Hood thickness?

[Lorenzoid]

All of "that blood" does not amount to any more heat loss that all of the blood that circulates over any other part of your body. The thought that heat loss is greater from the head is an old wives tale. Read the medical and survival research.

Per unit of area, there is little or no difference among body parts. We lose heat from our heads proportionally to whatever percent area the head constitutes out of the total area of our skin. (Yeah, I know that's what you meant.)

Anyway, we often neglect to cover our heads with insulating headgear the way we cover the rest of our bodies with clothing. I believe we get used to that, and so unless it's REALLY cold we don't generally notice that our heads are losing more heat than the covered parts of our bodies.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Another consideration is getting it on and off. The newer ones are stretchier, and the thinner it is, the easier it is to get on and off. I've seen people have claustrophobic episodes over their hoods. There is a thread on SB about how dangerous hoods can be. This particular case involved a hooded vest:

Close call in the dressing room

I use a very old, 1/4" Rubatex hood and it is a bit difficult but it keeps my head warm and I don't notice it in the water.

 

[boulderjohn]

There is a thread on SB about how dangerous hoods can be. This particular case involved a hooded vest:

Close call in the dressing room

If anyone is interested, that hooded vest can be purchased. It still has its original tag. Never been in the water.

I have a 6 mm hood that I generally wear whenever I want a hood, be it a dry suit or a full 5mm wetsuit. It is warm and comfy, and I don't feel a particular need to match it to what i am wearing.

A couple of years ago I realized I had forgotten to bring it as I was preparing to get in the water for the first dive of a 3-day weekend in water about 58 degrees. I happened to have a tropical beanie style hood tucked in some gear that I have on hand for emergencies, so I used that, probably the only time anyone has dived with a drysuit and a tropical beanie. I was really surprised--it wasn't bad at all. It made me wonder just how important the thickness of the hood is, at least until you start getting into really cold water.

 

[Steve_C]

Note that head size matters. I have a large head. My wet suit and Tshirts are all L or LS. In cooler water I wear a 5/3 hooded vest with the wetsuit. (5 hood, 3 vest part). I wear the 5/3 with a 7, a 5, and a 3 when I travel. In warmer water I will either wear the 5 with a beanie or the 3 with a beanie. The 5/3 does not take much room in the luggage and if turns out the Keys are a bit cooler than I thought it helps warm up the 3.

 

[DerekR]

Another consideration is getting it on and off.

A back zippered hood solves that problem with thicker, lined hoods. My 7mm Pinnacle wool lined dry hood is pretty stiff, but it is easy to don and doff, because of the back zipper. On the other hand, my 11mm DUI hood lacks the wool lining, so it stretches more, and needs no zipper.