Backup Mask - Ever Had to Use While Solo?

[AfterDark]

You certainly won't need one if regulars conditions.
But imagine being tangled or on a night dive and needed one.

I have something in the area of 1500-1800 night dives and counting haven't needed a BU mask yet.
The best solution for entanglement is to avoid it, however if a diver is entangled and sans mask, that diver has really screwed the pooch somehow and needs buddy backup more than a mask at that point. If the diver does mange to get free then a reevaluation of their solo diving is in order. IMO

 

[ontdiver]

I dive solo and firmly believe in the value and importance of redundancies.

I agree that while the probability of needing the BA mask is probably low statistically, the negative impact of not having one when needed is high.

As such, my only thought on this issue is that one may want to consider the BU mask as part of the "live" save a dive kit.

 

[hedonist222]

I dive solo and firmly believe in the value and importance of redundancies.

I agree that while the probability of needing the BA mask is probably low statistically, the negative impact of not having one when needed is high.

As such, my only thought on this issue is that one may want to consider the BU mask as part of the "live" save a dive kit.

yep

likeliness: low to zero

impact: catastrophic

a compact foldable back up mask resides in my pocket

 

[Searcaigh]

a compact foldable back up mask resides in my pocket

Remember to treat it with defog before every dive

 

[Lostdiver71]

In several thousand dives I have never lost my mask without being able to retrieve it, but I am also one of the very few people that I know that can open my eyes in saltwater with no problems and still be able to read my dive computer. That being said I am currently looking to pick up a second prescription mask to start carrying with me as I think that I have beaten the odds over the years and they always catch up to you eventually.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've never lost a mask. Of course, most of my dives being solo, it won't get kicked off. It is unlikely a busted strap means your mask will fall so fast you can't grab it. I don't know though.

 

[AfterDark]

I've never lost a mask. Of course, most of my dives being solo, it won't get kicked off. It is unlikely a busted strap means your mask will fall so fast you can't grab it. I don't know though.[/QUOTE]

If the mask is a good fit one may not even know the strap is broken until a nose exhale to equalize or clear it.

I've had a mask kicked off my face a few times, I just watch where it goes and go after it and pick it up. Opening ones eyes in salt water is part is being in salt water and shouldn't be an issue. It's just part of diving.

I didn't like it when I was a young child but I grew up and a little stinging doesn't bother me anymore; my arthritis hurts a LOT more. When I swim at the beach I never close my eyes.

 

[scubadada]

Just under 2000 dives, I have never lost the use of my mask. I do not carry a 2nd mask when solo diving, perhaps I should?

 

[Darnold9999]

Have lost a mask once, backroll off a skiff, strap washed off my hood so when I let go of it and my reg it went south in 140 plus feet of water, not solo so someone (wearing doubles) was able to retrieve it and I got it back at the end of the dive. Borrowed a nice pink one from the skiff and carried on. Was slightly entangled the other day solo in fishing line - caught a fin in some really nasty barbed line swimming through some kelp. Did not see it at all. Ended up breaking a fin strap trying to get loose, but otherwise a simple exercise. Decided to remove the fin rather than cut the line and the strap broke removing the fin - just bad timing. Can't imagine getting loose in that particular situation without a mask, and could easily see that loosing a mask trying to get to line wrapped around a fin in kelp would be "interesting". Don't carry a spare on a dive, I figure that I can see well enough to get to the surface if I were to lose a mask. Odds are if I lose a mask I am going to lose contacts so will be blind anyway even with a spare. Am VERY careful about protecting my mask because without contacts I can only see a few inches in water. Enough to see gauges and that is about it, but I can see gauges. On the surface I can probably find a boat or shore as long as neither is too far away and I don't have to find a particular boat

 

[TMHeimer]

Just under 2000 dives, I have never lost the use of my mask. I do not carry a 2nd mask when solo diving, perhaps I should?

I don't, but then I haven't taken the course.... I do keep one in the car and have used it more than once. I have broken straps, the things that hold the straps, etc. while donning it on land.