head gear?

[redrover]

*always* (and I do mean *always*) dive with a braided ponytail. (I spent most of a night working an nest out of my head once, and that was enough.)

Can you imaging a clip failure with waist length? It was pretty ugly. I’ve absolutely no idea how the persons in photos do the mermaid look. I became Thing, had one he11 of a time just getting my BC off, talk about entanglement.

 

[ClayJar]

Can you imaging a clip failure with waist length? It was pretty ugly. I’ve absolutely no idea how the persons in photos do the mermaid look. I became Thing, had one he11 of a time just getting my BC off, talk about entanglement.

I can certainly imagine it (although "remember" might be a better word). That's why I always dive with redundant fastenings: an elastic band to make the ponytail, a braid to preclude tangling (as much as can be), and another elastic band to finish off the ponytail braid.

Of course, you *must* use the thicker bungee-like elastics without metal fastenings. The thin ones aren't approved, and the ones with metal... well... should I play the "pull your hair" or "corrode in seawater" card? :biggrin:

The thicker elastics gradually lose their elasticity over time, giving you ample time (days or weeks) to swap out for a new one when you see them getting longer and longer. I've never suffered an in-hair elastic failure with them. Clippy things tend to unclip at the most inopportune moment.

 

[redrover]

I can certainly imagine it (although "remember" might be a better word). That's why I always dive with redundant fastenings: an elastic band to make the ponytail, a braid to preclude tangling (as much as can be), and another elastic band to finish off the ponytail braid.

Of course, you *must* use the thicker bungee-like elastics without metal fastenings. The thin ones aren't approved, and the ones with metal... well... should I play the "pull your hair" or "corrode in seawater" card? :biggrin:

The thicker elastics gradually lose their elasticity over time, giving you ample time (days or weeks) to swap out for a new one when you see them getting longer and longer. I've never suffered an in-hair elastic failure with them. Clippy things tend to unclip at the most inopportune moment.

Well I have personally seen those thicker type on the bottom more than once and fear their ability to cope with demanding situations. I prefer the rough “Never Slip” kind as primary, with a snap on keeper for backup around the braid.
French braid that is, a simple recreational braid isn’t up to snuff in my book, it unravels too quickly should the primary fail as well as inadequate containment of the upper hair.
And of course spares are in my Save a Dive. I’m surprised how many people don’t carry them and ask for one of mine. They are relatively inexpensive; I’d hate to call a dive due to scrunchy failure.

What agency did you get your HM (Hair Management) with?

 

[ClayJar]

Well I have personally seen those thicker type on the bottom more than once and fear their ability to cope with demanding situations. I prefer the rough “Never Slip” kind as primary, with a snap on keeper for backup around the braid.

The key to using the regular thick hair elastics on the bottom is to do it properly. You start immediately above (i.e. to the head side) of the last turn of the braid, and from there you stretch the elastic around several times both above and below. You end up with a half-inch or so of band, holding by the friction of the many passes but, more importantly, by the geometry of the binding. Only very firm tugging on the elastic itself will pull it free (and sometimes you have to "roll" it down over the last turn of the braid to get it loose).

If you just put it on the straight end below the last turn, all you'll have is a friction hold, and those can slip rather easily. By using the last turn as a stopper inside several back-and-forth stretches of elastic, the loops above will keep it from slipping, while the loops below keep that last turn from itself unraveling. In order to pull off, the band would have to stretch over that last turn, and if you have at least two or so tight loops of the band above it, that's not going to happen unless you get a fish hook stuck in the band itself (which would be crazy-unlikely).

(I can see about getting some photos if I wasn't clear enough.)

French braid that is, a simple recreational braid isn’t up to snuff in my book, it unravels too quickly should the primary fail as well as inadequate containment of the upper hair.

Unraveling has never been a problem for me (considering the inherent stability of the binding method I've just tried to describe), but I do agree that a plain ponytail, then braided, does little for the anteponytail hair. Unfortunately, I've never been able to get the hang of self-french-braiding. Making a ponytail and then braiding it is rather easy, but french braiding my own hair has eluded me as of yet. (Are there any tips you might have for my self study?)

And of course spares are in my Save a Dive. I’m surprised how many people don’t carry them and ask for one of mine. They are relatively inexpensive; I’d hate to call a dive due to scrunchy failure.

I buy the thicker elastics several packs at a time and keep some practically everywhere. I even have a surface carabiner full of them in my save-a-dive-and-then-some backpack. It turns out, they're good for all sorts of things. One of my favorite insta-solutions is to take one, loop it through a D-ring (or kanji-ring, on some of those strange BCs), and use it as a *functional* octo-holder on ill-equipped divers' rigs. They don't last forever, but they're dirt cheap, and I always have them around.

What agency did you get your HM (Hair Management) with?

Actually, I did the self-study version of Hazelnut Scuba's Basics Of Hair Management course. (It was the BOHM, I tell you! :biggrin It was actually quite thorough -- the chapter on hair-induced mask leakage covered head hair, mustache hair, *and* pet rabbits chewing the mask skirt.

I'd like to take Advanced Hair Management (AHM), but the course materials are not yet complete. I need to take the AHM instructor certification to learn how to teach self-french-braiding before I can finish them.

 

[trucker girl]

Wait a minute... what forum are we in?

 

[UncleJoes]

How about a SQUID CAP? It's just a neoprene ball cap. I get them from Innovative Scuba.

Innovative Scuba Concepts : Worldwide Distributor of Fine Diving Accessories...
You'll have to browse to find the Picture tho.

I sell them for $20.

 

[Ice9]

Also there is Dee Rags:

Welcome to the home of Dee Rags!

 

[jon m]

thanks all!!!!