DGX $29 mask is awesome!

[Lorenzoid]

And around here I have tried 4 different dive shops they keep none to try on
So I ordered me and hubby the Atomic Venom frameless hope we like them.
Otherwise I will need to buy a different one.

That is indeed a common problem. We like to say "the best mask is the one that fits YOUR face best" and that it's important to try on a number of masks to find one that fits best, but dive shops only stock so many. Fortunately, most online retailers have generous return policies. I have at times ordered multiple items and returned the ones that didn't fit or otherwise suit me.

Good luck with the Atomic Venom--it's pricey, but if it fits your face well ....

 

[Schwob]

I did not have any trouble pinching my nose to equalize - and I did a lot of it on Sunday, diving with my OW student.

@kelemvor, DGX also has the same mask with an Anti Reflective Coating - for the same price! I went on their site to order a 2nd mask and saw that and ordered one of those instead of a plain one. For the price, and knowing it fits me well, I figure the risk is small. If I don't like it, it can still be a good backup.

Great original post.

A general understanding kind of questions to this follow-up to ALL (not just to @stuartv ) & hopefully someone optically inclined:

So it's a mask with a black skirt (which should help with reflections in itself - no?)

That being the case, what would be the practical differences one would / could / might observe between the Anti-reflective coated version and the non-AR-coated (plain?) version?

Could the would an AR coating really help with reflections beyond what the black mask does?
Would the coating be on the inside or outside of the mask glass?
Might it cause scratch resistance to decrease?
If on the inside might it reduce or increase likelihood of fogging up?
Would it reduce light transmission (hey, that could matter in those deep, dark places (where reflection is not a concern anyway)?

 

[EdC]

In the time since then, I found that they did still leak some. And, for some reason, it seems like it has gotten worse over time. I don't know if that's because my face has changed or what. Anyway..

I have the same masks but unfortunately in reverse order.

I was diving the DGX and loved it, but I needed correction. I went ahead and ordered the Seavision Ultra and initially I really liked how clear everything is both near and far. The only problem is I always have this small puddle in the nose pocket and unfortunately usually covering the readers. No amount of clearing seems to help, I always get the same amount of leakage and no more. I am ready to take your advice and add readers if I cant see the Perdix without them.

 

[RTC'83]

The DGX mask is not available with gauge reader lenses, but that may no longer be an issue for me. I'm generally only diving these days with computers like my Perdix, which I found yesterday I can read just fine without reader lenses. However, if I do decide I want gauge readers, I will put in some Hydro-Tac lenses. They cost $15 and I have used them before in my original Atomic mask and they work just fine. You just have to put them in and let them dry for 24 - 48 hours before you get them wet.

Just wondering if you know how secure the hydro tac lens will be after repeated dives and getting wet? I do need my readers.

 

[taimen]

@EdC I bought a Seavision Ultra with presription but it leaks too much.
I then ordered Seavision lenses to a TUSA Freedom Ceos which is dry and comfortable.
Now I mostly dive with contact lenses, but for practices with a lot of mask removals and sometimes some bigger dives I choose the prescrption mask.

 

[49north]

We bought the DGX frameless masks a couple of years ago to keep as backups. After the first try, they became our main masks.

We also bought one of the Ren Gauge reader masks to try. It works well too and seems to be quite low volume. Haven’t used it much since getting our Perdixes as they are very easy to read with middle age eyes.

 

[gcarter]

I have been rocking one of those for a couple of years now and love it. Much better field of view than my Tusa, and I will never go back to a clear skirt either. Comfortable and leak free.

 

[peterak]

I have one of these, sold as DiveRite. It is great, but with my nose (which isn't tiny) I still find the nose pocket too large and also quite rigid. Not perfect for equalizing.
.

I unfortunately have the same problem with the DGX mask. My not small nose does not protrude far enough into the nose pocket to allow a good grip of the nose for equalizing. Must be a face shape thing. I really wanted this mask to work for me.

 

[stuartv]

Great original post.

A general understanding kind of questions to this follow-up to ALL (not just to @stuartv ) & hopefully someone optically inclined:

So it's a mask with a black skirt (which should help with reflections in itself - no?)

That being the case, what would be the practical differences one would / could / might observe between the Anti-reflective coated version and the non-AR-coated (plain?) version?

Could the would an AR coating really help with reflections beyond what the black mask does?
Would the coating be on the inside or outside of the mask glass?
Might it cause scratch resistance to decrease?
If on the inside might it reduce or increase likelihood of fogging up?
Would it reduce light transmission (hey, that could matter in those deep, dark places (where reflection is not a concern anyway)?

I use black skirts for exactly that reason. Less ambient light coming in to light up what is inside the mask. I figure it's like any window. If you want to see what's outside, you turn off the lights inside. Otherwise, whatever is lit up inside just reflects back off the glass. Look out a window of your house, at night, with the inside lights on and off. You know what I mean. Thus, I figure the less useless ambient light coming into my mask, the better. And, by "useless", I mean light that doesn't let you see anything - like the light that comes through a clear mask skirt.

Plus, clear skirts eventually get yellowish. Black is always black.

As for the AR coating, my thought is this: I have seen plenty of normal eyeglasses with AR coatings that do not reduce light transmission. However, I don't *think* the AR coating on the DGX AR mask is the same. For one thing, they specifically say the lens looks colored. So, my expectation is that the DGX mask does reduce light transmission somewhat. However, I have the Seavision magenta and yellow lenses and they obviously also reduce light transmission somewhat. But, it has never been enough to bother me. On a night dive, yes, I will use a clear lens. On any kind of normal day dive, the small reduction is not enough to make me change what mask I would wear.

