How do dry hoods work?

[jeremyrfoster]

Can someone answer me some questions?

If you get the latex hood and it leaks, does the water go down the neck or is there still a neck seal keeping you dry even when the hood floods?

How does the mask seal on the latex hood? If you flood your mask have you flooded your hood too? How about the regulator? Does the hood seal around your chin?

Thanks.

 

[norcaldiver]

Unless there's an actual "dry" dry hood that I don't know about, a dry hood is only called that because you use them with dry suits. It's actually only a wet suit hood sans collar. You still have the neck seal on the drysuit. The hood just fits over that. My hood has latex around the face, but that doesn't keep any water out, it just makes it harder for me to clear my ears, because of the tight seal. To fix that, I put a slit in the top of my hood to vent (a lot of dry hoods come with a hole in the top for this).

 

[jeremyrfoster]

Thanks... that helps. I was wondering how it would seal on the face.

But latex isn't all that insulating is it? The drysuit I'm looking at (Viking Xtreme) has a latex hood. It doesn't seem like this would keep you all that much warmer. Maybe though since your head loses so much heat.

Jeremy

 

[diverlady]

You can get a latex hood attached to a drysuit which is what I believe you are referring to. With that, there is a separate neck seal so if you flood the hood, you don't get water down the neck.

I don't have that on my drysuit so I cannot comment on the seal of the mask but I believe a buddy of mine wore his mask over the latex hood.

Diverlady

 

[Soggy]

A dry hood is a latex hood that is attached to the suit. You wear either an insulating beanie underneath the hood, or a regular neoprene "dry suit hood" (which is the same as a wetsuit hood, with the flap chopped off) with it (or both).

There is also an internal neck seal with the Viking Extreme, so if there is a leak, water doesn't get inside the suit.

I tried a dry hood out and absolutely hated it...I've never had troubles with my ears before, but this caused me to have difficulty clearing them in a 15ft pool.

 

[Tractor Tom]

...that seems to work well about 60-75 % of the time. I use it every time, but it tends to have a little wrinkle along just past my eyes on each side and will let some water bleed in. I wear a cloth 'beenie' under the hood and even when the water gets in, I stay very warm as there is very little exchange of water. Many times, I take the hood off and my beenie and hair are completely dry. Needless to say, when the water is very cold, I'm VERY careful with the seal and stay very warm.

Yes, there is a neck seal as well, and I have NEVER had water down my neck when using my hood, even if it leaks a bit.

I really like the dry hood and will continue to use it every time I dive!

 

[BOATS313]

I also have a Viking Xtreme with a latex hood. The hood is more like semi-dry than dry, I am very happy with it. It came with the beanie. The hood has to be trimmed to fit your face/mask. I cut mine so that the mask and hood seals do not overlap and the hood comes just over my chin. The beanie works OK but I found a fleece Balaclava (hood) that covers more of my head and is a little warmer. If you put your mask over the hood it helps keep more water out and is easier to put on. I do get a little bubble on the top of my head, I have been debating puting some kind of check valve on top to burb it.

 

[bigDave]

Bob3 can get you the purge valve for the hood. I have used them for years, and they really help. After you punch the hole and fit them in place, you will want to use wetsuit glue or aquaseal to hold them. I lost several valves before I started gluing them in...

Take care,
BD

 

[BOATS313]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking a simple flap of latex sealed on three sides would do the trick but if there is something made just for it I might as well use it.