Why Protect Your Head and Hands When Diving? Warmth, Safety, and Improved Diver Comfort

Even with a well-fitting wetsuit, your head, ears, and hands remain exposed. Diving hoods and gloves solve this problem by offering tangible benefits:

• Optimal Thermal Protection: A neoprene hood or neoprene gloves significantly reduce body heat loss from your head and hands. This is essential in cold waters or during prolonged dives. They perfectly complement your wetsuit's thermal insulation, providing excellent thermal protection for cold water dives.

• Physical Protection: They protect your head, ears, and hands from friction (with your mask, regulator), light impacts (in wrecks or caves), and potential contact with marine life (jellyfish, corals). This is essential active protection for the diver.

• Increased Comfort and Dexterity: A well-fitting hood minimizes cold water currents and uncomfortable sensations on your scalp, improving your overall well-being. Gloves, meanwhile, keep your hands warm while preserving the essential dexterity needed to handle your equipment. Well-designed hoods and gloves enhance overall comfort and reduce fatigue.

Choosing Your Diving Hoods and Gloves: Materials, Thickness, and Design

Choosing your diving hood and gloves is a personal decision that depends on several specific criteria. Our range is designed to meet every diver's unique needs.

Materials: Neoprene, Lycra, or Dry Systems?

• Neoprene: This is the standard material for thermal insulation in both hoods and gloves. Its thickness generally ranges from 3mm to 7mm for hoods, and 3mm to 7mm and above for gloves, depending on water temperature. Neoprene hoods and neoprene gloves offer excellent thermal protection and good flexibility.

• Lycra: Thinner, a Lycra hood is primarily useful in warm waters for sun protection or as an anti-chafing base layer. It offers light protection.

• Dry Systems (for Gloves and Hoods): For very cold water or technical diving, dry diving gloves are essential. They ensure your hands remain perfectly dry, which is key to superior thermal insulation. Some hoods for drysuits are also designed for a perfect seal.

  • Dry Glove Principle: Unlike neoprene gloves, dry gloves prevent any water from touching your skin. Warmth is provided by a trapped air layer and the use of thermal under-gloves (often fleece or Thinsulate).

  • Dry Glove Systems: Ring systems allow you to directly attach the gloves to the ends of your drysuit sleeves, ensuring complete waterproofing. Materials are often thicker rubber, PVC, or laminated fabrics.

Thickness: Adapting to Water Temperature

• 3mm: Suitable for temperate waters (around 18-24°C for gloves, or simply temperate for hoods). It offers a good balance between warmth and dexterity for gloves.

• 5mm: Ideal for colder waters (10-18°C for gloves, or cold for hoods). It provides more significant thermal protection for prolonged dives.

• 7mm and above: Reserved for very cold waters (<10°C), where warmth is the absolute priority.

Design and Fit: Essential Comfort

• Hood Design:

  • Separate Hood: This is the most common model, donned independently of your wetsuit.

  • Wetsuit with Integrated Hood: Some wetsuits have the hood directly attached for continuous protection.

  • Sealing Gaskets: "Smoothskin" seals around the face and neck limit water entry and improve thermal comfort.

  • Venting: Some hood models are equipped with valves to release trapped air, reducing feelings of claustrophobia and improving stability.

  • Comfort and Fit: A well-fitting hood should be comfortable, neither too tight nor allowing water to seep in. Pre-formed cuts or extended necklines can improve donning ease.

• Glove Design:

  • Pre-formed Fingers: Many models feature pre-formed fingers for better ergonomics and to reduce hand fatigue.

  • Cuffs and Wrists: Snug cuffs at the wrist limit water entry. Some gloves have a smooth inner lining ("smoothskin") for better sealing and easier donning.

  • Grip: A textured coating on the palm and fingers improves grip on equipment and underwater surfaces.

Our Selection of Diving Hoods and Gloves: Trusted Brands and Advanced Technologies

At Diveavenue, our selection of hoods and gloves is the result of in-depth research to offer you the best equipment at the right price. Every product in our stock is chosen for its quality and diving performance.

• Scubapro: Scubapro hoods and Scubapro gloves are highly regarded. Models like the Scubapro Everflex hood or Scubapro G1/G2 gloves are designed for remarkable flexibility and resistance, especially for drysuit diving. They are a guarantee of quality.

• Avatar: Avatar dry hoods and Avatar dry gloves are gaining popularity. Models like the Avatar Airon dry hood are known for their lightness and fit, offering innovative solutions.

• Beuchat: Beuchat offers hoods and gloves renowned for their design and robustness. Products like the Beuchat Focea Comfort hood and Beuchat neoprene gloves provide effective comfort and thermal protection for divers, with specific models for men and women.

• TECLINE: The TECLINE Protherm 7mm neoprene diving hood is ideal for cold-sensitive divers and those diving in cold waters (<10°C), thanks to its super-flexible neoprene.

• Sharkskin: The Sharkskin Chillproof T2 hood combines Titanium T2 technology and advanced thermal protection. It's 100% windproof, breathable, stretchy, water-repellent, and offers UPF50+ sun protection.

• Enth Degree: The F3 HOOD ENTH DEGREE fleece hood combines warmth, lightness, and comfort thanks to its Fernotherm3 thermal fabric, ideal for cold waters and offering UPF 50+ UV protection.

Important note on brands: The diving market boasts numerous leading brands for hoods, gloves, and equipment, such as Mares, Cressi, Aqualung, and Santi. While we don't directly sell products from these brands on our site at present, we acknowledge their contribution to developing quality equipment. At Diveavenue, we are committed to offering you comparable quality products from our stock.

Practical Tips for Your Diving Hoods and Gloves: Care and Use

Proper maintenance is essential to extend the lifespan of your diving hoods and gloves.

• Trying On and Sizing: Your gear must fit snugly – neither too loose (allowing water in) nor too tight (causing headaches or restricting circulation). Try on the hood with your mask to ensure comfort, and the gloves with your wetsuit and gear to check ease of finger movement.

• Maintenance: Rinse your neoprene gear with fresh water after each dive and let it dry in the shade to prolong its lifespan. For gloves, let them dry in the shade, inside out first, then right side out, avoiding direct sunlight.

• Specific Use: For freediving or spearfishing, some models may feature specific face seals or finger designs for better waterproofing and reduced water ingress.

Accessible Prices and Customer Service for Your Diving Hood and Glove Purchase

At Diveavenue, we offer you the best equipment at the best prices, all year round. You'll find leading brands in the diving world such as Beuchat, Bigblue, Tecline, and many others, backed by passionate customer service available 5 days a week to assist you.

Discover our selection of diving hoods and diving gloves and find the perfect models for your next underwater adventures. Consult customer reviews and pricing information to make the most suitable choice for your needs.

For any order over €90, shipping is free. Your items are carefully dispatched and delivered within 48 to 72 hours, depending on stock availability. The stock for each product is regularly updated. Enjoy fast delivery. The stellar ratings of our products testify to their quality.