cold water hood recommendations?

[Paul Oliver]

Originally Posted by tom

It needs to be able to cope with a 20-40min dive in 2-3c water. Any suggestions? (other than don't be so bloody stupid, but that's a given... )

OK then a bit of advice - Stay out of Muddy Puddles

[Allan Carr]

I bought a Procella hood at the dive show. This is a helmet type and comes down over the shoulders so there is no water flushing through at the neck. I found this made it much warmer than my older ND hood.

[Lou]

The hoods with skirts I have never found to be any good unless you wear them with a semi-dry and can tuck them under the neck. It hte skirt is loose it folds back on itself like and Elizabethan collar and you get more flooding up your neck than you do with a standard hood.

I have to say that the best Hood I have had is the Otter one that came with the drysuit. However the shape of it could be better. It is a little square on top and hence collects air badly, even with holes added.

The good points of the Otter are a fairly long neck and a good face seal. that covers as much of my face as possible whilst still allowing my mask and reg to fit

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Lou

I have to say that the best Hood I have had is the Otter one that came with the drysuit. However the shape of it could be better. It is a little square on top and hence collects air badly, even with holes added.

The good points of the Otter are a fairly long neck and a good face seal. that covers as much of my face as possible whilst still allowing my mask and reg to fit

I have a couple of Otter hoods I have never used, I am still using my 10 year + hood from ND, I haven't been able to find one that fits as well since.

It is time I used a newer one but can't get used to one.

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Lou

The hoods with skirts I have never found to be any good unless you wear them with a semi-dry and can tuck them under the neck.

or if you have a neoprene over collar on your drysuit. I have a Waterproof dry suit which is "made" for the type of hood described earlier by Brian & John and it works very well.

Do the Otter drysuits have these over collars?

Rgrds
Mal

[Conor]

My Oceanic Flexia has a neoprenen over-collar thingy and the hood has a bib.

By the way Tom, if you want a 5mm bibbed hood I have a spare

[Justin Owen]

scubapro super stretchy hood... everyone i know who has one loves them and wouldn't go back...

my club has a few weirdy beardy divers and the look of shock on there face that i could put it on while wet as they all struggled with their ancient old hoods was very funny... (well it was to me - you had to be there!)

[The Purist]

Originally Posted by Andy Kerslake

Surprisingly Wetwear in America make excellent hoods out of G231 Nitrogen Blown neoprene which basically means it does not compress that much. I have used on of these for the last seven years - its getting a bit faded, but it still does the job.

Polar Bears also supply a G231-N neoprene hood - toasty and comfy!

http://store.polarbears.co.uk/produc...roducts_id=156

[Lou]

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

or if you have a neoprene over collar on your drysuit.

Ahhh, yes, good point....from which you can tell that the answer to

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

Do the Otter drysuits have these over collars?[/

.....is no, not as standard, and mine doesn't.

[Allan Carr]

Originally Posted by Lou

The hoods with skirts I have never found to be any good unless you wear them with a semi-dry and can tuck them under the neck. It hte skirt is loose it folds back on itself like and Elizabethan collar and you get more flooding up your neck than you do with a standard hood.

This one is wide enough to sit under my shoulder straps. It is aslo very flexible neoprene so doesn't restrict head movement.