Drysuit hood

[mmadiver]

Recently, I replaced the latex hood on my viking sport (Did the job myself). Trimmed the hood back to fit my face and jumped in the pool to test it out. The hood was looser than the previous one and it allowed quite a bit of water in. So much water that when I got out of the pool my head and hair were wet. I didn't have my fleece beenie on which would have made the hood fit better but still thought it was abnormal. I'm having trouble remembering how much water the last hood let in but I'm sure it wasnt this much. Maybe Im just paranoid because I replaced the hood myself...

How much water in the hood is considered acceptable by you all?

Thanks.

 

[mmadiver]

Anyone?

 

[Sixtiesdiver]

I have a similar set up on a Hunter 1050 suit. I used to get a drop of water in - enough to wet several square inches of my Viking open cell foam insulating hood. It did not make my head particularly cold as the water soon warmed up. I found if I took more care in positioning the latex hood seal to face and mask seal to face I could keep all the water out.

My latex hood fits reasonably snug around my head and I have never needed to trim it. I think the open foam hood contributes to making a snug fit - I have never tried without it.

If your new latex hood is a bit big, perhaps using a full open cell hood under rather than a beanie it would take up the slack and give a better seal on your face. Viking
do one with flaps which fit under your chin.

Hope this helps.

 

[vikingdrydiver]

I also get some water inside the hood of my Viking, but it seems to depend on a few things - if I have the hood sealed properly, how I turn my head underwater, etc. I also find it worse if I don't wear the fleece beanie (when I do wear it, it absorbs most of the water and it doesn't seem as bad). My LDS cut the face opening to "fit" me when I bought it and now I wish they hadn't. My buddy has a new Viking and didn't cut the face opening on the hood. While, it is a smaller opening, he seals his mask to the hood itself (works suprisingly well) and has no real problems with anything but a trickle of water getting in.