Maybe the dumbest question on SB

[Cosmographer]

Ok, here's my submission: I'm wondering if anyone uses pillows while diving, and if so, how well they work. Specifically, I'm thinking of those inflatable airplane neck pillows which you'd keep rolled up in a BC and inflate it once you're on the surface.Why? Because despite having relatively few dives, I've had to make several longish surface swims back to the boat, and since I usually do this on my back, it's not very comfortable on my neck. Keeping my head elevated just make things a lot easier (chatting, keeping water out of your eyes and mouth, keeping the sun out if your eyes, etc).

 

[Captain12Pk]

I'm not saying nobody uses them. But I've been diving for 20 years, and I've never seen or heard of anyone doing that.

 

[nolatom]

No such thing as dumb question in the Intro Board.

I think if anyone used a pillow, or some sort of neck support, it definitely wouldn't be of the inflatable variety, since it would affect your center of buoyancy and would expand or contract inversely with your depth--a bad idea.

So inflatable anything is "out". Try doing those surface swims on your back, rolling over onto your tummy only when you're near your destination. Much easier on the neck, and easier and more efficient finning that way, too.

Non-inflatable neck support (if you really need it) I'll have to leave to others.

Good luck with this great sport you're starting out on.

 

[TMHeimer]

It would mean you'd have to have every bit of air sucked out of the inflatable so it wouldn't in any way affect buoyancy while diving, then inflate it orally when on the surface. Of course if there was a tiny bit of air still in there when you descend it would only contract at depth--perhaps this would or wouldn't damage it? Perhaps this could be done? It would be the same idea as a frediver's lungs contracting at depth then expanding just to there original "size" minus a little air used to re-equalize (vent). Of couse the pillow wouldn't equalize.

 

[WaterWolf]

Perhaps a small lift bag would do the trick. Many divers carry a lift bag as part of their standard kit anyway. You could inflate it at the surface as needed just like the aforementioned pillow.

 

[Cosmographer]

Well, I just arrived in Bali, but as luck as would have it, most of our dives will be shore dives so probably won't get a chance to try this out - not to mention I probably couldn't buy one of those here anyway. I can't believe you've never seen anyone use them, captain12pk. Surely I'm not the only lazy diver around!

 

[mathauck0814]

Certainly never seen this. I'm not sure what problem it solves, really. If you're uncomfortable I'd look at personal strength or equipment configuration before I started ad libing

 

[Cosmographer]

I dont think strength or configuration would help much - actually, I suppose if you were trimmed in such a way that your bottom half was partially submerged as you floated on your back, that would raise your head enough, but then that would create a lot of drag. I think it might solve a lot of problems actually, not the east of which is being able to rest your head instead of holding it up for 30 min.

 

[vladimir]

A different BC might buoy you out of the water more comfortably. That's not what I look for in a BC, but a SCUBAPRO STABILIZING JACKET does a better job of this than any of the other BCs I've had over the years.

I think inflating and wearing a neck pillow post-dive might open you up to an uncomfortable amount of ridicule from your fellow divers. Luckily you're protected from that here in the New Divers forum.

 

[Cosmographer]

Yep, thats why I posted it here, hahaha