Hoods

[Ike50]

Can anyone tell me who makes a hood to fit a linebacker type neck. If they fit the face it chokes me. Have tried scuba pro, akuna, and oceanic. Thats all that's available to try on locally.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

I would suggest a hood with hyper stretch or super stretch in the name. I like BARE hoods. The best fit you will get is if you get to try it on so........ Maybe a custom made might be what you are looking for.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You're probably built like me ... no neck ... just a short, stocky head-to-shoulder interface.

Bare Elastek and ScubaMax Glide Skin hoods are made for folks like us ... stretchy neoprene, 7 mm up top and 5 mm in the neck for warmth and comfort. Both are relatively inexpensive hoods that hold up pretty well and are very warm. I've been using the Glide Skin for several years in pretty cold water (42-55 degrees, typically) ... and been very happy with it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Ike50]

Thanks for the help. This was my first post. I really don't want to wait for the water to warm in June to get back in the water.

 

[Teamcasa]

Is there a custom wetsuit tailor near you? I will say that both my wetsuit hood and my drysuit hood were off the shelf but fit poorly. A local ws tailor refitted them and now they are perfect.

 

[ptyx]

Those folks make custom hoods. Haven't got one yet but they're on my (fairly long) dive shopping list.

 

[NightForce]

You're probably built like me ... no neck ... just a short, stocky head-to-shoulder interface.

Bare Elastek and ScubaMax Glide Skin hoods are made for folks like us ... stretchy neoprene, 7 mm up top and 5 mm in the neck for warmth and comfort. Both are relatively inexpensive hoods that hold up pretty well and are very warm. I've been using the Glide Skin for several years in pretty cold water (42-55 degrees, typically) ... and been very happy with it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I also am easily choked by normal wet suit hoods. I was wondering how the Henderson 5/3mm Titanium Hyperstretch Hood is compared to the Bare Elastek. I am sort of relying on research from the great people of scuba board. None of the three local shops in my area carry anything other than the standard hoods that strangle me. It seems that for some reason Henderson is discontinuing the Hyperstretch hood. Im not sure of the reason for the discontinuation.

 

[D_B]

I suspect that different maker's hoods made from the stretchier neoprene are much the same in the amount of stretchiness they are, the tailoring of the hood can be different though.
I have two Henderson Hyperstretch hoods, one is 5/3 and the one I use most is 7/5 - very comfortable (the trade off of stretchier neoprene verses regular is that it's less efficient at keeping you warm)