Cover yo' head!...

[sharky60]

...there have been several posts here lately about what thickness of wetsuit to were while on Coz.

One thing to keep in mind, you loose over 90% of the heat from your body through your head.

There are many different types of "hoods" to be had today for much less price than an extra wetsuit.

A buddy of mine has a neoprene "ball cap" with a short bill that he turns backwards and uses for a hood. My wife and I just purchased BARE "Beanies", styled much like a stocking cap, and of course there are several adaptations of the old style hoods from full hoods with collars to hoods with just a chin strap.

Even a du-rag would probably help a little.

The point is, if you cover your head, you should be much more comfortable underwater with the same wetsuit as you would without the cover...

Investing in a rash shirt to wear under your wetsuit is another money saving way to layer up and not have to invest in more neo. I've been using a rash shirt for years and it really makes a difference, plus, they are light weight and easy to pack.

...just a little tip from your ol' Uncle Sharky

 

[bluebubble1995]

...there have been several posts here lately about what thickness of wetsuit to were while on Coz.

One thing to keep in mind, you loose over 90% of the heat from your body through your head.

Negative, that's a myth and false. Source You lose exactly as much heat through your head as any other body part. Also, you should never need a hood in COZ. A 2-3 mil shorty is optional but recommended on 3 tank dives. I dove 15 dives in 1 week wearing swim trunks. This was in September.
*sigh* If it becomes cool to wear "du-rags" while diving I'll have to quit!

 

[ggunn]

Negative, that's a myth and false. Source You lose exactly as much heat through your head as any other body part. Also, you should never need a hood in COZ. A 2-3 mil shorty is optional but recommended on 3 tank dives. I dove 15 dives in 1 week wearing swim trunks. This was in September.
*sigh* If it becomes cool to wear "du-rags" while diving I'll have to quit!

I always wear a do-rag when I dive. I have become somewhat "follicly challenged" over the years, and a sunburn on the top of my head was one of the most painful I ever had.

Is it cool? Who cares?

 

[robint]

whether it is 90% or not doesn't matter to me, I wear a hood and it keeps me warmer. I was just in Cozumel last week, water temps were registering 79 degrees on my computer every dive, and I wore a 5mm suit and 3mm beanie! I was fine and so was my hubby who wore his 5mm suit and deerag. Those people on our boats who wore 3mm suits and NO hood all complained about getting cold. A few people asked where I got my beanie as they wanted to get one...

robin

 

[judydivescoz]

Negative, that's a myth and false. Source You lose exactly as much heat through your head as any other body part. Also, you should never need a hood in COZ. A 2-3 mil shorty is optional but recommended on 3 tank dives. I dove 15 dives in 1 week wearing swim trunks. This was in September.
*sigh* If it becomes cool to wear "du-rags" while diving I'll have to quit!

Nice for you but every one has a different thermostat. I get cold in 80 degree water after a while! I will stick to my 3 mil plus a vest and a squid hat and dive happy and comfortable.

 

[driftin' by]

Also, you should never need a hood in COZ. A 2-3 mil shorty is optional but recommended on 3 tank dives. I dove 15 dives in 1 week wearing swim trunks.

That's the worst advice/recommendation I've read on SB in many years!

Sharky: thanks for reminding me to get a beanie before my next trip to Coz.
FWIW, been in 43 f water with a hood. Tried it once without and I will never do that again!

 

[bluebubble1995]

That's the worst advice/recommendation I've read on SB in many years!

I've been going to COZ since 1994 usually in June or September and have only seen a few even wear shorties. When have you been going in January?

 

[under water]

That's the worst advice/recommendation I've read on SB in many years!

Really?? You haven't seen some of the better ones then.

