Freediving masks

[OceanObsessed]

...but I feel like I'm still wasting breath equalizing it. I've been hearing about spheras--both good and bad things-- and omer masks. Any thoughts?

I personally really like the Sphera even though the lens is plastic. The lens still seems very clear to me. If you feel like you are wasting air equalizing then the Sphera is the way to go. The Sphera is 76ml, compared to the Cressi Minima at 83.5ml, and has a much much greater field of vision. AnotherNWdiver listed the pros and cons of the Sphera. For me the low price offsets the cons. You can buy them for around $30 online.

 

[5ata]

I settled on the Cressi Minima I have two) since it has a wide skirt and I feel a lower volume than the Sphera - in addition the lenses are glass as compared to the easily scratched plastic lenses of the Sphera. Price was around the same as the Sphera - I own one and haven't used it since freediving with the Minima.

Not only do I freedive with it, I shoot video while freediving and I have very little to worry about when compensating the mask as I descend.

I highly recommend the Cressi Minima.

 

[AnotherNWdiver]

I thought the Minima had plastic lenses, given that it is based on a swim goggle, so I was surprised when you said they were glass. If I had known that I may not have bought the Sphera. I have one question for you though. Is there enough room between the lens and your eye to fit a prescription insert. My usual mask has inserts from Prescription Dive Masks. (Given the plastic lenses of the Sphera I didn't even bother to ask and just planned on having blurry vision anyway.) They say they can put them into any mask. Do you think they'd work in a Minima?

Thanks for setting me straight.

JB

 

[5ata]

I thought the Minima had plastic lenses, given that it is based on a swim goggle, so I was surprised when you said they were glass. If I had known that I may not have bought the Sphera. I have one question for you though. Is there enough room between the lens and your eye to fit a prescription insert. My usual mask has inserts from Prescription Dive Masks. (Given the plastic lenses of the Sphera I didn't even bother to ask and just planned on having blurry vision anyway.) They say they can put them into any mask. Do you think they'd work in a Minima?

Thanks for setting me straight.

JB

If you visit Cressi's Minima web page here, you'll see that one of the specs is "Thicker, special tempered glass lenses".

As for the prescription insert - I'm not certain, but for the cost, you could purchase one from LP (I bought two), and see if it will work, you can always return it if it doesn't work out for you.

HTH,

 

[AnotherNWdiver]

5ata, after I read your first post I did go to the Cressi site. And then I went to Leasure Pro to see what they were charging. It's not the cost of the mask that worries me, it's the cost of the lens inserts. They're prescription optical quality, so they're over $100. I'll have to give Prescription Dive Masks a call and see if they can fit the inserts in. Added bonus, the inserts cut the volume even more.

Thanks again.

JB

 

[kareem_d]

I'm an avid freediver and spearfisherman. I use the cressi superocchio and the omer alien. Both great masks.
Heres a great guide thats really helpful in picking a freediving mask...

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Freediving Mask | NichePage

cheers

 

[Freep]

The deeper you go, the cooler it gets! So the most reasons you'll find to buy a cressi minima..

Don't dry out!
Freep

 

[Arubandi07]

For a small face, 'Omer Bandit', love it!!

 

[SangP]

The newer super low volume masks that have received rave reviews are the Aqualung Micromask, IST M99 (micromask knockoff), omer Zero 3, Aqualung falco. All of them have fantastic viewing angles compared to the older type cressi Superocchio masks.

Try em on before buying.

 

[mahjong]

If you also have a small/narrow face, perhaps try the Scubapro Futura 1. I'm looking for a new one, but they're not available in the US. Only Europe, perhaps because the spearfishing/freediving market there is larger than in the US. The Sporasub Dessault is also quite nice, designed for spearfishing/freediving. But not quite the same wide field of vision as the Futura 1.

I'm wearing the Futura 1 in my avatar. I've been diving "that" Futura 1 for ~10 years. I noticed recently that the (outdated, or is he timeless?) model in the "Regulators" section of the GUE Equipment Configuration website is also wearing a Futura 1: Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers