Attached drysuit hood? How and why?

[stuartv]

I've been looking at new drysuits. Some offer an attached hood option. How does that work?

Is there still a neck seal, too?

Does the hood actually seal around the perimeter of your face to keep your whole head dry? Or does it let water in just like a regular wet suit hood does and the only real advantage is that the bottom is sealed to the suit, so the only water that circulates through the hood does so via the face hole?

Is it really any noticeable amount better than having a dry suit with a neoprene neck warmer and having a hood with a skirt that will tuck in between the neck seal and the neo neck warmer?

 

[Akimbo]

It varies by suit, but usually the face seal replaces the neck seal. Otherwise you have to provide a means of equalizing the hood separately. The main practical purpose is to protect the diver from contaminated water, most often Public Service Divers.

 

[3D diver]

There is a neck seal with the Viking style latex hood.

You wear a cloth "beanie" under the hood to keep the latex from sealing your ears.

The hood seals on your face. Your mask fits over the hood and you equalize by holding the mask to your face while exhaling through your nose.

Air will also, occasionally, burp past the the neck seal into the hood. A purge valve on the crown of the hood is a good addition to keep it from ballooning.

Water will occasionally get into the hood. You stay warm, but it can be a little annoying when it moves around and gets into your ears.

 

[fmerkel]

They are common in our staff aquarium divers. The thinner hood allows sound to carry better for using communication system. Pretty much everyone thinks they are warmer.

 

[stuartv]

Thanks for the info, all of you.

 

[KevinNM]

I saw it on the finish cave divers in diving into the unknown, they also had their masks sealed against the top of the hood. But they were doing multi-hour dives in something like 2-4 c water.

 

[bergersau]

Hi @stuartv - If you end up opting for a conventional hood these are very good in my (limited) experience.
http://www.waterproof-usa.com/products/accessories/hoods/h1_5-7mm

 

[stuartv]

Hi @stuartv - If you end up opting for a conventional hood these are very good in my (limited) experience.
http://www.waterproof-usa.com/products/accessories/hoods/h1_5-7mm

Thanks, but I already have a ScubaPro EverFlex hood that I use with my drysuit and I have no complaints with it at all. I just was wondering about whether it made sense for me to get an attached hood if I order a new drysuit. (And I don't think it does)