Clear Mask Skirt vs. Black Mask Skirt

[simbrooks]

Lots of advantages to the black skirt. Why just the other day I was wearing mine out and about and friends were coming up to me and asking "Gee have you lost weight?" and "Are you going to the gym?". The postman waved as he went by (he never waves). My tax refund was doubled due to the black skirt AND I've saved some money on my car insurance. Hard to dispute these facts. yea, i used to be a clear skirt kinda guy but i have been reborn. If you wish i can share my difficult times when i was a clear skirter. If it will help more people out there i would be willing to do so. Thank you.

Please dont post photos of your clear skirt days, it might be over PG-13

One downside to a black mask is if your on the surface for a long time, like teaching a CW class, your get the dorkiest looking oval tan/burn you have ever seen. Try explaining that one away at the water cooler on a monday morning.

I hadnt noticed, i guess i never leave my mask on all that long on the surface, i usually take it off and turn it around, but you have different dives than i do with instruction i guess. Do you use suncream?

 

[TCDiver1]

I hadnt noticed, i guess i never leave my mask on all that long on the surface, i usually take it off and turn it around, but you have different dives than i do with instruction i guess. Do you use suncream?

You get to teaching and sometimes its just easier to leave your mask on instead of taking it off every time you need to talk. And yes, i'm a SPF-30 type of guy but if you forget to put the stuff on, we are talking serious racoon eyes.

 

[simbrooks]

And yes, i'm a SPF-30 type of guy but if you forget to put the stuff on, we are talking serious racoon eyes.

Same here, that is why i am the whitest person in FL

 

[QuoVadis]

Not sure how you *compared* masks on the net??

While your logic makes sense in how we *see* what you fail to then grasp is that light coming into the side of a clear mask is not what the eyes are focusing on, nor can one SEE well (or really at all) through a clear skirt. It's NOT all that clear.

Light comming into the side of the clear skirt will either be ignored, or will result in a distraction taking the attention off the objects that CAN be seen within the visual area that a given mask allows.

Try this, look through a paper towell tube. Now punch a bunch of holes through the paper towell tube, and have someone shine high power flashlights into the holes on the side. As there is more light entering the tube from the sides, based on your logic everything should be MUCH clearer yes? No, the reality is that the light coming into the tube that is outside the focus at the end is REALLY distracting.

I compared the pros and cons of each on the net. I have proof of my claim...Does anyone else have proof of theirs? This I know... My mask is totally clear (ScubaPro CrystalVu) and it does let in more light than black masks. Is this better for "seeing" things underwater? I say yes. If I want tunnel vision, I will get a black mask.

Just a question...How many of you black maskers are DIR????

 

[lamont]

Just a question...How many of you black maskers are DIR????

I guess I'll admit to being DIR (whatever that means these days) and having a black mask.

My previous mask was clear and I switched to black.

I switched because the clear one didn't fit well on me and leaked constantly (got lots of practice clearing the mask), while a buddy had a black one that fit on me but didn't fit on him, so I bought it off him.

The black one is also low-volume which is really nice.

GI3 dives a clear tusa... I guess that means I'm not DIR... oh, well...

 

[QuoVadis]

I guess I'll admit to being DIR (whatever that means these days) and having a black mask.

My previous mask was clear and I switched to black.

I switched because the clear one didn't fit well on me and leaked constantly (got lots of practice clearing the mask), while a buddy had a black one that fit on me but didn't fit on him, so I bought it off him.

The black one is also low-volume which is really nice.

GI3 dives a clear tusa... I guess that means I'm not DIR... oh, well...

Do you HAVE TO get a black mask in order to be DIR?

 

[lamont]

Do you HAVE TO get a black mask in order to be DIR?

Do you know how to read?

 

[QuoVadis]

Do you know how to read?

yes

 

[Snowbear]

Do you HAVE TO get a black mask in order to be DIR?

Of course you do

It's all part of the conspiracy to take over the world, doncha know

I used a clear skirted mask all the way through my DIRf class and then some.

I liked it.

When it eventually became yellow skirted and the purge valve started leaking I looked high and low for a mask that would actually fit me without leaking. I finally found the SeaVision low volume black framed, black skirted, black strapped (but clear lensed) mask. I like it so much I bought another one to use as a backup. I switched out the black straps for black nylon and neoprene straps.... Uh ohhhhhh.... I think my assimilation is now complete

 

[Snowbear]

Other examples of why surrounding your eyes with something dark can be found on eye cups of binoculars, mountaineers glacier sunglasses, eye cups on high end cameras - both video and still...

Actually, as you stated, glacier glasses are side blocked to keep out extra light, but for a far different reason that the other optic stuff you mentioned.... It's to prevent snow blindness, which is actually the result of all that reflected light bouncing off the snow and ice and causing an extremely nasty, painful, debilitating sunburn to the eyeball ..... OWOWOWOWOWOWOW :11:

Ultimately the only light you want to let in is that which is on the subject that you are viewing. Any light coming in from the side is irrelevant and distracting. Thus dark skirted masks make it easier to view.

For mask skirts and photog and optics like binocs, I agree with this 100%

Oh, and as for periferal vision - the low volume mask with a black skirt gives me way better periferal vision than the old "clear," but actually opaque mask skirt ever did. This is, of course, not the same thing as those huge face shields with little lenses built into the side and bottom of the mask skirt....