Adventures in finding a mask that doesn't leak

[eelnoraa]

Specific response to OP. If since you have go through so much, maybe you can make a summary of what work what doesn't work.

Mask is all about fit, and it has a lot to do with your face feature, wide, narrow, high nose, high cheek bone ... Some masks fit certain facial feature better than other.

Myself for example, my best fit mask today is Oceanic Shadow. You can get one for $45 from Leisurepro. Although it says Demo, it is actually new.
Oceanic Shadow Single Window Mask

Mares x-vision works ell for me too, but not as good as Shadow. The doesn't work list include:
Cressi BigEye - for relative wide face with high nose,
Atomic Frameless - for very narrow face. I don't even need to touch water to know it will leak
Oceanic Pioneer - also for narrow face, but not as narrow as Atomic

 

[Sam Miller III]

Please ! Please !

The suspense is keeping me and others awake at night

Select a MASK !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is sunny slight breeze from the pacific ocean and predicted to be 75 degrees with no snow

And how are things in Chicago Burbs?

Inquiring minds want to know

SDM

 

[Skulmoski]

Did you try the Cressi Nano? It is a low volume mask that I like and carry it as a spare. I also have a Scuba Pro Solo which is my primary mask.

You might have to try 50+ masks, but you will eventually find the one that fits. I am optimistic since there is so much variety out there! With every mask that you try that does not work, you are closer to finding one that will.

Good luck! The next mask you try might just be the one!

GJS

 

[Marie13]

Oceanic Shadow didn't work.
AL Mini Mask or whatever they call it
Oceanic OceanVu (very first mask)
Atomic Frameless (or Frameless 2) - don't remember which

These are just the ones I remember. There have been a few others in there.

Have the DGX mask recommended earlier on order.

Remember I mentioned I thought maybe skin oils, etc., might have been causing my Cressi Panoramic to not seal well? I scrubbed the heck out of it several times with baby shampoo. I used it while doing 1000 yards in the pool last night and it barely leaked. There's also a slap strap on it now, too.

 

[Marie13]

Please ! Please !

The suspense is keeping me and others awake at night

Select a MASK !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is sunny slight breeze from the pacific ocean and predicted to be 75 degrees with no snow

And how are things in Chicago Burbs?

Inquiring minds want to know

SDM

I'll be at the Ghost Ships festival in MKE this weekend (all things Great Lakes shipwrecks and diving related). There will be a number of dive shops with booths, so we'll see if I come home with anything.

Maybe around 50 here and a breeze about 50 mph.

 

[Rred]

Guessing that since they leak from the bottom, when you are equalizing and presumably pinching your nose, which would change the fit of the lower seal below the nose...the answer is plastic surgery to inject some extra padding above your lower lip. (Kidding!)

But you might try adding some Silly Putty to that area of the mask seal, check it out in the pool after giving the putty time to flow a bit. If that does the trick it may be worth looking into some silicone seal or similar material permanently adhered to the mask seal. (Or, did I mention, plastic surgery?(G)

Somewhere out there is a mask that fits better. I had a very nice very old one, that eventually died from badly aging rubber. The two I use both work "well enough" but one always takes in a little water (which I use to clear the fog and blow out anyway) while the other seems to purge itself and I'm always doing the opposite, flooding it a tiny bit, so I can slop the water to clear the fog. Somewhere out there is a "Goldilocks" mask for me, too. (OR a plastic surgeon.(G)

 

[TMHeimer]

Funny the thread title includes "finding a mask". I bought an $80 mask for snorkeling in about 1980, and another expensive one when I took OW course in '05. Both leaked a little. Then I found an old Genesis mask at Vortex Spring in '07 and have used it ever since--once in a while it leaks a bit, but maybe because I may exhale through the nose a little or even smile. Otherwise this "free" one is my best.

 

[panulirus47]

Just as a suggestion, I have had that problem all my diving life. The mask I use is an old one but still available from Aqualung: the Atlantis. I now have three of them, and have never found another one that seals as well.

 

[DiverAmy]

Embrace your leaky mask. No biggie.

 

[Marie13]

Embrace your leaky mask. No biggie.

There's a difference between a leaking mask and one that floods.