As we are starting to get into fall and the water begins to get colder. You will have to start looking at, adding more to what you wear when you dive. One of the best ways to add warmth without adding a lot more rubber is to add a hood and a vest. The vest helps keep your chest warm, from the tie you enter the water. I like a vest because it helps with that first blast of cold water that always hits your chest. Since you lose about 75 percent of your body heat through your head even if the water is warm, you will lose heat thru it. Hoods and vest are usually made from neoprene and are designed for wearing in either warm or cold water. Again, as with wetsuits, the thicker the hood/vest, the better it is for colder water. One of the most significant drawbacks to diving, in general, is the thinker anything is, gloves, suit, or hood the more mobility you lose. There are two types of hoods, warm and cold water. Warm water hoods are less cumbersome and typically cover your head and neck. They can be used for warmth and to help protect your head.

Warm vs. Coldwater Hoods

When diving in cold water, a thick neoprene hood that covers your head and neck will be the most practical. The thicker the neoprene, the warmer you head will be. Coldwater dive hoods typically have a sizable bib, which can be tucked into your wetsuit at the neck opening. The bib reduces the transfer of water and keeps the diver that much warmer. The bib comes down to cover the neck and some of the chest, like a bib for kids. There is also hooded vest, and those cover the head and the chest. Cold-water hoods cover some or all of the diver’s forehead and jaw/chin areas, and it also includes a good part of the diver’s cheeks. It tries to leave as little of the diver’s face exposed to the cold water as possible — ordinary just room for the mask and the regulator.

Warm-water dive hoods are much thinner and typically do not have large bib like cold-water hoods. Warm water hoods and vests are suitable for long-duration diving in warm water. It isn’t so thick that you overheat from the start, but with a long dive, you will start to get cold. If you are warm, you can also vent the hood/ vest, and as the dive goes on, you will be warmer. You can even sometimes start the dive without the hood, and then if you are cold, you can put it on. Hooded vests are good for that as you can just pull the hood up as you are diving.

The right fitting dive hood should not be too loose; if you’re going for a cold-water hood, it should feel snug around your cheeks and jaw and should cover most of your forehead. Still, it should not feel too tight – if it is uncomfortable around the throat or facial area, then you’ll need to go up a size. Basically, if the hood creates discomfort along the face or neck/throat, it is too small. If water freely flows in and out of the hood, it is too big. Too loose a hood will not protect you from the elements at all, as water will be able to flow in and out freely. Layering is the key to warmth when diving.

SCUBAPRO’s line of Hoods, Vest and Hooded Vest can provide that extra layer to help keep you warmer longer when diving. The SCUBAPRO 2.5/0.5mm Unisex Hooded Vest is just what you need for a little extra warmth on colder water dives. When you are in warm water locations, add a hooded vest over a spring suit or under a Shorty or Fullsuit, you add warmth and will be able to stay in longer. The vest is easy to don and doff and is fast drying for days that have multiple dives. The vest is 2.mm thick in the hood chest and back and 0.5mm thick on the ultra-stretch side panels.

SCUBAPRO has also updated its popular Hybrid line, which includes a thermal long sleeve top, cargo shorts, and a sleeveless hooded vest. The line also consists of a full suit that is great for long-duration warm water dives or under cammies to help keep you warm. The Hybrid Hooded Vest‘s ultra-comfortable neoprene/nylon blend does a great job of protecting your torso and head, two critical areas for minimizing heat loss, providing comfort, warmth, and protection where you need it most. On the underside of the nylon panels, a micro-plush interior makes the vest warm and cozy.

This fleece fabric absorbs less water, which keeps heat against the body, increasing overall warmth. It also dries quickly. This hooded vest can be worn by itself or layered over a long-sleeve thermal rash guard to increase warmth and protection and built with a mix of quality 1.5mm X-Foam neoprene for warmth and durable nylon for stretch and comfort. Highly versatile ideal for divers, snorkelers, paddle boarders, swimmers, and anyone that needs more protection from the elements to include long boat rides. I have used pieces in this line for an Alcatraz swim (1.5mile), and it worked great. Unique styling keeps you warm, protected, and looking good — form-fitting for that sleek, hydrodynamic look and feel.

The SCUBAPRO Go Sport Fins has a boot fit fin design. As the name implies, the Go Sport Fin is designed for when you need a lightweight fin that still has a lot of power. Lightweight, comfortable, and durable, the Go Sport is the ideal fin for diving, surface swimming and light weight enough to be used for Over the Beach (OTB) or carried in the field and sued for river and stream crossings.

The Go Sport design combines the benefits of an open heel fin. The replaceable self-adjusting bungee heel strap allows for a versatile fit — one diver can wear multiple sizes. The strap also makes it easy to don and doff the fin, and it fits comfortably against a booted heel. While extremely comfortable, the Go Sport is also virtually indestructible. Its 100% Monprene construction avoids the problems of de-lamination, broken blades and torn foot pockets that tend to plague average thermoplastic fins. This enables the Go Sport to stand up to long-term, heavy-duty use.