The value of wearing wetsuits and something on the head depends on where each persons metabolism is and what they are used to. I have seen DMs using 5mm wetsuits and hoods in Bonaire when my wife & I did not need wetsuits at all. When it gets to 80 degrees, for us, we don't need wetsuits for about a weeks worth of diving. Below 80 and for longer spells we use them. I always use a 3mm (Waterproof) the first dive in the Caribbean and usually feel it too warm, but not always. In New England, California & BC I WILL use a hood as well as a dry suit. I can't imagine diving 43 degrees without one and enjoying it, although I did pull off my hood in Sydney and that was about 60.
If I lived in Bonaire or Cozumel as some lucky folks do, I would probably feel more comfortable wearing a 5 mm wetsuit to dive there. Maybe Texans and neighbors get colder faster.. ?? I mean you do have pretty warm weather compared to a lot of us.

I hate hats and will not wear a hood (or a thin piece of cloth) on my head if not needed, but I can understand folks that do want to. I think wearing a scarf on the head underwater is more of a fashion thing than anything... just my opinion. I would like to see any data that shows a do-rag preserves body heat. I am sure the Bare Beanie does though. I agree that sunburn protection for some is a valid priority and a do-rag and t-shirt are a much more environmentally friendly solution than most sun-screens in the water.
Bottom line.. do what feels right for you.

 

[ggunn]

I've been going to COZ since 1994 usually in June or September and have only seen a few even wear shorties. When have you been going in January?

I usually go in May, and what I have seen is about a 50-50 mix of wetsuits and swimsuits. I wear a lycra skin and a shorty over it; otherwise I get chilled. My wife is comfortable in just a swimsuit, though she usually wears a skin.

 

[sharky60]

EXCUUUUSE ME!! Ok, did some research and it is true that the old thought of most heat loss through the head is a myth...oops, by bad, who knew? But it still doesn't make my suggestion untrue or a bad one.

Heat Loss Through the Head and Hypothermia Wilderness Medicine Newsletter

Although I did find some articles specific to diving that state that heat loss through the head is greater due to the increased amount of, and density of, the blood vessels in the head. The denser and amount of blood vessels is why a cut to the head bleeds worse than the same cut to a different part of the body, so that makes since.

With increased blood flow to the head from exercise/increased heart rate, the percentage of head heat loss increases, if only temperarily. I don't care who you are or how good a shape your in or how much you dive, you are doing physical activity while diving and your body is under abnormal atmospheric pressure, so there will be at least a slight increase in heart rate and muscle use while diving...even drift diving.

True, the incresed heat loss percentage will balance out some with O2 demand from other muscles in the body, and completely balance out once the head starts to sweat, (which it won't do underwater). But, if the rest of your body is covered, then the equation is thrown off again, as your head,(and hands), is/(are) the only part of body exposed and will have greater heat loss because of it.

The article also points out that when the head is submerged, the body DOES cool faster. I read in a Scuba Diving magazine article on hypothermia and exposure suits that 80 degree water feels like 50 degree air temperature on the skin, their numbers, not mine. The Scuba Diving artilce also suggested wearing head gear to help keep warmer underwater. You can't tell me that wearing a hat in 50 degree weather won't help keep you warmer than not wearing one, it's common sense.

Also I have dove with several DM'S on Cozumel that wear a hoods. Raul with Bottom time divers used to wear one all the time when he worked for Blue Bubble, not to mention he doubled up on wetsuits also, I haven't dove with him lately, so can't speak for him now. I've seen Mateo, Jorge and Jose or Lucio can't remember which one, with Blue Angel all wearing hoods, one or two of the guys with Dive with Martin I used to dive with wear a hood on a regular basis. So the statement that no one on Cozumel should EVER need a hood is completely false, as the professionals down there wear them.

SO... I stand by my statement that wearing a hood will help keep you warmer and more comfortable in the water without having to go out and by thicker neoprene.

As for the wetsuit issue, I wore a .5 mil skin on Coz for years until bying a 3mil last year. I thought I was perfectly fine with the .5, only occationally getting a bit of a chill. Once I changed to the 3mil. I was amazed at how much more comfortable, without being too warm, I was even though I wasn't uncomfortable with the thinner suit.

I also know that wearing gloves will help keep you warmer, but because they have to make rules for the very few, the rest of us aren't allowed to do so on Coz., but that's a completely different debate that goes along with my opinion on wearing knives...we'll save that for another rant. :d