What do you wear when the water is in the mid to upper 70's?

[TSandM]

Dry suit with a set of Lands End polarfleece sweats under it.

 

[tbone1004]

I'm with Dean but grew up in New England so I can do 60F in a bathing suit with a hood....

I rarely get to dive in mid to high 70's, but regularly do a lot in the high 60's to low 70's in caves. For that it is either a 5mm fullsuit or drysuit with light undergarments. 100gsm or so and a 200gsm vest. These are also 60-100 minute dives that are generally rather deep.

Shallow ocean diving in the mid 70's for me would be a 3mm no hood as long as the air is above 70 and it's not windy/rainy, if it's gray/windy/rainy I'll put a hood on. If you can warm up on land it's a lot easier than getting up and cooling off. As I don't own a 3mm, I dive a 5mm with no hood and crack the neck seal and flood it pretty regularly.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I wear a 3mm with a chillguard under it and a beanie hood. From time to time I'll wish I was wearing a 5mm but often that is dependent on whether or not I'm able to warm up during surface intervals. Also, as the days go by and dives in the series accumulate, I feel the chill more.

 

[Freewillow]

Kairos, the last time I dived in 73°F, I had a 3/2 mm plus a 7mm over it.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As several have mentioned, the duration of the dives, number of dives, duration of surface intervals, and topside weather during the surface intervals add a lot of variables to the equation. In Cozumel a few years ago our group of four, all initially diving in 3 mm suits, felt chilly after a few dives when the weather was rainy and cloudy, even though the water temp was around 79-80. On the second day I switched to my 5/4 and was the only one of the four of us who felt really comfortable for the rest of the trip.

 

[Kairoos]

As several have mentioned, the duration of the dives, number of dives, duration of surface intervals, and topside weather during the surface intervals add a lot of variables to the equation. In Cozumel a few years ago our group of four, all initially diving in 3 mm suits, felt chilly after a few dives when the weather was rainy and cloudy, even though the water temp was around 79-80. On the second day I switched to my 5/4 and was the only one of the four of us who felt really comfortable for the rest of the trip.

Yeah that's the problem, it's been in the 60's here so it's pretty cold when you get out of the water soaking wet. I'm thinking some sort of boat coat will be my next investment.

 

[Imla]

78 - and I'll still be diving my boardshorts and a 1mil rashguard...

Anything colder and Ill put on my drysuit with a couple of thin wool undies (Just because they're comfy)

I might be broken though... just came out of an hour in 39...

 

[agilis]

I'm getting confused by some of the terminology being used. To me, a rash guard is the same thing as a nylon/lycra skin. There is no such thing as a neoprene 'skin'. Even one that is only 1/2mm thick is a wetsuit. A skin is by definition virtually weightless, has absolutely zero buoyancy, and can be balled up into the size of your fist.

 

[Vegan Shark]

If doing 60 min dives with an AL80, with warm surface temps, I would wear a 3mm with hood and gloves. If it's windy and chilly it doesn't matter how warm the water is, surface intervals will suck. If diving in doubles with long bottom times, I would wear a drysuit, or a 7mm+vest. Even warm water gets cold after a couple hours submerged.

 

[Imla]

I'm getting confused by some of the terminology being used. To me, a rash guard is the same thing as a nylon/lycra skin. There is no such thing as a neoprene 'skin'. Even one that is only 1/2mm thick is a wetsuit. A skin is by definition virtually weightless, has absolutely zero buoyancy, and can be balled up into the size of your fist.

Mine is made of lycra arms, and a 1mm half/half neoprene/merino"innings"... Don't really know what to call it... But I LOVE it!