to hood or not to hood?

[g1138]

Depending on your dive plans you may want a hood. In the Philippines the water was 28-30C, air temp was around 31C and the divers who went in the water with just a rash guard and shorts got cold by the end of a 30min dive. Diver's with 3mm wetsuits and shortys (but sans hood) were still comfortable but on cloudy days even they were "not chilly, but not warm" once they started their SI.

For your case I would go with a lycra or 1-2mm neoprene hood. It'll help to get your hair out of the way. With you 5mm suit you should be fine warmth wise, without a hood. But if the sun gets covered you may feel better with one; the hood will keep you toasty during the dive so you won't go into the SI chilled. It'll also protect your ears from jellies and the likes.

 

[RTee]

I am heading to Cozumel 17 - 24 dec 2011. This will be my third trip down. Last one was at this time last year for a week and prior to that, last week of March 2009. As you will notice from my picture, I do not have a problem with long hair. The only head protection I wear down South is a baseball cap that I wear on the boat for sunburn protection. From time to time, you will see the odd individual wearing either a hood or beanie but the vast majority do not. As others have said, gloves are not permitted in the marine park.

In terms of thermal protection, I think 5mm should suit you well based on your comfort level. I personally dive a full lenght 3mm but carry in my dive bag a Bare Chicken vest with hood that may add a couple mm of extra insualtion over my chest if required. In such case I will not wear the hood but rather pop it inside out so it will not trap air or create resistance.

 

[mathauck0814]

Do you get cold easily? I find that it's not a blanket thing. For example I (and most of my dive buddies) don't wear a hood in southern California (~52-54'F) for dives less than 120 minutes in run time. My wife gets cold easily and does. It's a personal thing. Never hurts to bring it, and if you don't use it then you can always return it (unused, of course).

 

[Ulfhedinn]

The only thing I do not like about hoods at least the 7/5mm I wear is that I cant hear much at all.

 

[RTee]

The only thing I do not like about hoods at least the 7/5mm I wear is that I cant hear much at all.

Which can be a good thing when diving with folks who constantly use their shakers/quackers during the dives...

 

[Rescue Diver68]

I wear a 5 mil suit and a 3 mil hood in the Caribbean. I get cold easily. The hood also keeps my long under control.

 

[rongoodman]

I would take a 3mm hood.

 

[efpef]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I'll take a 3mm hood or beanie and see if I need to use it. Better safe than sorry

 

[FuzzyNutz]

Maybe I missed it somewhere (edit: yes I did - thanks Mossman!), but I'm surprised nobody yet mentioned that gloves are forbidden in Cozumel's marine park. You won't need them for warmth for any recreational dive in Coz. The only reason you would need them is for protection - and they don't want you touching anything in their reserve.

Note: watch out for 'hydroids'!! I bumped one with my arm in Coz last summer and it burned for a while and itched for like 3-4 weeks!! Almost 6 months later and I can still see where it touched me (although it's EXTREMELY faint... nobody else would even notice). They look like black ferns, but I guess they're related to jelly-fish in some way or are a stage of a certain creatures life... something weird like that. Either way, lesson learned - don't touch them!!

I think a 5mm may be too thick, also. If you don't have anything thinner, I wouldn't go out and buy a new one for this trip though - you'll just be pretty toasty.

EDIT: Hey Rescue Diver68, cool flamingo tongue in your avatar!!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

A properly fitting hood will not cause any head/jaw pain.

The appropriate level of exposure protection is personal preference. I tend to spend most of the dive hovering without kicking and I prefer longer dives, so I often get cold. Multi-day repetitive dive trips usually require thicker exposure protection.

I always wear a 3mm hood when warm water diving (water temps approx. 80°F). YMMV.