Full face masks?

[scubawally]

Kirby morgan makes a FFm that is acceptable for tech use....check it out its called the supermask

 

[Thalassamania]

Supermask

I've not had good luck with these kinds of masks but I'd be willing to try this one just on the strenth of the Kirby Morgan name and the fact that Oceanic has picked it up.

 

[ralawrence]

I run a AGA with a 13 cf bailout bottle through an Oxycheq gas block switch. Having rigged the gas block on my left BC strap, checking to see if bail-out was on then forgetting to switch back to main, I had an OOA @ 38 feet (8 min into dive).

Switch buried on left side with a bunch of hoses in the way, so I did a swim up exhaling all the way. Lesson learned is: If you are going to use a gas switch/bailout bottle system make darned sure the switch can be seen with mask on and rig it so, while not exactly "in the way" it is "almost in the way" so you don't have to grope around for it. Now the switch resides on breast strap where I can see it and don't have to hunt for it --- definitely "almost" n the way. OOA with 100 CF on back and difficult to get to really sucks.

 

[dry heat diver]

Cool! Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.

 

[RayJayJr]

That Aquadyne looks like some sort of imperial stormtrooper mask - I'd buy it just for the novelty of scaring the **** out of people.

 

[Thalassamania]

Of all the band masks I liked the Aquadyne best.

 

[vablackwater]

The AGAs have a little bridge that rests under your nose. A little push up from your chin seats the bridge and allows you to clear your ears, or you can use valsalvic. The bridge is adjustable as far as the height, so we make it routine to check the bridge is seated (community masks) properly to fit pre dive. We use a kirby morgan valve on our chests. I prefer this to the block that rests at the reg, but you have a good 8 turns or so to switch to a pony (19 or 30 cu ft). Downside, it is not as fast as the reg block, but the diver makes a conscious choice to switch over (don't know if anyone who dives the block on the reg ever had an entaglement or trip on the wire accidentally). There are no in water adjustments on the AGAs. The AGAs purge like a dream (takes less than a second to clear a fully flooded mask), but you get a good whoosh of air that can catch you offguard the first few times you drill with them.

We also have EXO 26's. These do not fit my face as well as the AGAs, and are a heavier mask. We don't have the optional ballast system on the EXO's, and they have a tendency to keep my head up a little higher. The EXO's have a nose pocket where you can pinch your nose to clear, and do have the inhalation adjustment. We use the same block setup as we do for the AGAs with the EXO's.

 

[james croft]

Of all the band masks I liked the Aquadyne best.

Yeah the Aquadyne is pretty cool. I have an Aquadyne DM-7 but the neoprene face seal is getting a little ratty so I quit using it. Have it hanging on my wall. I just overhauled the Scubapro reg on it and it breathes nice. I also like the Widolf band masks as they look pretty spooky also. There is a company somewhere that overhauls and sells Aquadynes but I have lost their website.

 

[Thalassamania]

My Aquadyne has the bailout block on the right side of the hat (I think it's actualy a KM block that was retro-fit).

 

[james croft]

Have one on mine also with a check valve on it for surface supplied air. Not sure if the block is KM, but one of my purge mushroom valves located near the chin has been replaced with a KM valve. My brass supply tube is a little dinged up. Wonder if there is a source for one? I suppose I could get one made and get it chromeplated.