Attached Hood on 7mm Suit?

[giles45shop]

All,

I'm looking at getting a 7mm+ one piece suit for winter diving. Some have attached hoods, and I'm wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are to having an attached hood vs. the non-attached?

Thanks,

John

 

[REII]

The Bare suit that I got with the hood attached was cheaper than getting a suit plus a separate hood. And since I do not plan on using my 7mm without the hood, it works that way for me.

TOM

 

[ApexLongimanus]

I prefer them separate. I have only one hood and also use it with my 5 mm wetsuit as well as my drysuit.

 

[*Floater*]

The disadvantage is less flexibility. For example, what if the attached hood doesn't fit well? What if you want a thicker, say 12mm hood, but the attached one is only 7mm? Or what if you want a 3mm hood for slightly warmer water? What if you want a hooded vest so as not to feel any trickle of cold water down the back? Also a separate hood may be easier to put on.

The advantage may be cost (if you don't already have a separate hood) and sometimes warmth (depending on design). If the hood is attached so that water cannot enter through the neck attachment then it may be warmer than some separate hoods that allow water to leak in, but if it's only half attached, then some water may trickle in anyway depending on the design and fit, and a hooded vest might have been warmer.

My girlfriend owns one with a half attached hood, and I dive one with separate hood, so that's what my observations are based on.

 

[hunter991]

It does offer one less place for water to enter your suit though.

Brent

 

[jeffrey-c]

I'd also recommend you look at the differences in getting in and out of the hooded and non-hooded suits. I recently went shopping for a new cold water suit and was hell bent on getting an integrated hood suit. I tried on an assortment of different brands, but found that with my shoulder flexibility (less than what it used to be due to some mild injury and advancing age) I just couldn't get into or out of the suits without significant assistance. I ended up going with a separate hooded vest and 6.5mm suit; the combo was much easier (for me) to get into. Another reason that one really MUST try on wetsuits before buying!

 

[Hoosier]

I think the attached hood with 7 mm is an ideal option. If you have to wear 7mm, the hood is a "must have" exposure protection. The thick hood doesn't tuck into the suit very well. Most divers just wear a hood out of the suit. It looks ugly to me. That is another reason why the hooded vest is so popular....

You don't need the same thickness hood. The hood used to be thinner than the hood thickness and works very well.. Even, DUI dry suit comes with 5mm hood.

And, the attached option is a cheaper.

However, there is a big condition. It must be a right fit, not a bigger or smaller...

 

[hlsooner]

I have the Bare 7mm suit without the attached hood, and I frequently wear it without the hood when water temperatures are moderately cool, and the wind is blowing making air temperatures cool. I like having the flexibility. When it is needed, their 3mm/7mm hooded vest works great under the suit.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I would go with a seperate pieces if I were you, hood thickness is definently something you may want to change on diving conditions, or if hearing something is particuarly important you may want to sacrafice the hood all together for a paticular dive, just like buying your lead in smaller increments, more flexibility and ability to change is always a good thing.

 

[giles45shop]

All,

Thanks for all the inputs, sounds like there are pros & cons both ways. The point about size of the attached hood to suit size was a good one, as well as getting into the suit. I'm probably looking for a lightly used suit, since I don't normally need a 7mm (Normal suit is a 5/4 Bare Velocity), so having an additional fitting point may be an issue.

Sounds like I would lean towards a non-attached hood, but I wouldn't rule out an attached one. I already have a 2mm hood, but probably need thicker for really cold water.

Thanks,

John