I wouldn't get a farmer john. The majority of the neoprene is below the waist, which is gonna be inside the boat and warm anyway. For WW paddling in the winter (water temps just north of freezing) I wear a dry top with anything from a tee shirt to a couple layers of fleece underneath. A dry top will set you back about $150, although my wife got a good stohlquist top on clearance for $85. I have a farmer john but never wear it because it's a hassle to put on. I wear neoprene paddling shorts even in winter and never have a problem with keeping warm. Without a reliable roll, or in an ocean situation where I would have a hard time getting back into the boat if I swam, I guess I would want good thermal protection on my lower body. A full drysuit is the way to go here but it's expensive. Farmer John plus drytop is a distant second in terms of safety but much more affordable. In any event, for comfort in cold water conditions you can't beat a drytop.

: I was going to use a farmer john, but instead went for the NRS Rodeo pants
: and NRS Rodeo Vest. That way when it gets warmer I can paddle without the
: vest and only have the pants. It also allows me to move freely at the
: waist (no connection between the vest and pants). The down side is there
: is more water entering around the waist, but the pants are high in the
: back and with my paddling jacket over the vest and under my PFD, there is
: very little cold water entering once the water in there gets "warmed
: up". Just another option.

: I had checked with LL Bean and they are out until the end of May. By that
: time I won't need the top part of a Farmer John anyway.

: Fellow paddlers of mine have gone with the NRS Farmer John and like it.