New To Wearing Hoods

[Blueringocto_73]

So this is about the most basic type of question about diving with a hood. At my checkout dive in Monterey I will be wearing a hood. It will be somewhat difficult to see from side to side vs not wearing a hood and something to get used to.

But that's not what I'm asking about here. How easy is it to equalize with the hood firmly around the ears. I have heard that some divers put a little pin hole in the hood where the ears are to assist in allowing water in/out. And I have also been told. No, don't worry about it. So if the hood doesn't have any holes, why is it possible to equalize?

 

[Killerflyingbugs]

because hoods are soft and flex with water pressure.

It will be somewhat difficult to see from side to side vs not wearing a hood and something to get used to.

what do you mean by this?

 

[sealark]

Don't worry about it and why would you have difficulty seeing from side to side? I have been wearing a hooded vest for over 50 years in the winter here in Florida, Never had an equalization problem or vision loss your mask sticks out on the side a hell of a lot further than 5 mill. Just get it and use it most hoods have a small hole on top to let trapped air out.

 

[CuzzA]

Water doesn't have anything to do with equalizing... It's pressure and air in a closed space like your inner ear.

The hood will fill with water. That is what keeps your head warm and the less water transfer the better.

The biggest issue is air getting trapped at the top of the hood (assuming there isn't a built in vent). In that case I would heat up a small nail and poke a hole in the top of the hood. The heated nail will seal the edge of the neoprene as it melts.

 

[Blueringocto_73]

As far as being able to twist the head from side to side with the 7mm hood restricting head movement.

Edit: So that answers my questions. Thanks guys!

 

[sealark]

Most hoods are 5 mm. If you are worried about moving your head with a hood wait until you get into a farmer john 7mm suit with a hooded vest. You feel like a Pillsbury dough boy on the surface BUT as you descend don't forget that suit compresses to half it's size every 33 ft. Look at a seam by your hand when you get to 100 ft it looks like a piece of thick paper.

 

[Marie13]

Some hoods come with a built in valve on top to let the air out. My Waterproof brand one has it.

 

[GreggS]

I have become very prone to swimmer's ear, so I wear vented ear plugs on all dives. In order not to lose them, I wear some type of hood on all dives. I have a Henderson 5/3 mm Aqualock (which has a vent on top) as well as a thin swim cap I use if the water is really warm. The Henderson is very warm (I have been in 47° water with it) and it is not the least bit restrictive.

BTW, my avatar was taken in Cozumel before I started having the swimmer's ear problems.

 

[Steve_C]

As with a dry suit make sure it is not too tight around the neck.

Head size is unrelated to rest of body size. I wear an LS wet suit. But both my separate hood and my hooded vest are XL. Got a big head.

 

[stuartv]

If you get a dry suit hood, it will have only a small overlap with your wetsuit neck. Essentially, a dry suit hood will have no impact on your ability to turn your head side to side.

When I wear a hood, I only wear a dry suit hood, whether I'm diving dry or in a wet suit. If I were to go with something more, I would skip the skirted hood and go straight to a hooded vest. Something like the Bare S-Flex that is 3mm on the body and 5mm on the hood.

A hood with a skirt is way too much of a pain to get the skirt tucked in and laid down flat under the wet suit. And if it's outside the wet suit, it just seems like they flip up and are annoying as heck, without really being any better than a dry suit hood. And if you tuck it into the wetsuit, but don't get it smooth and flat underneath, then the wrinkles/folds are just creating little channels to let water come in and move around.