This little statement is on our web site - it came from a memo that I wrote to our sales reps after my first demo event - 5 days diving the mask - and for the first time, not focused on testing the optical placement or some other thing - I finally had a chance to just dive....
It seems ridiculous to explain to someone that looking at their watch or console takes so much effort that this mask is a great benefit - but after diving it, you quickly begin to realize just how much of a distraction monitoring your instruments actually is – and how liberating diving “hands-free” can be. Imagine driving down the freeway and having to reach down to locate a gauge to check your speed. Diving with the DataMask makes monitoring your dive data just as easy. Before you complete the thought “I wonder how much air I have?” or “How deep am I?” or “Am I ascending too fast?” – You have the answer – instantly. Imagine how enjoyable it is to complete an entire dive without taking your eyes off the reef, ever. Ascents are completely changed – you’ll see people ascend trying to manage their buoyancy and check their gauges with their left hand while their right is holding a line, assisting a buddy, shining a light on their gauge, or a combination of them all and appreciate your DataMask more than ever. Safety stops are a completely different experience - with the DataMask you’re perfectly able to observe your surroundings while seeing current depth and countdown time. For anyone that has downloaded their dives, you’ll find that regardless of buoyancy skills, most divers experience fairly significant depth and ascent rate fluctuations without ever knowing it. With the DataMask, these variations are instantly recognized, giving you an opportunity to correct them – ultimately providing much greater control and safety during the dive. And finally, you’ll enjoy the ability to easily monitor your air time remaining – and will see immediate benefits of reduced air consumption.
I gave my first official DataMask presentation at a dealer meeting in the UK - about a month before this demo trip. The focus, other than how the thing worked, was on how the technology was going to change everything - that diving with your computer in your line of site was the future. Quite honestly, I had a real hard time - because at that point I didn't believe it. I knew that it was amazing technology - I had been involved at some level from the initial concept of the product - and it is truly an incredible achievement. But, I didn't believe, deep down that it was going to change things. It took four days of diving - everything changed. There is a small segment of the market that is looking for a 1500 computer, regardless of what it does. Over time, the technology will become more accessible, and yes, like the BC, pressure gauge, octo, and computer, will become standard equipment for most. How long will it take? Who knows... but it will happen - I'd bet anything on it.
