Fins and Mask for Newbie

[Rainer]

A black skirt mask is not a GUE requirement.

 

[TSandM]

Black in ANYTHING is not a GUE or DIR requirement! Colors are absolutely fine. Unfortunately, a lot of the things that one ends up going to for GUE diving only come in black (unless you're willing to order your Jet fins from Japan, and pay $200 a pair for them).

I have found that clear skirted masks do not help peripheral vision, and multi-paned masks cause a lot of distortion and can give me the impression of spurious light signals. But that's my personal experience, and my husband does not agree with me.

 

[limeyx]

A black skirt mask is not a GUE requirement.

But look pretty bad in still photographs (at least in my opinion)

 

[kanonfodr]

A clear-skirted mask, especially in either bright water or around bright canister lights, can cause light to be reflected from the glass panes into your eyes. It feels like driving down the road at night and that guy in the oncoming lane has his brights on, very annoying the day I spent 3 hours freediving (and subsequently I bought a proper freediving mask with a black skirt ).

Oh, and black isn't necessary at all for all of your gear

Peace,
Greg

 

[fisheater]

From the GUE website equipment article:



I have never used Force Fins, so I do not know how well they work for the whole spectrum of precision kicks that GUE teaches. I would worry a bit that the curved blade surface would interfere with the efficient of frog-type kicks (frog, helicopter, back) but I don't know if that is actually true. The fins are not line traps, and I assume you can equip them with some kind of spring strap. My guess is that the money would be better spent on something else in your kit, though, and depending on the GUE instructor with whom you are working, the Force Fins might get vetoed on general principles

Best idea with any unusual gear choice is to run it by your instructor, before you pay a lot of money for something and get told you can't use it, or simply get hassled constantly for having it.

Force Fins work just fine for frog and helicopter. Not so much for back kicking. They come with elastic bungee backs, the moral equivalent of springs.


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[lamont]

But look pretty bad in still photographs (at least in my opinion)

i find the clear ones with a black hood look more out of place... i don't really like the black mask skirt raccoon eyes effect though either...

 

[Ben_ca]

I was wondering though, what is the advantage of Black?

It hides wear and tear better than colored items... Colored items fade and show their age much sooner than black items. If you have black gear and it's time to sell off/upgrade the stuff won't look that old and worn down.

 

[kathydee]

Hi,

Welcome to the DIR forum . I envy your choice to step on this training path from the beginning. You will never have to rebuy equipment nor break the bad habits that so many of us have struggled to overcome.

How long ago did you email your future instructor? I think you should try again -- let them know you are in the middle of equipment selection, and in need of guidance.

As others have said, don’t worry about black. Pick the colors you love! Just make sure the equipment is within standards.

I love my Atomic Frameless low volume mask and have both clear and black, but perfer the black because of glare on the clear one. My XL Jet fins have served me well.

Have fun shopping

 

[limeyx]

i find the clear ones with a black hood look more out of place... i don't really like the black mask skirt raccoon eyes effect though either...

Clear mask of any kind (to me) looks bad in photos. I have yet to see a black one look bad due to mask issues with or w/out hood.

Got any raccoon examples ?

 

[Ragnar]

Try the fins if possible, while a Jetfin and Slipstream may seem similar in your hands they are vastly different in the water, the Slips being quite a lot stiffer.