Just like wetsuits themselves, wetsuit accessories are numerous and varied. Some bright design spark saw fit to come up with products for specific jobs. In some instances multiple scenarios, but there’s mostly an NCW head wear solution that’s best fit (pun intended!).
Basically, five categories of wetsuit head wear exist within NCW products:
Beanies for on sea and land inc. strap hat beanies
https://www.northcoastwetsuits.co.uk/product/beanie-hat-3mm-neoprene/https://www.northcoastwetsuits.co.uk/product/neoprene-beanie-hat-3mm-w-strap/
Surf caps (2.5mm) which are lightweight and warm but for shoulder seasons (autumn/spring). Great for kayaking too. The smooth skin type gives less evaporative cooling so good for windsurf/kitesurf. The second one is more for surfers but again crosses over and is personal choice.
Surf hoods fall into two types. Side opening (easy fit) for possible surface sports wear. You want to keep more of your face warm but are not duck diving so a pull over hood is not needed. Great for winter windy SUP sessions. They we have pull over hoods (big wave hood) really for winter and duck divers and the bibbed hood for the coldest weather and duck divers.
These last two hoods are overkill for SUP or kayak possibly, certainly not for swimmers and such.
https://www.northcoastwetsuits.co.uk/product/big-wave-surf-hood-balaclava-cap/
Swim caps come in various forms. They’re unpeaked for less resiatnce, although thinner because you’re putting more heat into the cap (swimming!). They’re pretty much all you need for submersible disciplines. That said a lot of swimwers also use NCW’s beanie hats too.
Dive hoods for snorkelling (in cold water) and diving. Not really for anything else.
https://www.northcoastwetsuits.co.uk/product/ist-5mm-dive-hood/
It’s important to measure your head per each item’s page descritption and not guess at a size. Thick or long hair may mean sizing up.
Finally, something about surf hoods for duck diving: they’re snug/tight. They need to be to stop flush. If you have ever worn one you’ll know it feels weird. They cannot be loose or they won’t work. They are hard to get on when new, they need some pulling to get over the widest point of your head circumference, but once on will not crush you! Give them a good stretch having purchased. If it slides straight on it’s probs too loose.
Measuring your head – see below for guidance.
