Being cold will kill a session so fast. On top of just being uncomfortable, there's nothing quite like blowing the drop because you're so stiff your pop up is all jacked up and you can't feel your feet.
surfed on tuesday. thought i could get away with no gloves, but boy was i wrong. i lasted for 30 minutes and i had to run back to my car to put my gloves on. took me a solid 15 minutes to get them on. hood was necessary tho
Air temp is not the problem; water temps are. Here in NH right now water temps are about 42-43*F. No hood?? Welcome to "ice-cream headaches" galore!! Even if its 70*F air temp.
think surfers ear ... I and quite a few of my friends have had to have our ears drilled .. it's the exposure of your inner ear to cold water that starts the bone growth and eventually the ear canal closes off , granted it takes a while but the best way to prevent it is to protect your ears , even if the water is 50 deg.
I would 100% wear a hood. Can't take the ice cream headaches. 55 water temp or below and I'm wearing a hood. I don't really mind if I have it pulled back either