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Probably a silly question but, I'd like to dive in slightly colder waters than I'm used to and am thinking of using a hooded vest. In addition to accounting for the additional buoyancy are there other factors/concerns I need to consider with this addition?
The vest will add some thickness to your torso, so make sure your wetsuit will still fit around it. Make sure you poke some holes in the top of the hood to release air that will enter it from your second stage. I like my hooded vest and since getting it have used it instead of just a hood.
I had to add 6 lbs for my hooded vest. It really changed my range of motion and a little tighter around the neck. But in 52 degree water it's necessary.
A friend of mine foung this out the hard way last weekend: if you have a neoprene strap for your mask, it won't be as secure as a plastic one while your wearing a vest.
A big wave came up on her, took her mask clean off. Might have happened anyway, but I guess that neoprene on neoprene wasn't the most secure.
I had to add 6 lbs for my hooded vest. It really changed my range of motion and a little tighter around the neck. But in 52 degree water it's necessary.
Carl
WOW!!! 6lbs huh?
I recently added a hooded vest (minus the hood, I cut if off) and I love it.....I wear a one piece 5mm suit diving off of California.....All I care about is keeping my middle section warm, I hardly notice the arms and legs. I dove with 20lbs prior to the vest and might have been 2 lbs heavy...... after adding the vest I still got down fine with 20lbs of weight....the vest doesn't make too much of a weight difference.....my vest is 3mm by the way as I think most are...:14:
I live in the middle of Israel and dive in the RedSea
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A hooded vest was the first thing I bought after my firs dive, and it made a huge difference in how warm I was (19C water). Do poke holes--my instrutor did it for me under water with his knife--good thing I trust him! I did find it was irritating around my arms, so I wore a cheap, tight lycra top underneath, and was able to forget it was there.
I recently added a hooded vest (minus the hood, I cut if off) and I love it.....I wear a one piece 5mm suit diving off of California.....All I care about is keeping my middle section warm, I hardly notice the arms and legs. I dove with 20lbs prior to the vest and might have been 2 lbs heavy...... after adding the vest I still got down fine with 20lbs of weight....the vest doesn't make too much of a weight difference.....my vest is 3mm by the way as I think most are...:14:
6 pounds is pretty close for something like the 7mm Bare step-in vest. The 3mm with the hood is probably closer to 1-2 pounds. Even less if you cut the hood off. I have both and need 4 pounds more when I go from 1 to the other. Both are excellent layering tools.
The 7mm full suit and 7mm vest will let many divers make almost any dive they want but probablly only one in the coldest conditions.
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Originally Posted by cbrunberg
