Last week I posted a review of another mask that I think is awesome. Then I got a Minimus freedive mask from Mako Spearguns and used it this past weekend. It is also awesome. It is very different to the mask I tried last week. I like them both a lot but in different ways.
Short version:
The Minimus (aka Mini) LOOKS ridiculously small. It is SUPER low volume. But, it has really good field of view for peripheral vision, seals really well with my face, folds flat, and is very comfortable. And it only costs $37.95 from Mako Spearguns. They even have it in black, blue, and brown.
https://www.makospearguns.com/Minimus-Mini-Freedive-Mask-p/mmm.htm
Long version:
I am a guy. 6' 1" tall and currently about 230#. My head is a size XL, as determined by the fitting of many motorcycle helmets. That same fitting also has informed me that my head shape is what is called Long Oval. Longer, front to back, and narrow, side to side. So, my face is probably not as wide as someone else with an XL head, but a Round head shape.
When I first held the Mini in my hand, I thought "no way this is going to work for my fat head." But, I was wrong. As I learned, it's not the glass that determines how it fits. It's the skirt. And the skirt on the Mini is really small, but it's wide enough and tall enough that it fit my face just about perfectly. My nose is on the smallish side, I think, and the nose pocket fit really well. When I pinched my nose to equalize, it felt like the nose pocket was sized just right to my nose. Not a lot of extra room in there. If you have a Gonzo Schnozz, this might not be the mask for you.
I had 2 OW students this past weekend for their 4 OW checkout dives. When I had the Mini on, at the quarry, one of my fellow instructors told me, "hey, Barbie called. She wants her mask back." Ha. Ha. Ha. It DOES look small, but there is no arguing with the results. It didn't leak at ALL. And it fits so close to my face that the small-looking lenses still give really good peripheral vision. The mask skirt fit very close under my nose, across my upper lip and around my eyes. I didn't use a hood this weekend, but this mask seems like it probably will never give me any issues with overlapping with a hood.
The only issue I did have with the Mini was that it kept wanting to fog up. I guess I didn't do a good enough job cleaning it when I got it. But, because of that, there were several times when I was underwater and it fogged, so I pinched the top corner of the skirt to let some water in, swished it around inside my mask, then cleared it. When clearing, that low volume was really nice. [In my Borat voice:} That'sa veddy niiice! Super quick and easy to clear with the tiniest little exhale.
I took the mask strap off before I even used it. It looked fine, but I had an extra Slap Strap, so I put that on immediately. Which means that the one useful thing I CAN say is that the Mini uses the same width of strap as what the Slap Strap is. The Slap Strap went on with no futzing around.
Which brings up another thing I like. The mask strap attached directly to the mask skirt, so the strap and buckles can be folded totally flat. With folding flat and being so compact, if this mask doesn't become my main mask, it will definitely be my mask that always goes in a pocket as my backup.
The Mini came in a decent plastic box for storage. The lid is not hinged, so no worries of it breaking like another mask box I have.
I'm not sure how well the Mini would work for someone with a really big nose, or a really, really wide face. But, for just about anyone else, if you want a really compact mask, with really good peripheral vision, that folds flat, and is inexpensive, the Mako Mini seems like a good candidate to try. And especially so if you are anything other (i.e. smaller head) than a big guy.
Disclaimer: I got this mask for free. Dano, from Mako Spearguns, sent it to me to try out and told me I can keep it. No requirement to post a review or to say nice things. I had been eyeing it on the Mako website for a while, so I admit I was eager to have one to try. I have been really happy with my Mako Competition Freediving fins and I am happy that I got the Mini mask and find it to be so nice also. Thank you to Dano for sending me the mask and for offering so many really nice products to divers without trying to be an overnight millionaire in the process.
Short version:
The Minimus (aka Mini) LOOKS ridiculously small. It is SUPER low volume. But, it has really good field of view for peripheral vision, seals really well with my face, folds flat, and is very comfortable. And it only costs $37.95 from Mako Spearguns. They even have it in black, blue, and brown.
https://www.makospearguns.com/Minimus-Mini-Freedive-Mask-p/mmm.htm
Long version:
I am a guy. 6' 1" tall and currently about 230#. My head is a size XL, as determined by the fitting of many motorcycle helmets. That same fitting also has informed me that my head shape is what is called Long Oval. Longer, front to back, and narrow, side to side. So, my face is probably not as wide as someone else with an XL head, but a Round head shape.
When I first held the Mini in my hand, I thought "no way this is going to work for my fat head." But, I was wrong. As I learned, it's not the glass that determines how it fits. It's the skirt. And the skirt on the Mini is really small, but it's wide enough and tall enough that it fit my face just about perfectly. My nose is on the smallish side, I think, and the nose pocket fit really well. When I pinched my nose to equalize, it felt like the nose pocket was sized just right to my nose. Not a lot of extra room in there. If you have a Gonzo Schnozz, this might not be the mask for you.
I had 2 OW students this past weekend for their 4 OW checkout dives. When I had the Mini on, at the quarry, one of my fellow instructors told me, "hey, Barbie called. She wants her mask back." Ha. Ha. Ha. It DOES look small, but there is no arguing with the results. It didn't leak at ALL. And it fits so close to my face that the small-looking lenses still give really good peripheral vision. The mask skirt fit very close under my nose, across my upper lip and around my eyes. I didn't use a hood this weekend, but this mask seems like it probably will never give me any issues with overlapping with a hood.
The only issue I did have with the Mini was that it kept wanting to fog up. I guess I didn't do a good enough job cleaning it when I got it. But, because of that, there were several times when I was underwater and it fogged, so I pinched the top corner of the skirt to let some water in, swished it around inside my mask, then cleared it. When clearing, that low volume was really nice. [In my Borat voice:} That'sa veddy niiice! Super quick and easy to clear with the tiniest little exhale.
I took the mask strap off before I even used it. It looked fine, but I had an extra Slap Strap, so I put that on immediately. Which means that the one useful thing I CAN say is that the Mini uses the same width of strap as what the Slap Strap is. The Slap Strap went on with no futzing around.
Which brings up another thing I like. The mask strap attached directly to the mask skirt, so the strap and buckles can be folded totally flat. With folding flat and being so compact, if this mask doesn't become my main mask, it will definitely be my mask that always goes in a pocket as my backup.
The Mini came in a decent plastic box for storage. The lid is not hinged, so no worries of it breaking like another mask box I have.
I'm not sure how well the Mini would work for someone with a really big nose, or a really, really wide face. But, for just about anyone else, if you want a really compact mask, with really good peripheral vision, that folds flat, and is inexpensive, the Mako Mini seems like a good candidate to try. And especially so if you are anything other (i.e. smaller head) than a big guy.
Disclaimer: I got this mask for free. Dano, from Mako Spearguns, sent it to me to try out and told me I can keep it. No requirement to post a review or to say nice things. I had been eyeing it on the Mako website for a while, so I admit I was eager to have one to try. I have been really happy with my Mako Competition Freediving fins and I am happy that I got the Mini mask and find it to be so nice also. Thank you to Dano for sending me the mask and for offering so many really nice products to divers without trying to be an overnight millionaire in the process.
