How do you keep your mask from flooding while wearing a hood?

TracyN · Jan 17, 2012

Ok so I decided to buy myself a hood to try to stay warm. I tried it out for the first time today. First I wore my mask over the hood and couldn't keep water out of it. So then I tightened the mask up as tight as I could tolerate and the instant I went under water the same thing happened. I then tried it with the mask straps under the hood which was no better. Finally I just pulled the hood back put on my mask and continued the dive. Defeated the entire purpose of wearing a hood.

Thalassamania · Jan 17, 2012

Unless you use a thin latex dry hood the mask skirt goes under the edge of the hood.

Doomnova · Jan 17, 2012

So the way I put my mask and hood on is the following order.
1) Put the hood on
2)Put mask on
3) pull back all the sides of the hood to make sure the mask is touching my skin not the hood
4) check tightness of mask.

That will work every time to make sure that your mask is on your face and can be done in drygloves.

TracyN · Jan 17, 2012

Thalassamania:
Unless you use a thin latex dry hood the mask skirt goes under the edge of the hood.

That's genious! The only thing I didn't think of.

Thanks, LoL!

Bubbletrubble · Jan 17, 2012

I'm with Thal. Mask skirt goes under the hood.

FWIW, many hoods have a trimmable face hole, which can be cut back a little to minimize overlap between the mask and hood.

herman · Jan 17, 2012

5. Have your buddy check to make sure the edges of the hood are not under or otherwise interfering with the mask skirt.

If your mask fits without a hood, it should fit with it. Tightening a mask is almost never the answer to stoping it from leaking and often times loosining it is the real answer. Overtighting it tends to warp the frame making it leak more.

MXGratefulDiver · Jan 17, 2012

Mask skirt seals to your skin, not your hood. Here's the technique ...

Don the hood.
Put on the mask.
Slip a finger or thumb under the hood at your forehead, and slide it from side to side ... touching the mask strap on both sides. That pulls the top of the hood away from the mask skirt.
Slip a finger or thumb under the hood below the mask strap and pull out away from your mask. That lets mask skirt seal against your face below the mask strap.
Have your buddy do a visual check, also checking to make sure you don't have any hair under the mask skirt ... that would also cause it to leak.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

spectrum · Jan 17, 2012

If it's a hood with a trimable face seal the skirt may interfere with the body of the mask. If so you will need to trim the seal for a nominal overlap. More here.

Pete

Garrobo · Jan 17, 2012

Why a hood? I mean it's weird. My friends will go skying in sub-zero weather with no head covering and bitch about the cold water (80 degrees) on their head. I don't get it.

sheeper · Jan 17, 2012

i found i am just happier with the mask on under my hood but making sure the mask skirt is fully on skin. no problems.

i've noticed that a number of people who have a hood/mask leak issue have hoods that do not really fit well. trimming may be the best answer or just getting a better size hood!

How do you keep your mask from flooding while wearing a hood?

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TracyN

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Thalassamania

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Doomnova

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TracyN

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Bubbletrubble

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herman

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MXGratefulDiver

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spectrum

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Garrobo

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sheeper

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