Went with the new neoprene drysuit hood and got ice water down my neck in 15 minutes

Picked up one of those ultra-thin hoods from the dive shop in Galveston last week... thought it would be more flexible but that first cold leak was brutal. Any tips on sealing the neck better before I switch back to my old thick rubber one?

2 comments

2 Comments

stellafisher27d ago

Actually that ultra-thin neoprene is designed more for warm water or as a liner, not for sealing against cold water like a proper drysuit hood would. What you really want is a thick latex neck seal or at least a neoprene hood with a smooth rubberized gasket around the opening. Some folks also swear by a thin layer of silicone grease or even a bit of petroleum jelly on the neck before putting the hood on to help it seal better against your skin.

margaret_nelson26d ago

Tried the silicone grease trick on a cold water dive in Maine last fall and it was a game changer. I had one of those thin neoprene hoods and was getting a constant trickle down my back every time I looked down. Switched to a thick latex neck seal on my drysuit and honestly have never looked back. The rubber gasket makes a huge difference because it actually conforms to your neck instead of just sitting there like a wet sock. Also learned the hard way that petroleum jelly can degrade latex over time, so stick with the silicone stuff if you want your gear to last more than a season. Just a heads up from someone who spent way too much money fixing a ruined neck seal.