How many masks did you go through to find one that works?

[Jafo19D]

1. It’s an Aqualung.

 

[Belzelbub]

If they don't work, and you can put up with the hammerhead shark jokes, or the comments from older divemaster s that they dove the same mask in 1978.. this one fits. It takes 2 breaths to clear a full flood and strong currents will actually make it shake on your face...but it fits me great.

Aqua Lung Wraparound Mask, Black

I was going to answer that it took two masks to get one that I liked. Both actually fit me well and didn’t leak. My first was very similar to that Aqualung. I liked it out of the water, but couldn’t stand it in the water. Problem was those Windows on the sides. They were disorienting underwater. The angles shown in the peripheral windows were farther back than they would appear. There was a sizable blind spot between the front and sides, though to my eyes it would seem to be smaller than it actually was. That sounds confusing the way I wrote it.

Let’s assume that peripheral vision is 180° (270° - 90°). When I put the mask on, that angle is divided by the 3 windows of the mask. For round numbers, let’s assume 100° through the front window, and 40° through each of the sides. Above the water, it’s as expected. 310° - 50°, left side is 270° - 310° and right side is 50° - 90°. Below the water, the front window was unchanged, but the sides were shifted further back. So the left actually showed 255° - 295°, and the right showed 65° - 105°. There was 15° on each side that was missing, though to my eyes, it should have been continuous. I couldn’t stand that.

I still have my second SCUBA mask. Oceanic Shadow. It fits great, and I wear it whenever I’m not wearing the GoPro mask.

 

[dumasjc]

I'm on my third mask right now, trying to find one that works.

So far, I've used the Atomic Frameless 2, the Scubapro Synergy 2 Twin, and the Tusa CEOS.

Out of the water, they all fit well. They suck my face like the critter in Alien, no air flow, good seal.

As soon as I get them in the water, they all leak at the nose. The window/lenses don't flood, but the nose fills up with water. I can still dive with them, but it's not optimal. I have a big head, and the Atomic was a size large. Didn't seem to make much difference. (Tried my wife's medium size Atomic, with the same result.)

Is there a method to finding a mask that works for you other than just buying mask after mask and trying them out in the water?

At the rate things are going, I'm going to have a lot of barely used masks on eBay by the time this process is over, I can tell.

I went through the same problem. I have 5 masks one of which is prescription lenses. They all fit until I start diving. I tried the new Tusa Intega mask that they claim will fit any face. It is now my favorite mask. 10 cold water dives and
no leaks. Highly recommend.

 

[ssssnake529]

I went through the same problem. I have 5 masks one of which is prescription lenses. They all fit until I start diving. I tried the new Tusa Intega mask that they claim will fit any face. It is now my favorite mask. 10 cold water dives and
no leaks. Highly recommend.

I will add the Intega to my pile of masks I am trying out.

 

[ssssnake529]

Maybe you are having too much fun.

Smiling will make your mask leak. Almost any facial movement will. You have to keep a complete poker face while diving.

I knew someone who went through 3 masks--just as you have--before someone explained it to him. Once he figured that out, he had 3 masks that fit him just fine.

This may be my primary issue. I was messing with the fit of various masks last night in the mirror. All had a good fit, even with my reg or snorkel in my mouth. However, as soon as I smiled in the least, they would break seal around the bottom sides of my nose.

Going to practice not smiling next time I'm in the water. Maybe this will solve my problem (and I will have 9 masks that fit me just fine.)

 

[emoreira]

When I took my OWD course back in 2007, the first 2 clases I used the one provided by the dive school. I went to a well provided dive gear shop and bought my Cressi Matrix Big Eyes. I'm still using it with something like 350 dives. Besides I use an Omersub black skirt mask for the pool, which I found in Brasil doing snorkeling in 2009. It was covered with marine life, so I asume that that mask was lost several months before I found it.

 

[SlugLife]

So far, none fit my face great. A cheap $35 mask from DiveGearExpress does just as well as any other mask I've tried.

I have deep-set eyes, and a relatively angular face with no "cushion."

If they don't work, and you can put up with the hammerhead shark jokes, or the comments from older divemaster s that they dove the same mask in 1978.. this one fits. It takes 2 breaths to clear a full flood and strong currents will actually make it shake on your face...but it fits me great.

Aqua Lung Wraparound Mask, Black

On the bright side, no one grabs my mask by mistake.

Good luck,
Jay

I went through the same problem. I have 5 masks one of which is prescription lenses. They all fit until I start diving. I tried the new Tusa Intega mask that they claim will fit any face. It is now my favorite mask. 10 cold water dives and
no leaks. Highly recommend.

I'll have to see if I can find either of these masks locally to try them on.

 

[cburgert]

On my second mask, first one fit until it was lost to the ocean.

 

[lexvil]

Find one that fits most of the time and you’re ahead of the game, my main mask is a scubapro D mask, I like the easy change lens’ and I also will use my TUSA paragon with a glued in lens for gauge reading, great masks, I dove 3 times yesterday with the D, two dives were good but a little seeping, 3rd was completely dry, there is no perfect mask than one person can recommend to another, you just have to deal with an ever changing situation and buy another one to try when the old one no longer works for you.

 

[formernuke]

I went through about 6 the same way your doing it.