I bought these for a specific purpose- boat-handling for Beach Sprints (a mad form of rowing where the contestants run down the beach, get into their boat- which is held by the boat handler who is standing in the sea at something between knee & waist height, depending on those pesky waves. The rower then slaloms around 2 bouys, does a 180 around a third & races back to the beach.) Having stood in the sea in a variety of other layers, this was my next shot- and they worked a treat when I tried them out. . Kept me warm, whilst allowing me to move around the boat and protected me against the worst of the bruises. Big weekend of championship races coming up- I'm putting all my faith in them.