Lobos Report: Cheating the Odds 4-11-10

[kathydee]

I would assume the jaw area has less to do with warmth over the entire head as much as head shape and quantity of hair do. For instance a pony tail exiting out the back leaves a large gap for water to flow through. I get next to no water exchange and my jaw has loosened up substantially. The tightness to my head is still very snuggly warm.

Well fair warning to others who are toying with the "TMJ" special order idea, I had same low pony tail/hair with my last hood and rarely had this periodic water exchange gap/bubble, but that hood did have a zipper down the back which made the neck a bit tighter.

I'd check with Cricket about how the extra room in the jaw affects the overall fit/function before following my "Custom TMJ" lead . I believe a tighter jaw may add tension to the top and reduce the gap.

On another note, the hood is toasty most of the time!

 

[Peter_C]

Something to think about Kathy and I may be way off, but once your head is frozen a little more cold water passing over it might not matter. Point being your old hood might have froze your head off and you just didn't notice the cold water as much. The new hood keeping you much warmer might allow more sensation?

 

[kathydee]

Naw, the other hood didn't have this pocket/bubble that forms -

I'm not complaining, the hood is usually quite warm - just sometimes wish it was toasty all the time and wondered if the extra space was caused by the "TMJ fit. So "I'm just passing my experience on to those considering the custom TMJ fit.

I'd enjoy hearing others experience with the "regular cut" Otter Bay hoods.

 

[fofo]

... during my dive often a bubble forms between my otterbay hood and my head and a pocket of cold water seeps in. ...

Do other Otterbay owners experience this?

Hi, Kathy.

Nope, I have never had that happen. Actually, I don't feel much water exchange in the hood, and it fits very closely to my head. I guess your hood was tailor-made to your head, since you asked for the jaw area to be a little bit looser, so the fit should be OK (a little bit looser on the jaw, of course).

Interesting. Hmm... The skirt of the mask sits right under the edge of the hood (that's how Cricket trims them), do you think that there could be a slow leak from your mask that starts pooling air in your hood until it "burps" out and lets cold water in?

 

[Guy Alcala]

Kristina,

In an attempt to better understand the suit that a lot of divers talk about, Fusion, I decided to rent it for this Friday.

I will be diving the Fusion by Whites including undergarments by whites, even the 3mm neoprene socks they sell.

My DUI left to San Diego for some repairs and that left me with no suit to dive this weekend.

But, with all this talk about the Fusion my curiousity got the better of me, I went down to my dive shop and picked up the suit for a trial run.

I will give a full report after I dive it. I made sure I got a perfect fitting as to keep this comparison to my DUI a fair review.

Everything is Whites, except for my diving gear that is the same. I am so excited can hardly wait.

Mike, which White's undergarment does you shop rent, the Mk.2 or Mk.3? And how much for the weekend?

Thanks, Mike. I suppose I should give White's another try, with adequate undergarments and properly fitting boots. I'll check in with my dive club and see when the next drysuit class is scheduled so I can rent one.
So, this is what I want you to compare:
fit, comfort of seals, stiffness, flexibility, ease of donning/doffing. Can you add stuff to it? Pockets, dry gloves, etc?
I already know a little about it, e.g., I know you can buy a new skin if the outer shell gets worn out.

Krisitina, for a semi-professional comparison of the Fusion and my current suit, the DUI CF200:

Scuba Gadget – The Deep Background on Scuba PRIZE FIGHT ? WHITES FUSION DRYSUIT vs. the DUI CF200 DRYSUIT

I agree with their comments, although I prefer the CF200's diagonal across-the-chest zipper to the Fusion's straight across. And the comment about the pocket sag should be out of date; the Fusion Bullet like the one that Fofo just bought is supposed to have cured this.

Guy

 

[fisheater]

On my OB "neoprene helmet" I can get a decent air bubble going upon ascent from a deepish dive. I'm not sure where the air is coming from, as I have a very tight fit (and have experienced Cricket lockjaw). I never feel ANY cold water intrusion and pushing the warm head bubble out is kind of fun.

 

[Guy Alcala]

On my OB "neoprene helmet" I can get a decent air bubble going upon ascent from a deepish dive. I'm not sure where the air is coming from, as I have a very tight fit (and have experienced Cricket lockjaw). I never feel ANY cold water intrusion and pushing the warm head bubble out is kind of fun.

Aren't the OB hoods vented? Most hoods are.

Guy

 

[kathydee]

Hi, Kathy.
Interesting. Hmm... The skirt of the mask sits right under the edge of the hood (that's how Cricket trims them), do you think that there could be a slow leak from your mask that starts pooling air in your hood until it "burps" out and lets cold water in?

Humm, thanks, interesting idea. I'll pay attention to when I notice the bubble/exchange during the dive.

I specifically had cricket trim the hood so there is zero mask/hood overlap.

 

[Peter_C]

I wanted a lot of overlap for my hood. Remember that from class Kathy? Keeps me much warmer or at least I think it does. I am pretty good at mask removal drills and can clear the mask skirt from the hood in a few seconds. Really seems to help having the complete seal when the water gets cold. I still get an ice cream headache when first descending into frigid water though.

 

[Anti-Hero]

I use a custom butchered DUI 5mm hood (warm neck cut off, and face opening trimmed larger) and I never get cold. I couldn't imagine having my head ensconced in some neoprene pompadour. That just sounds miserable.