Mask and hood!

[landlocked]

Due to my geograpic location, a hood is a must. I tried one last week. It kept interfering with my mask and trapped a lot of air in the top. We were not friends. Any great advice on using a hood. The one I have is a Harvey's 7mm drysuit hood that I am wearing with a SeaElite 7 mil semi-dry(wet) suit. Any help on how to get used to the hood a little quicker would be appreciated.

 

[MSilvia]

Make sure it fits right. Try before you buy, and make sure your hood is snug but comfortable, and that you can get a good mask seal with it on. I've only ever had trouble when using a hood that didn't fit properly. Of course, I've only ever used wetsuit hoods, so there might well be other considerations.

 

[herman]

I put a small hole in the top of the hood to stop the air trapping and it works well for me. To put a hole in a hood, heat a small nail to red hot over a gas stove or torch and push it through to top of the hood at the point where the worst air entrapment was. Don't just cut a hole as it will tend to rip, melting a hole both opens the hole and at the same time seals the opening against ripping. All my hoods get this treatment before they hit the water. It's the fastest way I know to stop the bubble head.

 

[Dryglove]

If your hood is trapping air take a hot nail and poke a couple of holes in top to release the air so it doesnt get trapped.I use a bear tech hood with my drysuit and has the vent holes built in.Works great.

Like msilva said try on a bunch and pick the one that fits the best.Also if your like me and have problems equalizing with a hood on poke a few holes where your ears are with the hot nail trick.Now i have no problems equalizing.

 

[JimC]

To get a good seal on the mask, tuck the mask skirt under the hood. This is mopst easily done by placing the mask on, then sliding a funger under the hood and pulling it out, the mask skirt will sit against your skin. Let the hood go and it will sit outside the mask skirt.

Can be hard to acomplish with gloves at depth, but it can be done.

 

[art.chick]

You are also allowed to cut the face hole bigger with scissors.