OP
Thanks again for the advice, everyone. I ended up getting a thin beanie with a chin strap. I tuck my braid up under it and put my hood over that. The beanie stays in place when I remove and replace the hood and drysuit, and I've had no more issues with tangles.
Another bonus is the extra insulation. My ears are the most vulnerable part of my body to cold. Lately the water has been in the low 50s at depth, and even though my hands are fine in 1mm gloves, my ears have been getting cold through my 7mm hood. The extra 2mm of the beanie has made those dives much more comfortable without noticeably changing my buoyancy. I think I'm just going to wear it anytime I use my hood, not just when I dive dry. (Occasionally on a shallow summer dive, or on vacation, I'll just go bare-headed. Never have any hair issues that way.)
I did end up with a bit of a sewing project, because the velcro wasn't in the right place to cinch the chin strap tight enough. But that was pretty easy to fix. I also might end up buying a larger hood after all, since this one is now a bit snug and it's also showing signs of wear. But I think this setup will be warmer and more effective at protecting my hair than what I was originally contemplating. Just wanted to share in case anyone else out there has the same issue.
Another bonus is the extra insulation. My ears are the most vulnerable part of my body to cold. Lately the water has been in the low 50s at depth, and even though my hands are fine in 1mm gloves, my ears have been getting cold through my 7mm hood. The extra 2mm of the beanie has made those dives much more comfortable without noticeably changing my buoyancy. I think I'm just going to wear it anytime I use my hood, not just when I dive dry. (Occasionally on a shallow summer dive, or on vacation, I'll just go bare-headed. Never have any hair issues that way.)
I did end up with a bit of a sewing project, because the velcro wasn't in the right place to cinch the chin strap tight enough. But that was pretty easy to fix. I also might end up buying a larger hood after all, since this one is now a bit snug and it's also showing signs of wear. But I think this setup will be warmer and more effective at protecting my hair than what I was originally contemplating. Just wanted to share in case anyone else out there has the same issue.