I do think it's likely that the AR coating will be more sensitive to getting scratched. But, I am also assuming it's on the inside of the mask, so it should be pretty easy to just not let it get scratched. And, when it does eventually get scratched enough to bother me, well, it was only $29....

Just wondering if you know how secure the hydro tac lens will be after repeated dives and getting wet? I do need my readers.

I used Hydro-Tac lenses on my Atomic mask before I got the Seavision masks. Looking back at my log, that means I used them for roughly 20 dives, over a period of 4 or 5 months. I used the regular Hydro-Tac lenses you can get at Walmart - not the "scuba" ones that are bigger and cost twice as much. For me, the regular ones were a good size. I would not want them to be any bigger. Once I put them on my mask, they had a chance to dry for several days before I dived with them. They never moved during the entire time I used them. I think putting them on and letting them dry REALLY well (at LEAST 24 hours and 48 is probably better) is the key. Making sure the mask lens is perfectly clean before installing the Hydro-Tacs is probably also important.

 

[lv2dive]

Great review Stuart. I especially like how you separated the review into shorter and longer versions. I was not sure why/how a mask review post was that long, but I have to admit it was worth the read!

Short version:

I got one of these on Saturday. $29 from Dive Gear Express:

DGX Ultra View Frameless Mask

I used it for 2 dives in the local quarry yesterday and it was awesome. I'm going to order another now, so I have a backup.

Longer:

I've been diving Seavision 2100 masks for the last 3+ years. I like the SV masks for the magenta lens in blue water, and for the built-in gauge reader lenses. I originally bought mine after trying a buddy's when we were diving in Hawaii. He prompted me to try his so I could see how nice the magenta lens was for color correction. He was right and the color correction is great. But, my previous mask, an Atomic Frameless, always leaked a bit. During my first dive with the SV, I didn't have to clear the mask a single time. That is what really hooked me.

In the time since then, I found that they did still leak some. And, for some reason, it seems like it has gotten worse over time. I don't know if that's because my face has changed or what. Anyway...

I had been eyeing the DGX mask for a while. It's so inexpensive, I really wanted to try one just to see if it leaked less. I finally broke down and ordered one last week.

The first thing I noticed is how much bigger the field of view is with the DGX mask, compared to the SV 2100. The SV mask frame definitely takes up some space in my field of view in every direction. The DGX mask gives so much more, I was VERY surprised. With the mask on, on the surface, looking straight ahead, I can't see any of the frame on the top and bottom. And I can only see a little bit at the very edges of the sides of my peripheral vision.

The mask FEELS a lot bigger on my face - as in wider and taller. But, it also seems to be significantly lower volume. It feels like it sits noticeably closer to my face. I figured that might mean it would be easier to clear. I still don't know about that because, after 2 dives, I realized I never had to clear my mask the whole time.

Also, the SV 2100 has part of the frame, on each side, that sticks backwards and that is what the strap connects to. So the SV mask strap doesn't connect to the mask skirt at all. But, it means that the mask cannot fold totally flat. As a result, I had one of my SV masks in my drysuit pocket for a dive (as a backup) and ended up breaking it. I guess I leaned against something too hard. Not difficult, I guess, when handling double steels on a pitching boat. But, in contrast, the DGX mask strap buckles are attached to the mask skirt itself, so it can be folded totally flat. Perfect for a drysuit pocket. I have to throw a "pro" to the SV mask, though. First, I superglued it to fix the broken strap flange and it has been fine. But, I emailed SV and they said if superglue didn't fix it I could send it to them and they would transplant the lenses into a new frame for $45. I feel like that is good service that is worth noting. Their lenses are not cheap!

And, the SV mask strap itself is narrower than "standard". I had ordered a DGX slap strap a while back and the side straps were too [EDIT: Used to say "narrow"] wide to fit through the SV mask buckles, so I had to stick with the stock mask strap. With the DGX mask, the buckles are exactly the right size to use their slap strap - so another bonus. The stock DGX mask strap is nice, heavy-feeling silicone. But, I took it off first thing and put on the slap strap that I had previously purchased. The DGX slap strap is $10, but you can order it custom embroidered with your name or whatever for $22.

The SV magenta lens is nice for the color correction, but I am going to live without it, going forward. The pros of the DGX mask really outweigh the color correction, for me.

The DGX mask is not available with gauge reader lenses, but that may no longer be an issue for me. I'm generally only diving these days with computers like my Perdix, which I found yesterday I can read just fine without reader lenses. However, if I do decide I want gauge readers, I will put in some Hydro-Tac lenses. They cost $15 and I have used them before in my original Atomic mask and they work just fine. You just have to put them in and let them dry for 24 - 48 hours before you get them wet.

The DGX mask even came in one of their triple layer mesh bags. I was not expecting that and I was not expecting the bag to be anything worth keeping. I was wrong about that! I feels surprisingly thick. Obviously, it's no protection against something that would break the mask frame. But, for protection against anything less than that, it seems like it will be good. My new mask is in that mesh bag, in my dive bag with my fins, BCD, etc., right now. I'll probably continue to use that, rather than worry about trying to keep it in a hard case.

Last, I note that, just based on APPEARANCE, this $29 mask from DGX LOOKS like the identical mask to the Dive Rite ES155 mask ($69) and the new Sub Gravity Vadose mask ($89). Of course, I have no way to know for sure. And I say that based solely on looking at online pictures of the DR and SG masks. They could all have different glass in them that makes the others "better" than the DGX mask. No idea. I just know the glass in the $29 mask seems perfectly good enough for me.