I do some wet suit fishing at times in RI and the islands. Here is how I rig up:
I started off with the most important of gear, a suit. The suit I use is a 5mm two piece suit made by Sporasub. It's the same suit that FishEye uses. The bottom half is basically a pair of neoprene pants, and the top has a connected hood, long sleeves, and a strap that goes from your backside between your legs and connects in the front. This locks the pants in. I like the 5mm for all around use. I will be standing stil a lot, so I feel a heavier suit is a little better for me. You can always fill up with sea water to cool down, but it's hard to add warmth while in the surf.
For safety gear, I run my normal surf belt with Boga, pliers, and water jug. I use a head light, and also keep a back up waterproof super bright LED light around my neck in case of emergencies. If I ever get swept out, I want something very bright to be able to signal with. I keep a quality dive knife in my surf bag in case I get tangled in a lobster buoy or fishing line. I had a bit of a run in with a lobster buoy rope last year while snorkeling. I did not have a knife on me at the time, and it could have cost me big. I was able to keep my head straight and free myself with only a mild scare. Light neoprene dive gloves or the Aquaskinz gloves come in handy when climbing up on barnacle covered rocks. For footwear, I wear 2mm neoprene dive socks under my Cabela's Guide tech wading boots. Thes are by far the best wading boots I have ever used. They are very comfortable, supportive, and highly durable. My first pair lasted 3 seasons, and I only replaced them as I figured I had abused the first pair long enough. Over my boots I use a pair of my modified
Korkers.
Skishing? Maybe someday. I do a lot of free diving, so i am getting a feel for some very good spots in RI that would work well with this type of fishing.