Black vs. clear silicone mask

[emoreira]

One of the most important things is the size of the lenses, keeping the volume low.
Like the Cressi big eyes or the Cressi Matrix, the lenses are high alowing you to see down without turning down your head.
I've been diving with the clear Cressi Matrix for some years now. Switched to a black Omersub sporadically and the tube effect, like looking the landscape through a tube was disturbing. It was the sum of the black skirt + the short lenses.

 

[mdb]

I'm thinking of buying a new cressi big eye evo mask. I currently have a clear silicone skirt type mask. Is there any reason or advantage to the black silicone over the clear silicone mask? I'm a warm water recreational diver and a novice.

Thanks

Cressi makes fine masks. The Cressi big eye EVO would be a good choice.

Surgical grade Black silicone masks have no side reflection and better focus IMHO:

Apollo Sports: Dive Gear: Masks: Bio Metal

All that being said; fit is most important. Good luck on finding a good fitting mask.

 

[Monkey_Gland]

Is this another potentially divisive but ultimately personal issue that people can get over excited about? Brilliant!

I have a black silicone. I believe, with hand on heart, that you will die if you use clear silicone. The sharks are attracted to it and instances of DCS increase 7billion fold.

Or something. Yeah, I like black. Coz I'm a dive dork and think I look like I'm in the SAS. See...dork.

 

[fnfalman]

I have a black skirted mask that I use when I feel like a badass hard core diver. When I feel goofy, I use my clear skirted mask.

 

[oreocookie]

I initially got a clear skirted mask cause I thought it looked better than the black skirted ones, and I thought that black noses look funny(and there might have been a bit of a claustrophobia-worry there too). I used it for my ow pool sessions while I was waiting for mask #2 with Rx lenses (it was going to cost the same to modify the mask I had vs getting a whole new one and ending up with a spare). I opted for a black skirt on that one at the recommendation of the optician I ordered the mask through. His logic was that glare from a clear skirt would be even worse with my Rx. So far I've been happy with it, haven't really noticed any closed-in feeling with it, and in a way, the tunneling of the black might help me a bit, making me look through the center of the lenses that are perfect, vs the edges which are blurry.

 

[emoreira]

Yes, that is exactly the feeling I get when I use a black skirted mask : Claustrophobia

 

[Cudabait]

Is this another potentially divisive but ultimately personal issue that people can get over excited about? Brilliant!

I have a black silicone. I believe, with hand on heart, that you will die if you use clear silicone. The sharks are attracted to it and instances of DCS increase 7billion fold.

Or something. Yeah, I like black. Coz I'm a dive dork and think I look like I'm in the SAS. See...dork.

I don't know what the h$!! Moankey gland is talking about. However, I always dove with black masks until I bought my first all clear mask in 2002. In February of 2003 I experieced what could have been a fatal barracuda attack on a night dive at Utila, Honduras. (Very serious) Since then I (and La Cuda) have gone back to only black equipment. By the way, the vis is almost better with black masks.

Forgive for posting to a relatively old thread.

 

[mistressmotorsports]

Just to muddy up the waters a little, there are several masks with translucent but frosted frames. My daughter has one and loves it. None of the reflections with a clear mask, but lets a little extra light in to reduce the tunnel vision effect. I have a clear framed mask and like it, but I chose it for fit, not for color.

 

[Sas]

Up until yesterday I used a clear skirted mask. However, due to an underwater collision incident on a weekend dive, my clear skirt mask is out of action until I can get a new buckle. I bought a black mask to replace it in the meantime and after two dives I seem to prefer the black skirt one.... Though still early days and I might just be prefering it because the skirt is thinner and doesn't rub on my nose at all. Also my other mask had become a bit leaky and I'd forgotten what it was like not to have to clear my mask every five minutes

That being said, I did notice the difference when taking photos when the sun came up this morning during a dive. Less distraction with light and my peripheral vision. Last night on a night dive I did not have any trouble spotting my buddy's light signals in my peripheral vision, though the viz was very good. I guess I will see how I go after a few more dives, and especially after a dive with a very sunny day and good viz (though given winter is fast approaching and there is dredging in the bay, there might be a while to wait before one of those!).

 

[JackSpearo]

black black black... if you can get past the "tunnel vision" or claustrophobia some people have, you'll love it, I know I'll never go back to clear...