FFM and Hood

[Militant83]

Being that I have only dove a FFM with a latex hood, are there any difference with using a neoprene? I have tried my mask on with a neoprene hood and could not get the lip of the mask to tuck under the hood. I would think the mask would leak if you tried to create a seal with the neoprene between your face and the mask.

Is it best when diving a FFM in a drysuit to use the latex hood with warming layers for cold weather vs. a neoprene hood since the mask can seal to the latex?

 

[mntdiver]

Sorry for not getting this to you earlier. I've not been on SB for quite some time. Here's something that I wrote up a long time ago. Hopefully you'll find it useful.
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It's highly recommended that you not try to seal on top of a neoprene hood. Latex is the only hood you can seal on top of reliably. I've tried smooth neoprene on both sides of the face seal. Problem with this, it stands the mask farther off of the face, this isn't good. You still don't get a great seal and end up with bubblehead (inflated hood) or you end up wasting a lot of gas looking like a swimming aquarium stone.

Here's what I recommend: put the hood on as you would normally wear it. Mount the mask as you would normally wear it. Chalk around the skirt of the
mask to the hood. Now carefully cut with a sharp pair of scissors, following the chalk line. Cut on the inside of the line except around the forehead. Trim about 3/8 to 1/2 inch inside of the line at the top of the forehead tapering to the inside of the line at the cheekbones. The forehead of the hood seems to always pull back if you cut it to the line exposing your forehead. This should provide you with a good fit of the hood to the
edge of the skirt. Cut carefully unless you have a supply of extra hoods. Treat any stitched seams with aquaseal or other neoprene cement. I've used
several brands of drysuit hoods, the aqualung arctic, don't know if it's still available, Mares and Whites. I like a good neck seal that insulatesover the latex of the drysuit neck seal. Seal the mask directly to your
face with nothing intruding into the mask seal.

John Hott
Training Director
OTS

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

There are also a few hoods on the market that have a rubberized face area that allow the FFM to seal over the hood. Of course there are varying levels of success with these types of hoods. I have heard that they work like a charm while others say that they don't work so well.

 

[RickNC]

I put the mask on and just pull the hood out from under the seal. I've tried to wear it with the seal over the hood but it leaks. I usually only wear my FFM when wearing my Hollis semi-dry.