Diving With Long Hair

Divers with long hair often ask me what to do about their hair while taking the open water scuba class. The open water class requires taking your mask off numerous times with wet, tangly hair sticking to the mask strap and getting caught in the strap and snorkel keeper.

In the past, I would just "mansplain" to them that they should cut it all off, but that didn't go over too well for some reason... So as a short haired male dive instructor I had to change my approach. So I watched my divers, asked questions, and did some research.

Here are the tips we came up with aside from cutting it all off:

Gear-

First of all, use a neoprene mask strap cover. I suggest and sell for a nominal fee, the kind that go over your existing silicone mask strap. These slide over twisted hair much more easily and don't stick to wet hair like glue. There are other types (slap straps), but these have straps with plastic buckles or Velcro which are real hassle to adjust. Divers, especially new ones, need to have the well designed quick release buckles of the original mask strap, so it can be easily loosened or tightened with just two fingers.

Just remember if you get a neoprene mask strap cover, always check that the mask strap doesn't come off when doing a giant stride or seated backroll entry. Just check it as you give your OK sign after the entry. For short-haired folks I do not suggest a neoprene cover unless you are a divemaster or instructor who takes the mask on and off very frequently for demonstrations. The silicone strap is actually more secure.

Another option, especially if it is going to be cold where you dive, is to wear a dive hood. This solves the problem entirely, but won't work in the tropics.

Sometimes, I see ladies with biker-style doo rags, but really? The only time I suggest these is for bald folks in the tropics that won't use sun screen for fear of harming coral. Otherwise, these are not the best fashion statement in my humble opinion, but the fish don't judge. 

Hair Style- 

I have seen all sorts of hair style. Some prefer a single ponytail or topknot, but just remember the mask strap goes on the widest part of the back of your head, so be sure the ponytail/s don't interfere with the strap.  Others find a French braid or two side braids work better for them. Do me and other instructors a favor and try this in a pool before your scuba class! We don't do underwater hair styling lessons... and your fellow students don't want to wait for you to fix your floating hair.

Hair Care-

Be sure to protect your hair and the environment by using good, biodegradable, reef safe moisturizing shampoo, conditioner and/ or leave-in conditioner to prevent your hair from drying out with all the chlorine and salt. Rinse, wash, and condition your hair quickly after you dive. I recommend and sell Gnarly Head ™ aquatic hair care products. 

If you have other tips, I would love to learn more so I can pass it on to my long haired students. Please share your tips in the comments.

Say No to the BFK- The Big Freaking Leg Knife.

When I was a little boy, I would sneak into my dad's sporting goods closet. Dad, was recently discharged from two tours in the Vietnam War and he loved collecting manly things. Dad was like James Bond and the closet was like Agent Q's secret lab. Seriously, it had enough weapons, explosives (long gone), rations, and cool stuff to guard against numerous zombie apocalypses, even an Indiana Jones style bullwhip, which Dad would pull out and crack on occasion! Like all early 1970's Man Cave closets, it had a set of scuba gear for underwater zombies. I remember staring at that old double hose regulator and tank all set up and ready to go in the event of an underwater zombie attack. Most of all, I remember the gigantic knife pictured above, one of the few surviving objects from this bygone era. It even outlasted Dad, who thought Marlboros were good for the lungs, but I digress...

Now the knife is a collector's item of sorts and a reminder to my students that these BFK giant leg knives are no longer used and certainly never strapped to your leg!

Nothing says newbie diver more than a BFK attached to your leg! Don't do it!

But why is the once revered BFK leg knife now frowned upon in scuba diving circles (except vintage dive gear fans)?

Well first of all we now realize that we don't need a giant knife to fight zombies or zombie sharks or to cut the hoses of imaginary Bond villains. Alas, scuba diving is pretty tame stuff. What we really need is a razor sharp knife that can cut through fishing line like butter.

The problems with the BFK leg knife are many. It adds well over a pound to your kit! Imagine adding a pound and a half to only one of your legs! No wonder those guys swim so funny in Sea Hunt.

The typical BFK is 1/4 inch thick and therefore hard to put a sharp edge on, so it is more of a tank banger really. A darn good one in fact!

The leg sheath, its buckles and the big honking knife handle are all monofilament fishing line magnets and a serious entanglement hazard. Never put a gigantic, heavy, entanglement hazard on your leg.

In an emergency when trying to drop a weight belt in a vertical position there is a good chance the belt will become trapped between the knife handle and divers leg and lead to further panic and possible death.

Aside from safety issues, there are practical issues, like it takes forever to attach a big knife to your leg.

But, most of all you just don't want to look like Mike Nelson from Sea Hunt.

What do you do instead?

Get a reasonably sized (small) knife with a well designed one hand only quick release sheath and attach it to your BCD such that it can be easily reached with either hand. In addition get a line cutter such as Eezycut Trilobyte and also attach it to your BCD so it can be easily reached and accessed with one hand.

If using high grade stainless cutting tools, always put a thin coat of silicone grease on them to prevent rust and remove them from the sheath to air dry after diving.

Move into the modern era and ditch the BFK on your leg! You will be glad you did.