[daz]

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Just interested in whether people have there mask strap under or over a hood and why!  Mainly interested in reasons why people would put their mask strap over their hood.

Personally I put my hood on first,  pull it down so my head comes out of the face hole.  Put my mask on and pull the hood up over the strap.

My reasons,  less problems getting the skirt to seal with  the edge of the hood getting caught under the seal and my number one reason, less risk of getting my mask kicked off completely.

Daz

 

[Dominic]

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Over - less hassle to put on, less hassle if a rescuer has to do AV. I have a rooted dislike of getting kicked in the face, so I avoid it rather than configuring for it

 

[tom]

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Putting the strap under your hood makes it difficult to use a snorkel, should you want to.

Tom

 

[daz]

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Quote[/b] (tom @ Sep. 03 2003,15:49)]Putting the strap under your hood makes it difficult to use a snorkel, should you want to.

Tom

No comment  

 

[MATTBIN]

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I seem to have to continually clear my mask when on the surface, maybe I have a hot face or something, so I have the mask over the hood. If I was worried about getting it kicked off I would secure it to my body by bungee or similar. Like Dom I try and not get too close to a n other diver. Sometimes my boy will turn through 90 and put his fins in my face, well they are huge! but I usually see it coming and protect my mask. Fingers crossed on that one.

Good point on Av, but there is a suggestion (from Oz) that its a waste of time anyway, however if the mask being in the way was a real issue I'd snip the straps.

Matt

 

[Spike Jackson]

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Quote[/b] (MATTBIN @ Sep. 03 2003,16:19)]Good point on Av, but there is a suggestion (from Oz) that its a waste of time anyway,

Why waste of time?

 

[MATTBIN]

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I think it was on the BSac forum that I first saw it, if I recall correctly the point was that a diver brought to the surface was probably dead i.e. brain dead as the brain had received no oxygen for a considerable time so AV wouldnt be of much use as the heart had also stopped. It was fealt that the AV would only pacify the rescuer(s) that they had done 'something'. On my first aid (at work) course that was also the underlying fealing I got, however slightly different at work as chances are the FA would have got to the victim quite quickly so it would 'probably' be of more use.

Personally I think I'd still give it a go as there have been cases of people benefitting from Av/cpr when it seemed they were dead.

here's the link and apologies to Daz as this might end up as a hijack!


MattOzzie Av advice

 

[Tim Ingmire]

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Good question Daz as I'ce wondered about this myself.

I currently go over the hood but I've read a few sources recently that suggest under - inc Kevin Gurr.

Kicks in the face aren't always avoidable - esp in Stoney where gits swim right across you.

I will be trying the under approach soon especially as I have a mask with a wide skirt (big-eye jobbie) and a hood with only a small face hole - its attached to the DS so changing it isn't easy.

Interesting to see what others say.

Tim

 

[daz]

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Quote[/b] (Timing @ Sep. 03 2003,17:24)]I currently go over the hood but I've read a few sources recently that suggest under - inc Kevin Gurr.

Kicks in the face aren't always avoidable - esp in Stoney where gits swim right across you.

Kevin Gurr !  Wow I did not realise he was copying me  

Also interested in the DIR view and there reasons if they have a preference (Because they do tend to have a pretty well thought out reason for doing what they do).

Agree about the kicks in the face,  suprising though it may seem I do actually do my utmost to avoid kicks in the face,   now a good spanking thats a different matter.   But some bastard always manages to decoy me while their mate proceeds to attempt to remove my face with their fin  

The AV is a good point though, but pushing the mask up just pushs the hood back on my head and it has the advantage that if they perform AV on me not only would I hopefully get through the experience but I might actually keep my mask as well.  

Daz

 

[ANDY 64]

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<font color='#FF7F00'>whats a hood ?

 

[Bob Cooper]

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For info, here's what GI3 said about mask strap protocol some time last year................

........"After discussion with Andrew and JJ, the thinking is to put the strap on the outside of the hood for the reasons already mentioned.

After discussions with other GUE instructors, I find that the concern is the reaction by students if their mask gets knocked off. The thinking of AG and JJ is "flunk 'em , Dano".

My thinking is modified somewhat by the circumstances of certain dives and the fact that I don't know jack shit about teaching. If you are diving surf, St Laurence River, or some other similar circumstance, there may be situations where you want the mask glued on , so to speak, but these are not intended to be the norm or the kind of dives where the difficulties caused by the mask, other than losing it, will mean much.

My standard hard ass thinking is that if you lose the mask, tough luck. As for dives that you can not get out of without a mask, carry a backup. As for what different WKPP divers (like Trout for instance) do , we are talking about guys who could wear the mask on their feet and not have any issues.

