I see movies or videos where people are in FFM and I think it’s just clownish, almost like the people making the movies don’t know how to dive.
In movies, it's primarily so the audience can see the face of the actor and hear them, which is what they are being paid for. Same reason why, in flying movies, the fighter pilot always has their mask hanging off to the side which is not how it's done IRL
The problem is if a FFM leaks, you can’t really clear it
They shouldn't leak if correctly fitted, and all of them have a mechanism for clearing the mask. Most FFM, if correctly fitted, will leak substantially less than almost any half mask, due to the slight positive pressure on the inside. They also don't fog up so no more spit and baby shampoo.
They are also waaaay more forgiving of "odd" face shapes so its much easier to get a good FFM than a well-fitting half mask.
you have no real way to breathe
Many (most?) FFM have the ability to plug a secondary gas source directly into the mask, so if you have an issue, you dont even have to switch regs like you do with a half mask
grabbing your octopus (which hopefully is working)
Octopus should ALWAYS be working, regardless of what type of diving you are doing. They often aren't but thats not a FFM problem.
then you’re breathing with no mask.
FFM training will include carrying and deploying a backup mask
but IMO I still get a damn good visibility.
Visibility is not a primary reason for diving a FFM for anyone I have ever met or trained. That being said, it is much easier to wear glasses under one than a half mask, many have a lens-mount option which is way cheaper than getting prescription masks ground.
so that’s why they wear FFM
Reasons students have come to me for FFM training include, in rough order of frequency:
- Wanting comms with partner
- Professional requirements (PSD, Commercial etc)
- Cold water diving (FFM is WAAAAAY nicer than half mask when you are diving really cold water)
- Safety concerns (if you have a loss-of-consciousness event in a FFM, you have a much better chance of being rescued alive than in a half mask) (This is one of the main reasons I dive a KM-48 FFM on my CCR when I am not teaching
- "Because I want to" which is a valid reason for doing anything in a recreational activity, given adequate training and skills.
Not trying to give you a hard time Charles, but it seems clear that you haven't dived a FFM before, and so you (understandably) don't see the appeal. You are obviously not the target demographic and that's fine, but let's not yuck other people's yum, shall we?