Swapped out my old Kirby Morgan mask for a neck dam style in 40 degree water

Used a standard mask with a dry hood for months and kept getting neck seals leaking on dives to 80 feet in Puget Sound. Tried a neck dam setup last week and didn't flood once even during a tricky valve turning job. Has anyone else noticed better seal retention with neck dams or am I just lucky?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage_moore378d ago

Man I had the exact same problem diving the Sound last winter. My neck seal would blow out on the descent around 60 feet every single time and I'd end up with a hood full of cold water which is just miserable. The neck dam was a game changer for me too and I've been using one for about six months now. I think the key is that it seals directly against your skin instead of relying on the hood to stay put which never works well once you start moving your head around.

jana8818d ago

Dude, yeah, that neck seal blowout is the absolute worst in Puget Sound. I had the same thing happen on a 75 foot dive near Edmonds last fall. It would let go right when I turned my head to check my gas and I'd get a solid rush of 45 degree water down my back. Neck dam was a total fix for me too. The trick I found is making sure you trim the rubber just a little so it sits snug but not too tight against your throat. If its too loose it'll leak just like a hood seal. I also put a tiny bit of silicone grease on my neck before pulling it on, helps it glide into place without bunching up. Sounds like you're set now though.

the_brian21h ago

Ah man, same thing happened to me last year in Hood Canal and the silicone grease trick totally saved my dives! That neck dam is the only thing that actually keeps the water out down there.