How does neoprene perform as a base layer for winter sports? Is it a way to be warm while remaining sweaty, as opposed to wicking sweat away? What are its disadvantages? What are best practices for how to use it as a layer?
By neoprene I mean typical neoprene wetsuit material (foamed neoprene, closed cell, typically with a fabric backing, typically 2mm to 8mm in thickness) assuming it will be covered with a wind-blocking shell and probably other insulating layers.
By winter I’m personally most interested in the 0F to 32F (-20C to 0C) range
I’ve used it winter kayaking a couple of times (a 2mm sleeveless “farmer John” wetsuit in conjunction with fleece layers and a goretex drysuit) when I didn’t believe I could manage layering just right to avoid sweat. It worked better than sweaty wool or fleece, and generally seemed like a decent option. But I have limited total experience (a few trips of a couple hours’ length). Curious what experience other people have had.