one of my hood but the most comfortable one

Yeah hoods are my least favorite part of winter gear too. I've always dreaded the water dropping below the mid 50's when they become necessary. I have one like the beanie above and it helps but not nearly as warm as the regular hoods of course.

The full chin one could be uncomfortable especially after relatively recently broken jaw:)
In Southern California, I almost never use them for surfing with very rare exceptions of unusually cold water or unusually long sessions.

My least favourite part of the winter gear is gloves. At least hoods and boots don't really impact on the movement of surfing, other than being annoying.

Gloves are like trying to paddle with a 3kg dumbell in each hand

But do they make the paddling more powerful? I am not sure myself. It’s definitely harder to paddle. Not sure about the outcome.

Definitely not!

Did you get a lot of water in your gloves? I almost get no water in mine. I thought it’s harder to paddle because of the increased surface of the palm and lack of gaps between fingers as mine are actually (mints).