Do any mask manufacturers do demo dives trips?

[HisLovelyBride]

I am so frustrated by leaky masks! I have been AOW certified for 2 years and have logged 65+ dives in warm and cold water, in wet and dry suits, with and without hoods, and have gone through at least a dozen masks. I have had to abort dives due to flooded masks and I frankly don't know what else to do.

Currently I am diving an Aqualung Quartz 3 and have to use a silicone adhesive in order to keep the mask clear enough to complete a dive. It is hard to tell where the mask is actually leaking, but my best guess is around the cheek bones. Low volume masks don't seem to work well (I have had a few). I test the masks at the LDS and what fits in the shop and what fits in the water with regulator are two very different things.

Are there any manufacturers that do demo days either at a shore dive location, on a boat, or a LDS pool?

I am in Southern California and would be delighted to have a chance to really find the right mask for my face.

 

[Damselfish]

When you try the mask in the shop do you have a reg in your mouth? If not, you should. What else do you do? I know it's hard to get exactly the right fit and masks that seem ok dry can still leak. But if you at least thought it fit in the shop, it's hard to imagine it then leaking so badly you'd have to abort a dive.

I haven't heard of manufacturers demo days for masks but I'm not sure that would help much, as you likely need to try masks from a number of manufacturers anyway.

 

[pickens_46929]

So here's something that I eventually found out after about 50 dives...

Is your mask too tight? Do you have your strap pulled too tight by any chance?

Like I said, it took me a while to figure out why my masked leaked so much.

From what I gather pulling the mask too tight deforms the mask right at the eye socket or cheeks.

Just a thought...

 

[HisLovelyBride]

I don't think that it is too tight, but I will surely loosen the strap and try again. My husband reminded me that the most recent mask didn't leak badly while we dove in Hawaii (no hood) and has leaked a lot more while I used my hood in cold water.

Thanks for the idea and I'll let you know if I have any success with the mask strap loosened.

 

[NudeDiver]

I've found that my mask leaks when it is too tight as well. Remember that the mask strap isn't really there to keep it on your face under water.

I don't think it would be cost effective for mask manufacturers to have the expense of "demo days" to sell a $50-$80 mask, esp. since the reality is that people are buying masks anyway.

You might try finding a better LDS - one that will let you task a mask to a pool and return it within a couple of days if it doesn't fit right. Many of the on-line sellers have such a policy, with the caveat of having to deal with postal issues.

FWIW - I had a Scuba Pro Crystal Vu that worked great (with prescription lenses bonded in). After breaking two of them (dunno how), I decided to try a Hydrooptix mask. I got the DD 4.5 one (the funny one) and their flat prescription mask. The flat one doesn't leak - but I still have some leak issues with the DD that I hope to resolve soon.

Good luck!
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[HisLovelyBride]

Thank you all for your great advice. NudeDiver I finally got back in the water and tried your suggestion and loosened my mask(s). Low and behold they did not leak as bad. I took two masks with me to see which of them worked best and they were both acceptable when more loose than tight. I didn't think I had them tight, but obviously they were too tight to work properly. Thanks for the advice, it is good to see clearly, especially when the vis is great.

 

[NudeDiver]

Hey, sweet!!! Glad that worked out for you.

Cheers!
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