Hollis Mod-1 Mask - Thoughts For Tech Diving?
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Great to read the inquiry about the KMDSI modular full face mask. There some incorrect info on this thread and I would like to address just a few of them and leave the history for another post or feel free to PM me if interested.
The KMDSI M-48 MOD-1 is A Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, Inc. product. There is no other manufacturer, including Hollis that has ever been involved with designing or manufacturing either of the M-48 modular full face masks that Kirby Morgan manufactures. Hollis makes the BOV (bail out valve) and Kirby Morgan makes the masks, the PODs and the adapters to fit BOVs into the PODs, including the Hollis BOV.
In 2015 Kirby Morgan worked with Hollis on this one project to adapt the Hollis BOV into the Kirby Morgan modular full face mask system, which includes both the SuperMask® and the MOD-1. Hollis is not “selling the mask under their banner after they made some cosmetic changes” It is a 100% Kirby Morgan Product with a Hollis BOV inserted into the adapted pod that Kirby Morgan designed and manufactures. It has the Hollis logo on it and it looks cool, but can easily have an AP, IS or E on it. The Hollis BOV fits into a rebreather pod that Kirby Morgan designed and manufactures. Kirby Morgan and Hollis have simply paired their equipment together for this one project and both M-48 models will accept the Kirby Morgan SCUBA PODs and rebreather POD with BOV.
The SuperMask® is the original M-48 model and it was great to read how DA Aquamaster has used his in the Great Lakes and seems anywhere he can get into cold water. The MOD-1 being the latest version (2008) of the modular full face mask was initially designed to meet the needs of military and working divers and is the model that Kirby Morgan will focus on for future advancements, such as an attached hood and surface supplied POD. Both the SuperMask® and the MOD-1 have tempered glass lenses and the field of view testing done at Dive Lab, Inc. The field of view in the MOD-1 is 23% greater than the SuperMask® according to laboratory testing in a controlled environment.
There is no purge in the nose pocket. The nose pocket is very similar to all nose pockets found on traditional half masks. The MOD-1 nose pocket does have a nose pinch assembly inside the nose pocket which is designed to assist the diver in equalizing the middle ear.
Rich Keller you have some very impressive pictures of a KMB-8 in your photo gallery, but your observations that “From what I can see it is just a Kirby Morgan mask with some cosmetic changes.” are incorrect. The MOD-1 is very different from the SuperMask® in many ways from Mask Strap to the Mask Skirt. There has been no attempt for “cosmetic” improvements and only attention to function. There is a new regulator and dewatering purge system in the POD, Buckle Assemblies and the Jaw Frame were beefed up with changes in design and materials, additional threaded inserts and mounting tabs were added and just last year the mask skirt material and design was advanced to increase comfortable, range of fitting and durability. Hope this has been helpful and not just a “set the record straight” post. For a detailed look into the versatility of the M-48 modular full face mask system take a look at the video Kirby Morgan M-48 PODs In Depth Look.
I have been working for Kirby Morgan since the spring of 2012 and have been using their dive systems since 1992. First in a traditional commercial dive configuration with the Superlite 17B and BandMask 18. This was followed by using the original JMC SuperMask® (the M-48 SuperMask® but in blue ) as the Chief Diver for Jean Michel Cousteau at the Ocean Futures Society. With over a decade of continued use in open circuit and closed circuit diving modes, from the tropics to the colder waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic it was great to read that you all were talking about the mask. Everybody’s interest and knowledge is a warm welcome to a product that still is received as being “new” to the diving community.
The KMDSI M-48 MOD-1 is A Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, Inc. product. There is no other manufacturer, including Hollis that has ever been involved with designing or manufacturing either of the M-48 modular full face masks that Kirby Morgan manufactures. Hollis makes the BOV (bail out valve) and Kirby Morgan makes the masks, the PODs and the adapters to fit BOVs into the PODs, including the Hollis BOV.
In 2015 Kirby Morgan worked with Hollis on this one project to adapt the Hollis BOV into the Kirby Morgan modular full face mask system, which includes both the SuperMask® and the MOD-1. Hollis is not “selling the mask under their banner after they made some cosmetic changes” It is a 100% Kirby Morgan Product with a Hollis BOV inserted into the adapted pod that Kirby Morgan designed and manufactures. It has the Hollis logo on it and it looks cool, but can easily have an AP, IS or E on it. The Hollis BOV fits into a rebreather pod that Kirby Morgan designed and manufactures. Kirby Morgan and Hollis have simply paired their equipment together for this one project and both M-48 models will accept the Kirby Morgan SCUBA PODs and rebreather POD with BOV.
The SuperMask® is the original M-48 model and it was great to read how DA Aquamaster has used his in the Great Lakes and seems anywhere he can get into cold water. The MOD-1 being the latest version (2008) of the modular full face mask was initially designed to meet the needs of military and working divers and is the model that Kirby Morgan will focus on for future advancements, such as an attached hood and surface supplied POD. Both the SuperMask® and the MOD-1 have tempered glass lenses and the field of view testing done at Dive Lab, Inc. The field of view in the MOD-1 is 23% greater than the SuperMask® according to laboratory testing in a controlled environment.
There is no purge in the nose pocket. The nose pocket is very similar to all nose pockets found on traditional half masks. The MOD-1 nose pocket does have a nose pinch assembly inside the nose pocket which is designed to assist the diver in equalizing the middle ear.
Rich Keller you have some very impressive pictures of a KMB-8 in your photo gallery, but your observations that “From what I can see it is just a Kirby Morgan mask with some cosmetic changes.” are incorrect. The MOD-1 is very different from the SuperMask® in many ways from Mask Strap to the Mask Skirt. There has been no attempt for “cosmetic” improvements and only attention to function. There is a new regulator and dewatering purge system in the POD, Buckle Assemblies and the Jaw Frame were beefed up with changes in design and materials, additional threaded inserts and mounting tabs were added and just last year the mask skirt material and design was advanced to increase comfortable, range of fitting and durability. Hope this has been helpful and not just a “set the record straight” post. For a detailed look into the versatility of the M-48 modular full face mask system take a look at the video Kirby Morgan M-48 PODs In Depth Look.
I have been working for Kirby Morgan since the spring of 2012 and have been using their dive systems since 1992. First in a traditional commercial dive configuration with the Superlite 17B and BandMask 18. This was followed by using the original JMC SuperMask® (the M-48 SuperMask® but in blue ) as the Chief Diver for Jean Michel Cousteau at the Ocean Futures Society. With over a decade of continued use in open circuit and closed circuit diving modes, from the tropics to the colder waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic it was great to read that you all were talking about the mask. Everybody’s interest and knowledge is a warm welcome to a product that still is received as being “new” to the diving community.
Aotus
Contributor
A quick search confirms what Blair is saying, KM makes/sells the mod 1: M-48 MOD-1 | Kirby Morgan
Hollis only gets to claim their BOV that they modified to fit with the Mod 1.
Hollis only gets to claim their BOV that they modified to fit with the Mod 1.
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