Hood Question? Bib or Bibless

[Howie411]

So I don't go cold water diving often, so I'm not used to wearing hoods, but this weekend I went and I was wearing a 7mm suit and I had a 5/3 mm hood I was using. I literally made it about to the water before I decided I couldn't breath with the hood on.

Not sure if I was just anxious with it on, or it was to tight around my neck (I guess it would be 10mm when you add the bib to the suit).

Anyways so my question is, should I get a bibless hood? How does that play into the cold water because I guess now there is a slight gap around your neck. Should I maybe get a larger hood with a bib? or should I look for the same one and try to find a good one with a 1mm bib.

 

[IMCMOLE]

Personal preference. I HATE diving with a hood, to the point that I'd rather dive without a hood. If the neck bothers you, start troubleshooting. Try the next size up and see if it eases the burden. If not, something is better than nothing, so try eliminating the bib.

 

[tbone1004]

bib hoods are stupid, don't buy them. If you need a hood, I argue that you need a hooded vest, which is much more comfortable than a hood. There are basically two options of them, one is a step in john with attached hood that goes over your suit, the other is a vest that you pull on under. If your suit is snug, you probably won't be able to get one under.
Personally, since most of my diving is dry, I have a bibless hood that has a zipper on the back of the neck. The zipper doesn't come down until the water is in the 50's, but the hood goes on as soon as the water is in the low 70's

 

[northernone]

Sounds like it didn't fit right or simply was an uncomfortable sensation for you and takes getting use to. Hoods can feel strangling for the first few years of using them.

Another perspective: A bibbed hood is ideal for insulating the neck where our arteries run instead of leaving a possible gap while still can be removed for surface intervals. In true cold water it's a welcome design even though I generally dislike all hoods like most sane divers. I hate struggling out of a hooded vest though and choose a bib when needing the warmth. (of course when diving wet)

Just finished 13 days of diving with 22 students, we had groups of 4 in the water and only 6 hoods to go around. 3 bibbed and 3 bubbless. Over the week students started trying to arrive early to get the bibbed hoods while only 3 of the participants liked the bibbless... Cold water does strange things to people's preferences.

I'm sure some would have liked a hooded vest but we didn't have any since sizing isn't so easy when trying to fit head, neck AND torso. Those dimensions aren't a standard ratio for easy sizing.

(I dive bibbless and will add hot water to the suit rather than switching to bibbed.)

 

[BabyDuck]

generally, though there's a lot of personal preference mixed in, bibbed is intended to be wet and bibless dry. you can tuck the bib into your wetsuit.

personally, i'm a beanie girl. i hate hoods. though not enough to not wear one if i'm cold!

 

[oldschoolto]

What she said.... ^^^^^^^

Jim...

 

[dytis-sm]

From my experience, a hooded bib tends to create an opening around your neck for water to go in and out of your wetsuit. Not a desirable effect. This is why I like short drysuit type hoods that go over the neck seal (dry or wet. Alternatively I find hooded wetsuits to work as well since they do not have any gaps around the neck area.

 

[Marie13]

I'm using the same bibless Waterproof brand hoods diving wet as I do when diving dry. I didn't like the look of tucking a bib in, seems to be a pain in the butt, and if you leave it outside your wet suit, you have the cone of shame.

I've dove 46F water in a 5mm wetsuit with a bibless hood. I was fine (high cold tolerance, though).

 

[wolframheart]

I had a similar experience when trying a hood. On my first "cold water dive" (about 40 degrees F at depth), my dive buddy insisted I wear one. I got one second-hand that seemed to "fit," but when I sat out in the California sun with it on for 15 minutes, I started feeling anxious and like I couldn't breathe. I tried unzipping the hood, but that didn't help. Made it to the descent point and pulled the stupid thing off. I tried on a larger size at the store later and it felt a bit more comfortable, but I just don't dive with a hood because I don't need it. I have a very high tolerance to cold. I second people above--try sizing up. It might not fit properly.

 

[Moor3061]

I have both. Bibbed hoods and sitting around don't mix in my opinion. I dive deep in TX lakes and it can be 100f surface temp, and 60f at a 100ft. I have some pics of me sitting in 100f with a bibbed hood, most on this site would say I look near death and I felt that way also. When it's that hot out, I nowadays go for the non bibbed and tolerate the cold down my neck.

Some advice I have that it makes it better but not great, get the hood wet, makes huge difference. If bibbed, put it on first, then put on rash guard, then wetsuit. It will make it fit as close to a hooded vest as you can get without one.