Backup Mask?

[Doppler]

"Always" carry a spare in the pocket on my right thigh. One small detail... clean the sucker from time to time...

For the record, have only had to go to it once... it was in a cave not a wreck... I would not recommend any sort of overhead dive -- either deco, wreck penetration or cave -- or a dive in cold water, without a backup. Don't know about wearing it around my neck though! Stow the sucker please.

DD=-)

 

[WreckWriter]

Redshift once bubbled...
I've seen it too, but I belive it was backwards on the neck and not the head. That way it woudn't come off easly.

I've also seen that done. NE wreck folks I believe.

Left thigh pocket is best for me, attached to the pocket cord with a double-ender (another handy spare).

WW

 

[Northeastwrecks]

WreckWriter once bubbled...


I've also seen that done. NE wreck folks I believe.

Left thigh pocket is best for me, attached to the pocket cord with a double-ender (another handy spare).

WW

Same here. I also dive with it regularly (primary mask goes in pocket) and defog it before every dive.

 

[taat2d]

I dive with contact lenses and if I lose my mask I'm up the creak without a paddle. I'm blind as a bat with out them and didn't like the idea of getting corrective lenses in my mask. So I added a spare mask to my gear EVERY time I dive.

 

[Quest]

WreckWriter once bubbled...


I've also seen that done. NE wreck folks I believe.

WW

Yeup, thats were i saw it.

 

[Quest]

taat2d once bubbled...
I dive with contact lenses and if I lose my mask I'm up the creak without a paddle. I'm blind as a bat with out them and didn't like the idea of getting corrective lenses in my mask. So I added a spare mask to my gear EVERY time I dive.

Very good point. I dive with contacts too. But, i am nearsited so can still manage to see my gauges etc. with eyes open underwater.

But, it really comes down to wear and tear. My primary mask is one of those very low profile navy seal masks. I believe made by oceanway or oceanreef. Anyway it has a lower profile then most lowprofile masks i have seen. So its easy to fit in a pocket. and its pretty cheap. i think like $30 compared with my other $70 masks.

So its a matter of having to prep it and rinse it afterwards. Not really much work when you compare the benefit of having it when you do need it.

 

[icediver]

Using it once, justifies carrying it on 10,000 other dives.IMHO

T

 

[Ziggys_Friend]

Quest once bubbled...
When i first got into tech wreck diving i started carrying a spare mask especially when the dive requires deco.

But, i notice many of the experienced divers dont carry a backup mask unless they are cave diving.

Is what im doing overkill?

I just got back from a DIR/F class this weekend. Of course we had server mask removal/replacement drills. Then a mask removal drill ... I ended up calling the dive for a group of five divers because one of our buddies lost their mask. Okay, that was a drill ...

Okay, real world. Earlier today upon entering the water for another dive, one of our buddies lost his mask and down it went in about 30 feet. Since he had a backup, he was able to immediately retrieve it. Now that wasn't life threatening, but it sure was nice - without it his dive day might well have been over.

I've never had a regulator fail either ... but I sure have a back-up ... so for my money, no you're not in overkill ...

~<//><

 

[taat2d]

Quest once bubbled...


Very good point. I dive with contacts too. But, i am nearsited so can still manage to see my gauges etc. with eyes open underwater.

Quest what do you do if you lose your mask, and you deep inside a wreck or cave? You open your eyes, lose youe contact lenses.

How are you going to get yourself out and back to the surface? I wouldn't want to have to take that chance. I think one of the BEST investments I ever made was a back up mask.

It's alot cheaper than my life....

 

[Ziggys_Friend]

taat2d once bubbled...

Quest once bubbled...


Very good point. I dive with contacts too. But, i am nearsited so can still manage to see my gauges etc. with eyes open underwater.

Quest what do you do if you lose your mask, and you deep inside a wreck or cave? You open your eyes, lose youe contact lenses.

How are you going to get yourself out and back to the surface? I wouldn't want to have to take that chance. I think one of the BEST investments I ever made was a back up mask.

It's alot cheaper than my life....

Humm ... I dive with contacts too, but I've never actually had a problem loosing them underwater when I dove without a mask. Is that just me?

Having said that, I am now a firm believer in bringing a back-up if for no other reason than why end a dive early over something as silly as loosing a mask (silly, that is IF you have a back-up).

Quest wearing it inverted doesn't really sound very wise ... firstly I think it would be a real entanglement hazard and way too easy to loose (which pretty much defeats the purpose). No, I'm with Uncle Pug once again, clip it off in the left thigh pocket and "ferget it" until that one day ...) Okay, don't forget it - you do want to keep it defogged for that day too.

~<//><