Hoods

[RCmaster]

i am curently working on getting my certification. when i went to do my open water dives in Montery CA i couldn't find a hood that wasn't to tight in the neck area. i was wondering if any companies made custom hoods. thanks

 

[buff]

put the neck area on a 2 liter pop bottle(or anthing that is just bigger in diameter than the hood's neck area) to strech out the neoprene.

 

[boney]

Have zippers to make getting in and out of them easier. I have a Bare cold water hood and it has the zipper in the back as well as some holes on the top so that I dont look like a cone head with a huge air bubble stuck in my hood.
Not sure about custom hoods though...

 

[DandyDon]

would be what I think is called a "Beanie." Covers the top, sensitive part of the head and the ears with neoprene, then has a velcro chin strap. Nothing around the neck.

Not going to keep you as warm as a hood, though... :cold:

don

 

[pipedope]

But you wouldn't know it from the majority of hoods.

I am using a trilam Henderson hood and when colder a beenie on top.

Annother great solution is an air hat with dry suit and integrated neck dam. All nice and dry. Trouble is dragging around all that gear and the surface support crew.

 

[RCmaster]

thanks for the help. If anyone has links to where I can look at air hats they would be appriciated

 

[Dryglove]

RCmaster once bubbled...
thanks for the help. If anyone has links to where I can look at air hats they would be appriciated

Check out http://otterbaysuits.com/wetsuits.cfm for custom made 10mm hoods located in moterey. I hear they are extremely warm and am gonna invest in one someday. For now i have a Bare tech hood with zipper. I stretched the neck out for a few days on a large diameter bottle so it wouldnt be so tight.

 

[pipedope]

are a type of commercial diving helmet. Not really very usefull for scuba.
Great for surface supplied diving in contaminated water.

There are bigger hoods out there but they rarely show up in the dive shops.

A custom hood is another good choice but it is best if you can go to the person who will be making the hood for fitting.

 

[Bob3]

put the neck area on a 2 liter pop bottle...

Hey a 2 liter bottle, that's my wrist size.
Neoprene takes a good set when stretched, unless the hood is WAY under sized, the stretching trick will work great.

I used a small pail on the Superlite's neck dams when we had to use the company hat, otherwise my dear old Desco pot clamps right onto my suit.

 

[chris allen]

Henderson's hyperstretch in 7mm. My wife bought me one for Christmas and gave it to me early. It is very comfortable and kept me very warm.