Problems clearing with a hood

[g1138]

If you get any air trapped in your ears, you can get a squeeze on the outside of your eardrum. It feels like you aren't equalizing even though you are. All you need to do is burp the hood as soon as you get under the surface to let the water on your ears. After that, no problems.

I don't see how that would cause your ears to explode outward. My ears don't always flood, hood or no hood and I've never felt any discomfort either way, unless the water entering is extremely cold. Any discomfort is not a result of a squeeze though, but rather a sharp shock inside my ear from the cold which goes away as it warms up.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I don't see how that would cause your ears to explode outward. My ears don't always flood, hood or no hood and I've never felt any discomfort either way, unless the water entering is extremely cold. Any discomfort is not a result of a squeeze though, but rather a sharp shock inside my ear from the cold which goes away as it warms up.

You can get an ear hickey... An external ear squeeze. The hood seals on the outside of your ear. Hoods with smooth rubber interior can cause this much more so than a nylon lined hood.


It is quite painfull and not unusual at all with freedive wetsuits... I always have to let some water in the hood, when first entering the water.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I'm with dumpster diver and raptor660 on this one, at lease as far as my personal experience. A little water in the hood, and/or pulling away from your ear to clear, helps me alot. Also a "yawn" type move will help, if you are comfortable doing it and can do it without sucking water. Face down is best.
DivemasterDennis

 

[ADeadlierSnake]

Could be a new hood thing. I have only ever owned one hood (it probably needs to be replaced soon though...), and when I first started diving with it I know I had issues clearing. It was probably just a bit tight. It stretched out a bit over time, and now I have no issues with it. I dont even notice myself clearing. It just happens automatically.

 

[NorthWest Hunter]

If your haveing a tough time equalizeing with the hood sometimes all you need to do is rotate your head so your ear is faceing the surface. Works for me.

 

[Gilldiver]

Let me give it a try: A close or tight fitting hood may result in trapping air in your outer ear canal so tight that is will not pressurize to your ambient pressure as you descend. When this occurs the hood is acting like a diaphragm just like your ear drum does, only now you have a double diaphragm with a middle section (between your ear drum and the hood) that is at some intermediate pressure between your inner ear and the water. So, when you do equalize the air pressure in your inner ear can end up higher than in your outer ear resulting in a reverse squeeze. So, as many have said, flood your hood at the beginning of the dive and get rid of the potential of the air pocket and reverse squeeze when equalizing.

 

[graham_s]

I punch a 1/4" hole in my hood over each ear.
Not only does it solve this problem, but it lets me hear better with the hood on when I'm at the surface.

 

[Pane]

Thanks for all the tips; I'm glad it's a minor issue (well, solution-wise anyway).

Punching a hole through the hood might be a good tip for after I buy one. Not sure the dive center where I was renting the thing would have appreciated that though

 

[windapp]

Lifting the hood away from your ears at the beginning of each dive is just as easy as punching a hole. Just remember to do it near the surface, and not down where the water is 45 degrees or you will defeat the purpose of wearing a hood in the first place.

 

[FoxHound]

def just need to pull the hood out a bit to let some water in.....i find i need to periodically do this throughout the dive.....sucks under the ice but makes clearing the ears nice and easy.