We think the mask needs to be on the outside. I like the slap strap due to not trusting mask straps, not liking the loose ends, not liking a normal strap catching in my hair, and liking the clean fit and positioning of the slap strap. Now somebody needs to make up some WKPP and GUE straps so I don't have to wear my "Lauderdale Diver" strap..........."

Personally, I wear mine inside in the winter (thick hood) and outside in the Summer (thin hood) with a "slap strap".

Bob

 

[Diving Dude]

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"Whats a Hood"

A blockship outside Portland Harbour

 

[daz]

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Thanks Bob for a comprehensive reply,  I also use a slap strap just because it does seem to make things so much easier.

Daz

 

[Dan]

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Whats a slap strap???

During our warm weather months here in the uk I wear it under my hood as no matter what its not going anywhere unless someone goes to a great deal of effort to remove it but during the winter months i wear it over my hood as under it allows to much cold water to enter my hood

 

[722]

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Quote[/b] (daz @ Sep. 03 2003,19:22)]I also use a slap strap just because it does seem to make things so much easier.

Daz

Easier to come off?

Slap straps would appear to assist in mask removal by water in rolling entries. I don't know if this is a tightness issue, or that the thickness and size of the strap provides an edge for the water to press against. I don't use one so cannot be sure, but I have been able to predict the masks most likely to come off during rolling entries.

It's a good thing we teach holding the mask on during entry, there would be many more on the sea bed.  

I have always worn my mask over the hood. Mainly as I was taught that way (quick removal for AV etc), but I also leave the hood (or even mask) on during rainy days for the RIB trip.

Adrian

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Hi all,

I wear mine over my hood when in my dry suit (seperate hood), and have no seal problems as i run a finger around before putting my gloves on (when i am wearing gloves which is not too often).

If i am wearing my old semi-dry then i wear it under the hood, which is integeral to the suit. This is cos i used to get escaping air from within the suit flapping the hood about a bit which sometimes caused the mask to leak. Putting a small hole in the top of the hood would have reduced this i know.

I would add that i rarley had the suit zip fully up so this added to the flapping about. This was largly due to having too many chins to fit into the collar.

I would add that i decided to change the mask to under the hood whilst at 30m, i would not recomend this as i had to take off the mask, pull the hood off, replace the mask then replace the hood. During this time my head froze to within a fraction of my brain becomeing an ice cube. I am not sure it has totally thawed out in the years since.

I unfortunatly have a similar hair style to Adrian, so this offered no insulation.  

Dive Safe

Paul

PS When GI3 goes to the toilet, does he have to whistle so he knows which end to wipe?

 

[DanG]

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I always wear mine over the hood, I find it uncomfortable when its under (must be my big tabs in the way) and it lets more cold water into the hood that way.  I also use a pacifier (slap strap?) and yes they can make your mask come off during backwards roll entries if your not holding onto it but I find the benefits worth that small annoyance.
Incidentally I carry a spare mask so am not too concerned about it getting knocked off.

 

[722]

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Quote[/b] (Paul Oliver @ Sep. 03 2003,22:32)]I unfortunatly have a similar hair style to Adrian, so this offered no insulation.  

No style at all then Paul? Sounds about right

Adrian

 

[dave archer]

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Quote[/b] (Adrian Kelland @ Sep. 03 2003,19:34)]Easier to come off?

Slap straps would appear to assist in mask removal by water in rolling entries. I don't know if this is a tightness issue, or that the thickness and size of the strap provides an edge for the water to press against. I don't use one so cannot be sure, but I have been able to predict the masks most likely to come off during rolling entries.

Come off? As in mask coming off accidentally? On roll in or being kicked?

Get yourself a nice high volume Panogeo or similar, and that becomes a non-issue - slight press to the face when kitting up, sucks so hard it'd take a team of surgeons to remove it  

 

As for getting it kicked off, I've yet to meet Hong Kong Phooey at depth, and until I do I'm not worried  

Clearing the blighter, in front of students, with one breath? Sad to say that's a less happy tale  

Back on topic, for the record,  I wear my strap (with slap) over me hood, cos I've never thought of trying it inside, cos I've never had any probs with it.

Dave.

 

[Mdemon]

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I used to put it under.  It let cold water in a bit during the winter, but the main reason I usually put it on top now is I don't like throttling myself with the hood while I'm kitting up.

I think the AV theory is a bit naff - the mask is designed to let you pinch the nose.

For the record, you get between 4-6 mins with no O2 before permenant damage/brain death occurs.  It's worth a go.  And don't forget that in very cold water that extends up to an hour in some cases.