When it comes to a premium lightweight fin, nothing compares to the Go family of fins. Integrating high quality with lightweight that translates into weight savings on the road, and comfort and ease of use in the water.

Shown with Matbock SCUBAPRO fin skins

The Go fin excels in strength, comfort, and convenience, but where it really shines is in kicking performance. The Go is built with a 25° pre-angled blade with a central power panel that provides longitudinal rigidity and creates a channeling effect. Power bars on the underside of the rails prevent over-flex; this helps maintain the optimum angle of attack under high load conditions. The result: you get a lightweight fin that delivers speed, power, stability and maneuverability with a minimum of effort.

Shown with Matbock SCUBAPRO fin skins

Being lightweight is always a plus when traveling, but so is compactness. They pack extremely well due to an innovative piggyback stack system. An interlocking tooth on one fin blade hooks into the second fin, and then the bungee strap from the second fin hooks the heel of the first fin into place. It’s a snug pairing that makes packing that much easier.

It is great for morning PTs or if you need a good smaller fin for swimming over the beach with a back and then you might have to carry your fins for use later during the operation.

Mesh Gear Bags are handy when it comes to carrying wet gear. They can be used to take everything from masks and fins to wet and sanding wetsuits or cammies. A mesh bag can hold all of your wet gear and allows you to raise them quickly. You can rinse and dry your gear without taking it out of the bag because mesh bags allow water to drain rapidly and air to flow thru. Mesh bags are an excellent choice for transporting your gear to and from the dive site, as well as carrying it when there is limited room. SCUBAPRO makes a few different mess bags. I am going to start with the big one and work my way down.

The SCUBAPRO MESH ‘N ROLL takes the mesh bag concept to the next level by adding a top pull handle and heavy-duty off-road style wheels, so now you can roll your gear down to the dive site. The MESH ‘N ROLL is built with heavy-duty coated mesh fabric that is lightweight and very durable. The main compartment holds a lot of gear and closes with a YKK saltwater-resistant double slider zipper which is U-shaped, allowing the bag to open wide for easy packing. The mesh weave allows for lots of air circulation, which helps eliminate odors and control mildew when storing gear between trips. This bag is also great for putting your dirty gear and letting it dry out. So, if you are working with a partner force, you can lock the bag and help keep honest people honest. Lastly, it can be rolled up for smaller storage.

The SCUBAPRO Mesh Sack is a lightweight nylon mesh backpack. Able to hold a complete gear set, this backpack is the perfect carryall for your dive gear. The bag opening is secured with a top rope fitted with a sliding, spring-loaded button closure. It has a main compartment and a front exterior pocket. The main compartment is used to handle the larger gear, while the outer pocket can stow your smaller accessories. The bag also features backpack straps for easy transport or carriage of the bag while on the go.

Carry your weight safely and with ease by loading them into the Weight 7 Bag. Built with double webbing encircles the entire bag for added strength and joins to form a padded top grab handle. It also makes a great toiletry/ shower bag. It includes an additional coated mesh for quick drying. YKK double-slider zipper U-shaped opening makes it easy to access the main compartment.

This high-quality, padded Mask bag has a robust nylon-polyester material. The tough fabric protects the mask from damage when traveling and keeps it safe and clean for your next dive trip. It is designed to hold your essentials and includes two Velcro straps on the back for attaching your snorkel.

The SCUBAPRO Duffel Mesh Bag is a perfect duffel-style dive bag made from durable nylon mesh that lets water drain easily. Roomy enough and strong enough for a complete gear set, it is still lightweight and folds easily for storage. It is an ideal gear-hauler for liveaboard use or for carrying dive suits separately. Top-loading U-shaped opening makes it easy to load gear. This bag is great because it can be used for more than just diving. It makes a great laundry bag for use when deployed or to leave in your locker at the team. It is great for putting all your gear in so you can raise it all at once. It is designed to allow for optimum packing flexibility. When you’re ready to rinse your equipment after a day of diving or a day where all your equipment is sandy and muddy, drop the entire bag in the rinse tank and hang up to dry

Buoyancy is key to a lot of things when diving. It helps make the dive easier in a lot of ways. When using a closed-circuit rig (CCR), it keeps you from rocketing to the surface, and it prevents you from dropping to the bottom when you stop to fix your gear or “Dräger” talk/ yelling at your dive buddy.

The keys to buoyancy are balance and breathing 

The two significant factors in achieving neutral buoyancy.

Wear the right amount of weight for the dive. This will differ depending on the thickness of your wetsuit/ drysuit and gear you are wearing, also water type fresh or salt.

Breathing slowly and evenly, so you do not have too much air in your breathing bag. If diving a CCR

Steps to Help Maintain Buoyancy

Pre-dive Preparation

Buoyancy control begins with pre-dive preparation as you pick what to wear for a dive. Double-check to make sure nothing has changed that could affect buoyancy. A new wetsuit is more buoyant than an older one and will need more weight. A new suit has more inherent buoyancy at first because diving, especially deep diving, bursts the tiny bubbles in the suit over time. Make sure you look at any new gear compared to the old version. Equipment is constantly evolving and updated with new buckles or martial, so when you switch from old to new, make sure you know the buoyancy with the new stuff. Check the weights on a scale; often, there is variation between claimed and actual weight. If diving open circuit, remember cylinders are negatively buoyant when full and less negative when empty. 

