Anyone own the Technosub "Sphera" Mask??

[cybordolphin]

Plastic lenses?

Are you happy with it? How is your visibility, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[Hobbs]

Originally posted by cybordolphin
Plastic lenses?

Are you happy with it? How is your visibility, etc.?

Thanks.

I dont have the sphera mask but I do have the seal mask (same but without nose)

I have used it some times in a pool, the fitting is awsome and it has a good sight line, but the plastic scratches easily, wich doesnt matter to much aslong as it is on the "outside" of the mask, when you get it down in the water the scratchs more or less dissapear.

its a good mask but i dont think the lifespan is that long though since of the plastic "glass"

(I can use this mask since I have a cut wound next to the eye through wich I can let air out to clear the mask from water)

but the real reason for buying it was to start swimming again

 

[monster]

Hi, Cybordolphin.

I own a Sphera, and am not too happy with it. When I first saw the Seal, I thought, "That would be a great scuba mask, if they just made it with a nose pocket -- it's sleek, it's low profile, and it's got a wide field of view". So when the Sphera came out, I was really excited.

The problem I have with it is that it warps your field of view underwater -- would have realized that if I'd ever tried the Seal underwater, but I didn't. Anyway, my first outing with it, I was unpleasantly surprised the minute I stuck my head underwater -- my feet looked far away! And in my peripheral vision, my arms were tiny at the shoulder and became almost normal size at the forearms, which were directly in front of my field of view.

I hadn't brought a spare mask, so I did the whole dive with the mask and came up with a headache from the way the world would swim around when I moved my eyes.

I actually wrote Technisub about this; had quite a long exchange with their president. He admitted the distortion as the lens curved toward the peripheral, but said that it shouldn't really be a problem as "divers don't really move their eyes to look around, but move their entire head". I had to disagree with that. Sure, I don't make sidelong glances when I can move my head, but I sure don't keep my eyes dead ahead (relative to my head).

(If you'd like more details on the other technical aspects of the Sphera we discussed, I can forward that to you as well.)

Having said all that, though, I know many people who use the Sphera and they like it. Even Technisub's testers did, apparently. I've given it a few tries more, but really can't get used to the distortion. My friends and I have come to this consensus -- it's one of those love it or hate it masks.

 

[cybordolphin]

Hmmm...

I wonder if we are talking about the same mask. This one has a nose pocket. I know there is another version without the nose pocket (for normal swimming etc.).

If you equalize the mask.... you should not have that distortion.

If yours does not have the nose pocket... then you would not be able to equalize.

Let me know if yours sounds like it is the same version.

Thanks!

 

[monster]

Same mask, Cybordolphin. The SEAL is the one without the nose pocket; I have the SPHERA, with the nose pocket. The distortion has nothing to do with not being able to equalize, but with the lens shape. Wearing the mask on land, everything looks a-ok, but when you go underwater, the combination of the airspace, the mask lens, and the water does funky things to the world around you.

 

[cybordolphin]

Thanks for the heads up Monster. Too bad.... coulda been a neat design.

 

[monster]

Yeah. Extremely lightweight and low-profile, too...

Oh well...