Backup mask fogging solutions

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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.
You worded it correctly, sorry it was my mistake.

When I practice and switch I get some fog sometimes at first but it usually clears as I let some water in and clear it again.
 
Have to say I do not hugely worry about fogging either on my main mask or a back up. Given our climate and water temps it is quite normal for there to be a large difference in temp between the air inside the mask and the glass surface (which I have found to be the main cause of foggy masks). Predive I use natures defog on main mask (spit). During the dive the simple solution for fogging is to instigate a partial flood, tilt my head down so the glass is horizontal, swill it about and clear. Takes about 10 secs and is effective (and can be repeated as many times as I need to).

I doubt any defog will survive immersion and soaking(as is the case with a back up mask).

With practise a mask clear should almost be as simple as breathing and involve virtually no task loading at all. I don't really care if I need to clear it once or 10 times as I barely need to think about it because clearing has become so routine.
 
aside from standard anti fogging treatments has anyone found a reliable way to prevent backup masks from fogging?
If you are diving in Cozumel (and perhaps other locations) you can pick one of the many plants on the bottom (kind of shaped like a Reese's cup on a stem) that the local dive guides use to help with mask fogging during dives -- it works.
 
You can lick the inside of a mask underwater too. It may be hard to develop enough spit if you have been on OC for a while though. I've also found that it works best when you have a bit of air in the mask, then lick. Of course that means you have to hold the mask opening down, and you have to be face up. With no mask. Which is less than fun unless you are into waterboarding yourself.

Or you can just swish every once in a while and be thankful you don't have to cup an air bubble in front of your eye with your hand to read your computer because you were smart enough to bring a backup in the first place.
 
You can lick the inside of a mask underwater too. It may be hard to develop enough spit if you have been on OC for a while though. I've also found that it works best when you have a bit of air in the mask, then lick. Of course that means you have to hold the mask opening down, and you have to be face up. With no mask. Which is less than fun unless you are into waterboarding yourself.

Or you can just swish every once in a while and be thankful you don't have to cup an air bubble in front of your eye with your hand to read your computer because you were smart enough to bring a backup in the first place.
I do the licking method if it fogs up too much, it works for me.
 
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.
Small amount of flood works for me as well if I get fog mid-dive.
 
I just use spit for defog. Maybe you could pull the backup mask out of your pocket, remove your reg, and hock a couple loogies in there before swapping masks? I haven't given this a shot, so wouldn't consider it an ingenious solution, but it's what I would try :)

How do you hock a loogie into a mask under water??
 
It’s a backup mask used for emergencies with your primary mask. I would assume if you’re pulling it out you are also ending the dive. I’ve tried a few things and none work. Iz’ve just come to the understanding that if I need to use my backup mask put of my pocket it’s going to fog and I will deal with it. A foggy mask is better than no mask at all
 

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