hood ballooning up

[reefvagabond]

I was using a hooded vest which is non-vented. I think the bubbles from my regulator some how got trapped in my hood causing it to balloon up. How do you prevent this?

Do you poke holes in the hood to vent it? If so won' that make your hood less effective and colder?
Do you trim the area around the face so the seals aren't so close to the reg?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Do you poke holes in the hood to vent it? If so won' that make your hood less effective and colder?

All of my wetsuit/drysuit hoods have vented holes in them. Despite the holes, the hoods still keep my noggin warm. On account of those holes, I've never had any issues with exhaust bubbles getting trapped under my hood. There have been a few occasions when I've observed small bubbles exiting similar holes on my buddies' hoods. My conclusion is that the holes must work.

I've heard that if a hood lacks such holes, the diver can simply heat up a nail and poke a hole in the top of the hood. Obviously, it's safer if...ahem...the diver isn't wearing the hood at the time the hole is being created.

 

[fisheater]

Two good solutions:

- Put relief holes in the top of the hood. (Yes, some cold water will get in.)

- Every once in a while, squash the top of your hood with your palm.

I prefer the later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rhwestfall]

good god man, your brain is leaking!!!!!!!!

yes, a couple relief holes as stated above will do the trick.

 

[Mopar]

The air from your reg may not be the only reason you are ballooning up. It could be just that the water is going up to the top of your hood while you are swimming along. I had a bennie do this years ago. I used my soldering iron to put a hole in my hood. The reason for the iron is it will seal the area around the hole to keep it from unraveling. I never felt the cold from the hole I put in it and I am bald so you should be fine.

 

[Sam Miller III]

No need to make a big hole or damage a soldering iron...

1) Put hood on

2) Mark location of top of hood and ears--tape or grease pencil

3) Remove hood

4) Heat a nail over a fire

5) Grasp with pliers - lock wrench if you have one

5) Using heated nail punch holes in predetermined locations

<<< If you were a tough Kalifornia Diver you will ommit step three...>>>

 

[decidedlyodd]

I'm not sure if it's the origin of your problem, but my hood will fill with air if I'm breathing out through my nose into my mask. Because the mask is under the hood, air escaping out the top goes into the hood. Even with vents in my hood, I often have to look down or mash my palm onto the top of my head to clear out the bubble.

 

[DevonDiver]

A common problem and best solved by adding a vent.

 

[Mopar]

No need to make a big hole or damage a soldering iron...

1) Put hood on

2) Mark location of top of hood and ears--tape or grease pencil

3) Remove hood

4) Heat a nail over a fire

5) Grasp with pliers - lock wrench if you have one

5) Using heated nail punch holes in predetermined locations

<<< If you were a tough Kalifornia Diver you will ommit step three...>>>

The nail is a good idea. But the soldering iron did not leave a big hole because I used a fine tip nor did it ruin my tip of my iron.
I like the part about ommmit step 3

 

[Peter_C]

I have an Otter Bay helmet and LIKE the small air pocket it gets. The air keeps my head much warmer. Of course it is a 12mm hood so it doesn't balloon at all.

As everyone mentioned above, a heated object will burn right thru it creating a vent hole.