Hood compatible with FFM?

[tbone1004]

I'm not certain I understand. You cut the hood to overlap 1" with the mask skirt, then when you put the mask on you pull the hood over the mask skirt?

correct

 

[paperdesk]

Sell me on it? I picked one up a couple years ago for nasty water s&r, but haven't actually met anyone using one for cold water (~0°C) so I don't know what to do with it per say.

Are they much nicer, outside of contaminated water diving?

A rubber hood would have been really nice during a vehicle recovery I was on. It would provide a very good seal for the mask to sit on top of. A fleece insulating "cap" came with my drysuit/undergarment. I'm guessing it would be somewhat difficult to put on, but maybe not.

 

[paperdesk]

correct

You don't have much trouble getting the hood out from under the skirt then? I tried and tried to do that, but maybe I just had way too much hood for it to work.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Hi!

I recently switched to an OTS Guardian mask, and found that I couldn't get a the mask to seal properly while wearing my hood. The hood kept getting under the mask seal. Trimming my hood back might be an option? My instructor also suggested using a rubber hood that the mask would seal over. My drysuit (White's Enviro Com) does have an option to use a rubber hood, but I don't have one installed.

What works for you? Here's one option I found:

Seasoft Pro/C6 6mm Dry Suit Hood for Full Face Mask (FFM)

FWIW, water temp here I dive in is usually between the 40's and 60's, so thermal protection is important.

Ted

I dive this very hood and it works perfect. It's really is a semi-dry, too. One thing to note, though if you do end up getting it. The vent hole in the top sometimes doesn't get poked all the way through during manufacturing. I found this out my first day diving it when I couldn't descend to save my life because my hood wasn't venting air. I called SeaSoft and spoke personally to the president, which was in and of itself very impressive customer service, and he explained that it happens sometimes and to just push a pencil, etc. through it to open it up enough to where air can escape but not allow water in. There is a flap of material covering that's sewn on three sides covering the inside of the vent, too. Overall, I've really liked diving with and the seal of the FFM to the rubber outer skin of that hood works out really well. Last dive with is was in 54 F bottom temps @ 40 ft.

 

[runsongas]

This would replace my neck seal, correct?

Ted

yes

 

[w3dge]

Sell me on it? I picked one up a couple years ago for nasty water s&r, but haven't actually met anyone using one for cold water (~0°C) so I don't know what to do with it per say.

Are they much nicer, outside of contaminated water diving?

Apologies, I was being a little facetious

 

[paperdesk]

Follow up, I already have a Whites base layer fleece hood, and would like to try going with a latex hood. Do I need a combo hood/neck seal or would a hood like the one posted above work? I don't suppose I could fit both a neck seal and hood inside the neck ring. Do some people use just the hood with no neck seal, and if so is this considered a safe practice? I know some people that use dry gloves with no wrist seals.

 

[paperdesk]

I confirmed from SiTech that both the neck and hood seals won't fit inside the neck ring. So the big question is this: is a neck seal required/recommended, or is just a hood sufficient? I am guessing that a neck seal is still needed.

 

[runsongas]

you can mount it to the sitech ring, but you have to mount it low below the neck seal.

if you opt for without the neck seal, you have to be careful about keeping the face seal area free of facial hair for a watertight fit.

 

[paperdesk]

you can mount it to the sitech ring, but you have to mount it low below the neck seal.

So it would be glued on right?

Has anyone tried something like this?

G-Dive Hood with Flange/Neck Seals