Living in California, we are spoiled in most areas re having to put up with cold water/weather with the exception of Dec-Feb.
However, when the water temps get 50 degrees or below, we woosies have to do things different versus spring/summer/fall
My wife was the first to complain last fall about getting her feet wet and cold. So we bought her pair of Kokatat Tempest Pants with Socks or KTPS:
http://www.kokatat.com/product_detail.asp?code=ttpThey enabled her to wade to help launch/land our Oasis without getting wet and cold. She never got too cold nor hot in our trips up to November.
I was so impressed with her ease of getting the KTPS off and on, I bought myself a pair for our Oasis and my fishing yak to wear instead of my various Gore Tex waders.
Fortunately, we did some pre planning and realized that with shoes or boots that fit over the pants/socks, we couldn't get our feet into the Mirage Straps.
Somewhere I had read to take the straps off to accomodate big sandles/boots. We did that and had no problem after a few pedal turns re keeping our feet on the pedals. We wear Smart Wool socks, and our feet stay warm and yet not hot. We may not put the straps back on this spring as it is very easy to use the pedals without straps.
Due to the breathability, my wife puts on her KTPS at home and rides the 20-30 minutes in our truck to and from the launch sites. I don't because my boots are too big for my truck's brake and gas pedal.
Neophrene booties don't work with these pants. We use plain jane wading sandles on the large size, or I use my fly fishing wading boots.
My KTPS are so easy to get in and out of, I use them on our local river to fly fish with simple wading under 2-2.5' deep with my wading boots. I will be using my KTPS to fly fish/fish the ocean surf this year.
The KTPS pants cost about $165. That is a lot less than a wet suit or dry suit, which we don't need.
How much are warm feet and butts worth on cold days while Kayaking?