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Avoid Brain Freeze With a SCUBA Hood

Avoid Brain Freeze With a SCUBA Hood

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on January 13, 2012

Recent studies suggest the theory that we lose more heat through our heads than any other part of our body may actually be a myth, but ask any cold water diver if they’ll take the plunge without a hood and you will regularly hear a resounding “NO!” When given the option of having a warm head or an ice cream headache, most SCUBA divers will quickly choose keeping their head warm with a proper dive hood.

As with all forms of exposure protection, some people need more in the same conditions than the next person, so don’t feel pressure from your dive buddy, just get what keeps you comfortable on your dive so you can focus on having fun.

Pinnacle 3mm Beanie Hood

Warm Water

For divers coming from cold water, seeing someone wearing a hood in the tropics can be a little surprising. But as people become acclimated to the warmer weather, it can be a great addition to your kit. Typically more of a beanie style with a simple under-chin strap and featuring 3mm or less of neoprene, warm water hoods can not only add extra warmth, but can provide a basic layer of impact protection for the occasional tropical swim through.

Cold/Cool Water

Henderson Aqua Lock Hood 7/5mm

When diving in cooler waters, hoods start to come in a wider variety of styles and thicknesses depending on water temperature. Common thicknesses divers will see are 3mm, 5mm and 7mm. Adding titanium to a hood can increase the warmth at each thickness, offering something of a half step between thicknesses.

Cold water hoods can be basic hoods with flanges that come off the neck and are tucked into a wetsuit, attached to a basic vest for additional core warmth, or even be integrated into a shorty for either a warm water option or even more warmth in cold water conditions.

Dry Divers

Dry suit divers need a different style of hoods entirely. Dry suit hoods are available in the same variety of thicknesses, however they only come part way down the neck so they don’t interfere with the neck seal of the divers dry suit. Based on our experience, zippers are popular on dry diver hoods to ease with putting them on and taking them off.

SeaSoft Titanium 6mm Pro Drysuit Hood with Zipper

Safety Precautions

Yes, dive hoods need to have a safety precaution. Be absolutely sure your hood is not too tight, especially around your neck and over your ears. Too much of a seal over your ears can create problems with equalization. Too tight around the neck can cause carotid sinus reflex. Carotid sinus reflex is when pressure is applied to the nerves and artery in your neck which tells your brain you have high blood pressure. In turn, your brain tells your heart to slow down. The problem is the pressure from the hood is already reducing blood and oxygen flow to the brain, so the heart slowing down isn’t what your body needs. Carotid sinus reflex can result in passing out, which is a bad situation to be in underwater.

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro