Dry trousers

dry  trousers alone  do pose a potential risk - and you may have more buoyancy  in your legs than your upper body - with the significantr risks this poses if you are  knocked unconscious  as well as amaking swimming  very hard if you are MoB and not knocked out 

as for breathable - the BA /harness issue could well be  correct , i have a breathable Hi-vis Jacket  which has badge pockets  which are made of clear plastic it is a well known phenomena for these pockets to 'fill' with sweat / moisture which the  jacket has breated out  but been trapped by the plastic film of the badge/ badge holder 

The Drysuit (typhoon the only one worth buying) is back where it belongs in the death bag locker now the shorts, polypro and impact vest are the order of the day sailing down here dodging the falling coconuts from the swaying palms of costa del redoubt.

However the question appears to be breathability, to which my ultimate solution which finds such favour with the video-nistas of Broxbourne lake, the divided butt cheek wetsuit, I can heartily recommend, no sweaty 'private' areas for me, unsightly but sound...

Ahem a lady however might wish to consider underwear..

Originally posted by Medway Maniac How would letting the vapour breathe out of your drysuit stop your body dehydrating?

I think it trapped too much body heat in, when I worked hard, and made me sweat like crazy, losing too much water.

It really was frightening when I looked back and could understand why my brain began to completely give up. I genuinely just didn't care, and began to sit there like a lump. Trying to think about tactics or anything was impossible.

Originally posted by MerlinMags My Hammond drysuit from 1991 is still going strong (GOOD!) but it is not breathable (BAD! I've got dehydrated when racing and then your brain functions really badly).

The breathable bit seems to be where the buoyancy aid is, which stops it breathing.

The feet on mine collect the sweat. Lovely.