Easy don/doff hoods?

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I agree but don't you think a thick drysuit hood is too much for tropical waters?

I wear a 5mm in Cozumel so a 3-5mm hood with no bib would work for me. I like to be toasty.
 
Freedivers try to wear the least amount of buoyant neoprene they can because it compresses at depth, makes them heavy and thus it is harder to swim back to the surface. Or harder to swim down if they are underweighted. Scuba divers can offset the buoyancy swings associated with depth changes by simply pressing the inflate or deflate button, but buoyancy swings are still undesirable.

It is important to keep the head warm in order to reduce thermal stress. The head has relatively little natural insulation, the blood supply is close to the skin (in the neck) and the body can not shunt blood away from the head to conserve heat as can be done with the extremities. So, in my opinion, a little bit of buoyant neoprene on the head is a very "efficient" means to help retain heat and it "costs" very little in undesirable buouyancy swings. For these reasons, it is actually somewhat unusual to see a freediver without some sort of hood, unless the water is very warm.

There are other reasons to avoid allowing your external ear canal to be subject to the incursion of relatively cool water on a frequent basis. See: Surfer's ear - Wikipedia

If a diver (scuba or free) is in relatively warm water (say above 70 degrees) a thin neoprene hood may provide significant thermal benefit and still be comfortable.

We offer a reversible 2-mm hood which includes an ample bibb which is intended to be tucked into the suit and should greatly reduce the exchange of water into and out of the neck area. The 2 mm material is very flexible and comfortable so few people will find it constricting or claustrophobic - a complaint that is commonly associated with a thick neoprene hood.

For our hood, if the diver does not wish to tuck the hood in, then they can trim the bibb off with scissors in a few minutes.



WetsuitHood 2mm Reversible Blue Camo-Green Camo | MAKO Spearguns

MHBG-2T.jpg



Dive Safe!

Dano
 
I wear a 5mm in Cozumel so a 3-5mm hood with no bib would work for me. I like to be toasty.
I’m diving in Lake Tahoe and need a warm hood, but I hate the feeling around my neck , can someone please give advise on the most flexible 7mm hood that won’t feel like I’m being strangled.
 
I like the fourth element thermocline hood. I am now on my second one. Only issue, is air collection inside top of head, but a small hole made with a hot nail fixed that.

I agree that hoods with skirts are a pain. They did not stay tucked in for me.
 
I think it is more a function of fit than material flexibility. If donning and doffing the hood is also an issue you can get drysuit hoods with zippers on the back.
Donning and doffing isn’t the issue, I just feel the stiffness of neoprene around my neck is uncomfortable, I can’t snow ski in turtlenecks either, always use a neck gator instead. Unfortunately, they don't offer that sort of option for underwater. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
 
I bought a Henderson 3mm Hood a few years ago with the zipper in the back without the skirt! I would agree if you are gonna get a hood definitely with out the skirt but with the zipper.
 
I use the Dry suit hood in New Jerzee not the Tropics.
 
If it's cold enough to add a hood, I wear my hooded vest. Easy enough to don and doff, adds several degrees to cold tolerance.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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