Buoyant headgear?

[Todd Kurth]

How much would an extra 1 lb of buoyancy at the top of the head help maintain head position and facilitate good body position and trim? e.g. a chunk of syntactic foam to take stress off the neck and keep the head up close the the isolator valve. With my challenges keeping my head up (without thinking about it) and also my lack of need for more weight to help balance my trim I was thinking to try to fashion a buoyant hood to try it out. I'm curious if someone already sells something like this? I also have a big heavy head so not sure if I have a special need for this . I've always struggled a little with head up activities irritating my neck, football in high school, bicycling, etc.

 

[grantmac]

What about a block of foam or buoyancy addition at the top of the backplate between it and the manifold?

 

[happy-diver]

Have the wetsuit guy make you a head tilted back hood, less neoprene at the back and more under the chin, neck

 

[Todd Kurth]

Have the wetsuit guy make you a head tilted back hood, less neoprene at the back and more under the chin, neck

Interesting thought, I like it ...Have you seen that done before? I was thinking more the buoyancy pulling the head up vs the subtle force/constraint of the hood shape. It does seems it would help significantly to not have material bunched up in the small of the neck. I suppose this could be made with thinner material there to still provide insulation when head up; net still more material than the front of the neck as it is bunched up..

 

[Todd Kurth]

What about a block of foam or buoyancy addition at the top of the backplate between it and the manifold?

That is an interesting question, it does't address the neck geometry but it does make me wonder why for situations where there's already too much weight, why buoyant incompressible material isn't a typical option? e.g. placing buoyant material high between the tanks instead of just lead lower.

 

[inquis]

why for situations where there's already too much weight, why buoyant incompressible material isn't a typical option? e.g. placing buoyant material high between the tanks instead of just lead lower.

It's tough to have something strong enough to be incompressible with a density small enough to yield a *worthwhile* benefit.

Some rebreather divers use a "pillow", which is effectively what you're describing. I have no idea whether that has a constant or variable buoyancy, but it may give you something for further searching.

ETA: the Dive Rite XT CCR wing has such a pillow. From its description, it's something you must manage, so I would not recommend something similar for your situation:

The Trim Pillow bladder, located in the bottom portion of the wing, provides 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of targeted lift. With its own intake and exhaust valves, this bladder is completely isolated from the primary bladder requiring its own inflator hose. By adding air to the Trim Pillow, a diver can quickly increase buoyancy in their hip region to better dial in their trim underwater...​

 

[Nemrod]

Here, fasten this around your neck like a dog collar:

Stix Float Ring for Straight Port (FB-10)

Stix Float Ring for Straight Port (FB-10) for underwater housing ports

www.bluewaterphotostore.com

 

[Badger7]

Not to literally "keep my head up" but to balance out front-to-back trim, I've experimented with putting a few wraps of heavy fleece around my biceps under my drysuit, between base and thermal undergarments. Essentially the same effect as wearing a thicker undergarment top, but more targeted, lift closer to the head than all over the torso.

Since the fleece is inside the drysuit at ambient pressure and not closed cell like neoprene or a pool noodle, the lift is consistent regardless of depth. It actually worked pretty well, might play around a little more with that idea this season. About 45"x6" of heavy eddie bauer fleece around each bicep affected trim nearly the same as a pound of lead in each drysuit thigh pocket, or 3 pounds of tank tailweight, or very heavy negative fins. The fleece increases lift though, instead of increasing weight, and meant for slight less gas in the wing, and seemed like precise finning was a little less effort with less mass to kick around.

 

[gmerick]

I like to wear a thin neoprene hood. Problem is, air keeps getting trapped at the top. This may be the effect you are seeking. A 1 lb air bubble holding my head up, and wrecking my trim. Not what I want, though. Twice now, I've taken by BFK to the top of the hood while in a dive simply to vent the air bubble. (yes, i took the hood off prior to ripping a hole in it)

 

[happy-diver]

Is this why some people have tiny holes punched in the top of head, back corner, then a bit lower

Unless you've got a head shaped like a Pharaoh