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O'Neill Wetsuit Hoods

When the water is cold enough that a beanie is not enough, a hood is what keeps you in it. A neoprene hood covers the head, ears and neck and seals against your wetsuit so cold water cannot wash down your back. It is the piece that turns winter water from something to survive into something you can actually spend time in.

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O'Neill wetsuit hoods for cold water

A hood does more than warm your head. By closing off the gap at your neck, it stops the flushing that quietly drains the warmth out of an otherwise good wetsuit.

Full coverage for head, ears and neck

A hood wraps the whole head rather than just the crown, protecting the ears and the back of the neck, which are the spots that ache first and recover slowest once the cold gets into them.

A seal against the suit stops flushing

The skirt of a hood tucks under your wetsuit collar so water running down your head is shed outside the suit rather than into it. Stopping that trickle down your spine does as much for warmth as extra neoprene would.

A close fit without the pressure

A hood needs to sit tight against the skin to work, with a face opening that seals without squeezing. The right fit feels close and secure and disappears from your attention within a minute of getting in.

Built to layer with the rest of your kit

Worn with boots and gloves, a hood completes the set that lets you stay in genuinely cold water. The extremities are where warmth is lost, and covering all of them is what extends a winter session.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a hood or will a beanie do?

A beanie is easier and enough for cool water and short dips. A hood covers more, seals against the suit and stops water flushing down your neck, which is what you want once the water is genuinely cold or you plan to be in for a long time.

How should a wetsuit hood fit?

Tight against the skin with no folds, and a face opening that seals around your forehead and cheeks without pinching. If you can feel water washing across your scalp, it is too loose. It should feel snug on dry land.

Does the hood go inside or outside the wetsuit?

Tuck the skirt of the hood inside the collar of your wetsuit. That way water running down the outside of the hood is shed over the suit rather than being funnelled down your back, which is the whole point of wearing one.

Can I wear a hood for swimming as well as surfing?

Yes. Cold water swimmers use hoods for exactly the same reason surfers do, to protect the head, ears and neck and to hold onto body heat. If you swim front crawl, check the fit around the face and ears allows comfortable head rotation.

Can I collect orders in store?

Yes, choose Click & Collect at checkout. Orders are usually ready within 24 hours and you will get an email when ready. Available from our Dublin Carrickmines, Dublin Blanchardstown and Cork City Centre stores.

Do you offer free delivery on orders?

Yes, we offer free standard delivery on all orders over €100.

Where are your stores located?

We have four stores across Ireland: Dublin Carrickmines, Dublin Blanchardstown, Cork City Centre and Arnotts Dublin.

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