Backup mask fogging solutions

[davehicks]

I suggest defog spay and a toothbrush. I put both in my mask box and use them before every dive. I'll emphasize the toothbrush because I have found that a No Fingers Policy with the mask is the biggest anti-fog improvement you can make. I have have numerous dives impaired by mask fogging, and eventually figured out that body oil and sunscreen from my hands was a major factor. So at the start of the dive day I give the mask a good scrub on the glass, skirt, and outside too with the toothbrush. It works great and I never ever get fogging anymore.

 

[Kevin Floyd]

I put sea gold on my back up and let it dry. Then when I have to deploy it I rub the sea gold out with my figures before I put it on. It’s a pain in the ass and requires that I hold my buoyancy while basically blind. But it’s never failed to work. If you forget to rinse it out it will burn the hell out of your eyes.

 

[Rayk]

You can apply slight coating of toothpaste, let it dry and keep it on the mask. When you need to use your back up mask, you can just rub the toothpaste couple seconds and It will be good to go. If you want to reduce amount of paste needs to be removed, you can apply only center of the lenses aligned with your eye lines.

 

[Stream2Sea]

I put sea gold on my back up and let it dry. Then when I have to deploy it I rub the sea gold out with my figures before I put it on. It’s a pain in the ass and requires that I hold my buoyancy while basically blind. But it’s never failed to work. If you forget to rinse it out it will burn the hell out of your eyes.

OUCH! Our defog will NOT burn your eyes!

 

[CuzzA]

I hate to be a thread killer, but it's a backup mask. As in your primary has failed or is gone. I'll take a discarded shot glass on the sea floor with a bubble in it, a hermit crab and "Bottoms Up" printed on the glass before I'm concerned about a foggy back up that can get you to the surface seeing clearly with a swish of water. Not to mention, while uncomfortable, your eyes will adjust to not having a mask in the extremely rare event you lost your primary mask.

 

[loosenit2]

appreciate everyone's thoughts. it is not a huge problem, and of course I can periodically do a partial flood to clear or keep a little water to periodically defog, it is simply an inconvenience to do so and adds to task loading, which if you can avoid you should. I may experiment with the dried toothpaste suggestion.

 

[Dennisrl84]

I suggest defog spay and a toothbrush. I put both in my mask box and use them before every dive. I'll emphasize the toothbrush because I have found that a No Fingers Policy with the mask is the biggest anti-fog improvement you can make. I have have numerous dives impaired by mask fogging, and eventually figured out that body oil and sunscreen from my hands was a major factor. So at the start of the dive day I give the mask a good scrub on the glass, skirt, and outside too with the toothbrush. It works great and I never ever get fogging anymore.

I'll have to try this. I am a nose breather and suffer a ton of fogging problems.

 

[davehicks]

I'll have to try this. I am a nose breather and suffer a ton of fogging problems.

I am a photographer and rebreather diver, so I end up exhaling through my nose frequently to adjust bouyancy hands free. I never get fogging in my mask with this regimen.

 

[BlueTrin]

Have you tried using your backup as primary and see if your ‘primary’ mask fogs as well in the same situation ?

 

[loosenit2]

Have you tried using your backup as primary and see if your ‘primary’ mask fogs as well in the same situation ?

I probably phrased in poorly in the original post but I have, neither mask is problematic if i start with it, but both are problematic if i switch mid dive.