El-Cheapo Masks

[beyond_gravity]

I am currently using my dad's old school mask. It sticks out really far, has a bad field of vision, and looks stupid.

I don't want to cough up $60 to get a new mask from a dive shop...how would something from wal-mart or similar store work?

 

[DiveTub]

The mask is one of the most important devices in Scuba Diving. Don't waste your money getting a cheap mask, go out and find one that is low volume and is comfy the very bst you can afford. The last thing you want is a cheap crappy mask that leaks and is uncomfortable on your face.

Also spend some cash on a good mask and it will last for many years of diving.

 

[Indodive]

My friend dived in Bali with cheap mask and the left lense of his mask fell off at 130 ft, luckily, even though very tense and nervous, he managed to ascend and resurface slowly.

Never buy cheap mask, its dangerous.

 

[Charlie99]

beyond_gravity once bubbled...
I don't want to cough up $60 to get a new mask from a dive shop...how would something from wal-mart or similar store work?

The high quality silicone of a high quality scuba mask will last a long time. The skirt on the cheaper masks may get stiff and not seal well after a couple of years, but by that time you may very have have decided to get some other mask anyway.

As with any mask, don't go diving with it if it's broken and the lens is ready to fall out, and you won't have any problem.

 

[PaulB]

I used to dive with a U.S Divers from wally world before I got my good one. It worked fine. Sealed great and fit perfectly.

 

[SueMermaid]

I got one of those "Comp" masks from Divers Direct for like 20 bucks. Been diving with it for 5 years now, and it's my favorite mask.
I have an expensive one that I hate and only use for backup. Your mileage may vary.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Fit is what is important and I think now even cheap masks have to have tempered glass for saftey. So a cheap mask that fits may be ok.

However on the negative side, the skirts on cheaper masks are normally not silicone but rather some type of acrylic (and this includes some of the cheaper masks sold in dive shops not just Wal-Mart.) Acrylic does not age nearly as well as silicone and that good fit will deteriorate over time as the skirt hardens or deforms.

Still, they are worlds better than the large bulky and uncomfortable masks that were around when I started diving. Silicone was just making an initial appearance but even silicone skirts were a lot harder then than they are now.

A good mask is perhaps the best investment you will ever make in scuba equipment. A dive where you have to frequently clear an ill fitting mask is no fun and sometimes can be dangerous.

I'd focus on finding one that fits you well and meets your specific needs and not worry about what it costs - it will be cheap at any price in the end.

The local dive shop may also have various models in the rental dept that you cna try out. There is not really a good substitute for actually trying a mask before you buy it. Sometimes a good fit in the store does not equate to a good fit in the water.