Do a Buoyancy Check

Here is the best way to do a proper buoyancy check. With your lungs half-full, you should float at eye level with no air in your BCD. If you are diving open circuit, remember the average cylinder loses about 5 pounds as it empties. So, you might have to add about 5 pounds to your weight if you have done your buoyancy check with a full tank. 

Keep a Log

Keep a log of what gear you have worn, the temperature, and the type of water (salt/fresh /brackish). What equipment you used, how much lead you carried, your body weight, and whether you seemed too heavy or light. Knowing the weight of the gear that you used on the dive will help. Make sure you understand that if you are going to remove something during the dive, you need to account for that on the return trip home. If you plan by recording in training what you used, it will help when you have to do it the next time.  

Saltwater VS Freshwater

If most of your driving is done in the ocean, ballast calculations should be done for saltwater. Jumping in the pool to check your ballast will get you close, but it won’t be 100% correct. If you switch back and forth, you’ll need to adjust your ballast. Be prepared to add weight if needed sometimes, it’s nice to have a weight belt with extra pouches just in case, or maybe just an empty pouch on a gear belt will help. But still, try and keep the weight evenly distributed.

Buoyancy, Trim, Position, and Breathing

The secret to buoyancy control begins with fine-tuning your weighting. How much lead do you put into your pouches or have on your weight belt? If you carry just the right amount of weight, you will only have to put a little air in your BCD. That means less drag and more efficient finning. Less BC inflation also means minor buoyancy shift with depth, so you’ll have to make fewer adjustments. There are many tricks, but buoyancy control is a fundamental skill. Precise control of your buoyancy is what enables you to hover motionless and fin through the water at any depth. It would be best not to use your hands and not stir up mud or silt from the bottom by always moving your feet. In addition to using the right amount of weight, make sure you are correctly balanced to optimize your position underwater.

Keeping a more horizontal position makes you more hydrodynamic. Distribute the weight as uniformly as possible from side to side; you should never notice that you put more weight on one side while driving. It would help if you also considered the weight of your dive gear and any other additional gear you might be wearing. I.e., gun belt or special equipment. Make sure it is balanced on your body, and it doesn’t shift when you are diving. The lower you wear your dive rig can cause a tendency to push the diver forward (upside down) in the water, so the placement of weight towards the back can help reverse this position, especially on the surface. Make sure any dive weight you put on can be easily removed in an emergency.

Besides ballast weight, the factors that affect your buoyancy are BC inflation, your trim, exposure suit, depth, and breathing control. Your ballast weight and your trim are the only two factors that, once you’ve selected them, stay put. Ballast is the amount of weight it takes to keep you neutral in the water. Trim is about the position of your body weight relative to the position of your weight. Sometimes when diving a rebreather, you can tape lead washers on it to help with your trip.

There is one more thing to understand that will help with your buoyancy. It is controlling your breathing. Make sure you maintain proper breathing. Take relaxed breaths. This allows you to maintain control over your buoyancy.

To determine the amount of weight you need, you can take your body weight, the diving suit you will use, the weight of your equipment, and the environment you are diving in salt or freshwater. If you use about 10 percent of your body weight, that is a good starting point for a full 5 mm or more and for a 3 mm suit, use 5 percent of your body weight.

Drysuits and thick neoprene suits require more ballast to counteract the increased buoyancy of those suits compared to the thinnest. Body composition (the muscular density, for example) will also influence the necessary weight. Remember, fat floats, muscle sinks.

Remember to calculate everything you will use and wear on your dive if you are doing a long drive and plan to leave or remove something halfway thru your dive. Say conducting a ship attack, and you are taking limpets off. Plan for the whole dive, not just the start when you will be at your heaviest; plan if you are carrying something that you plan to leave behind, how will that affect your extraction. To check your buoyancy, get into the water deep enough to stay in an upright position without treading and releasing all air from the vest. Inhale, normally, the surface of the water must be at the level of your eyes. When you exhale, you should sink until the water covers your head and inhale again. You should emerge once again until the level of the eyes. Adjust your weight in small increments, about 1 pound at a time. You can use a weight with a snap link or just some weight with some 550 cord on it. Make sure you don’t just put all the weight you are adding to one side. Try and use this time to even yourself out and set your trim also. I have also seen people tap lead washers to the front of their rebreather to help even them out. The rule of thumb is never add more than 10Lbs. that can’t be released.

Once you get your ballast weight and trim dialed in, you will be ahead of about 75% of all divers toward perfect buoyancy control. Now you can fine-tune your BC inflation to compensate for the very predictable changes due to breathing down your tank and changing depth.

Lastly, there are advanced classes that you can take that focus on advanced skills like this. This may seem like a lot of work, but it will help make diving a lot better and make you more efficient at your job.