The best full face masks

[Taliesin]

Hey, you guys are the pros & I'm sure a lot of you go the "full face" route, so I thought I'd get your opinions before I headed that direction.

I'm an experienced recreational diver, but I've always used pretty standard equipment. I find that the older I get, the less I'm willing to endure the small discomforts associated with the standard rigs (mask squeeze, limited vis, no com, etc). I'm currently doing my best to streamline my entire setup & make it as comfy as possible. That seems to have led me into the realm of technical equipment, so I'm sure I'll be pestering you on other gear items as well, but for now... the mask.

I was a hazmat responder for a number of years, so I have some experience with full face masks on dry land (& I'm used to the feel). Unfortunately, like any equipment, there's a bunch of marketing propaganda out there, so it's hard to settle on the right one (& it's a pretty big ticket item).

The mask I seem to see most often is Ocean Reef's Neptune Space, but all I ever see is the company line. I've been reading a few entries on this site, though, and I don't see anything positive being said about this product. Does anyone have any advice they'd care to throw out? What are the best masks being used by the pros?

Any input would be appreciated.

Taliesin

 

[Gary D.]

Ocean Reef is not on my good list at all. Look at the AGA's.

Gary D.

 

[leam]

That would be:

http://www.oceantechnologysystems.com/interspirofullface.shtml

What are the thoughts on positive pressure or not?

ciao!

leam

 

[Gary D.]

Get the Positive Pressure with the Ambient breathing valve.

You use a little more air with a full face but the trade off is worth it.

Gary D.

 

[Diesel298]

i have no persoanl experence with the above mentioned masks
i personally use a scubapro full face
and i like it. when yur sittin on the boat or on shore watin for your buddy or whatever. theres a valve you can open so yur not sucking on your tank. just dont forget to close it before you decend.
its very comfortacle, and have a purge valve in it as well.
if your diving with a drysuit you can seal the mask to the hood too
i would suggest getting a reg for it that has a diver controled Adj. such as a scubapro s600 or g250
but the mask will accept many various regs
with the SP mask you can also use comms it wanted, and a second reg even tho i think it would be a little odd looking.
on my mask to not get i would say the cresi mask. just look at it and you will see

good luck
Ray

 

[BigJetDriver]

Fully agree with Gary D. and Leam, get the AGA with the positive pressure, and ambient vent!

Call John Hott:

www.oceantechnologysystems.com

 

[Gary D.]

Don't rule out the Cressi masks. Try compairing all of them, no two are alike and all have different features.

The Cressi is a very basic unit. No fancy stuff just a basic full face. One thing that's nice about it is the speed of a chang over. Your entire reg slips into the Cressi mouthpiece and all.

If you want to switch to a regular mask pop the reg out and your done. Going the other way just soap the mouthpiece ind slip it in. It couldn't be much simpler. They also run under a $100.

They have worked well for what we do. Having plugs in ports you don't need and aren't going to use are just another problem area.

They are all good for what they were intended for. The only one "I" flat out don't like is the Ocean Reef.

The best advice I can give you is to try them all and then make the choice on which one will fit your needs and your budget.

Gary D.

 

[Diesel298]

yeah that is a nice advantage to the cressi that and there cheap
but there also not no where near as durable than the other masks on the market
i always looked at them as a disposable mask

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Positive pressure systems have there merits, usually in surface supoplied or PSD applications, but I would not rush to use or recommend one in a recreational situation.

You use a lot more gas, the seal becomes much more critical and betwene those two factors I often see divers in positive pressure masks who make good imitations of those little airstones you see in aquariums with air bubbling out everywhere.

And to be honest I have never seen any advantage with a positive pressure system over a FFM with a good, properly adjusted demand regulator.

AGA's are sort of the AL 80 of FFM masks. Everybody seems to like them and has them but they are none the less a lot less than perfect. They are well suited to public safetey diving but often leave a lot to be desired for a recreational diver who could otherwise find a less expensive mask that does what they need it to do much better than an AGA.

Personally, I prefer the Kirby Morgan/Oceanic/JMC M48 Super Mask

http://www.oceantechnologysystems.com/mk48.shtml

It allows you to remove the lower part of the mask to breathe off a buddy's octo, your octo or a deco bottle without having to remove the entire mask and use a regular backup mask as you would need to do with an AGA or similar mask. If you are diving a FFM and it is not an M48, you need to have a separate face mask along and be able to switch underwater in the event you need to share gas.

You can also get a rebreather pod for the M48 and connect it directly to a rebreather if you go that route.

The M48 also eliminates the need for an ambient air vent as you can leave the pod off or loose until just before you submerge. Either approach is nice in cold water/weather as it avoids the problem of using the regulator above water and supercooling the first stage, which is then more likely to freeze during the dive.

The cost is also a lot less with the M48 selling for around $300-$350 online and around $500 retail - a lot cheaper than an AGA. Plus you can use your own second stage, save money and avoid the problem of finding a dealer who can service the AGA second stage every year.

The Mantis and Scubapro masks are also a good option in the $250-$350 price range for a recreational diver and both allow ambient and alternate second stage options. They, like the AGA and M48, have separate oral nasal cavities so the swept volume of the mask is low which helps prevent CO2 buildup. They also offer the option of a port for a second second stage, but this gets a little cluttered and bulky and a freeflowing second stage is still a pain with this setup.

The Cressi, as indicated above, is inexpensive but still offers a lot of bang for the buck. It does not have a separate oral nasal cavity, but it does allow you to breathe through the second stage's normal mouthpiece during periods of heavy exertion so it does all w you to avoid problems with CO2 buildup. The downside is the field of vison is fairly limited, But for $70-$75, it's by far the least expensive FFM you will find.

I don't understand the "disposable" comment above. Cressi's are dirt simple and at least as durable as a regular face mask and are far simpler and more damage resistant (no hard parts other than the lens) than any other FFM. The design has been around for 30 years and I used one for a decade in very demanding conditions it never failed or wore out.

 

[Gary D.]

I'm with DA on the Cressi durability. I have just retired the second one in 16 years. Any mask lasting 8 or more years in this business is good and durable.

Gary D.