How much mask leakage is normal?

[Craigus]

Daryl: Well, this has turned into the hirsuite pursuit page, hasn't it? Three things:

1. I SHAVE A BIT. Like you and most of the guys who have posted, I have a stache. I used to shave it off when I went on a serious trip. Then I shaved the area just under my nose and got to liking it so much that now I always shave that area.

2. I SMILE UNDERWATER. This causes leaks in my mask because I have pronounced lines on either side of my nose that extend down to the corners of my mouth. When I smile, they flex and ... leak.... leak ...... What can I say? I'm a happy guy!

3. I HAVE OILY SKIN. I find that my mask does not seal well if it has been a while since I showered or last washed my face. So, I now wash my face with soap before diving. It does make a difference. I'm sure the fish appreciate my freshly scrubbed visage

I also appreciate the guys who subscribe to the phase of the moon theory. Sometimes a mask just wants to leak.

Let's get wet! almtree:
Eric.

 

[Daryl Morse]

I went to a dive shop on the weekend and tried on quite a few masks. The new Cressi-Sub Matrix seems to fit my face best so I'm going to get one. It was the narrowest mask of the bunch, which fits me well since I have a narrow face. It also has very low volume and excellent field of vision. Hopefully it will work as well in the water as it seemed to in the shop.

Just to close off this thread, I purchased the Cressi-Sub Matrix and I'm really happy with it. It's comfortable and I had very little leakage, even without trimming my moustache or using silicon. If you have a narrow face, this may be the mask for you.

Thanks again everyone for the comments.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Mine always leaks a bit, very stiff beard stuble I guess. Not really a problem, since I use that leaking feature to clear the mask and hence equalize it.........Cressi-Sub Focus.

 

[joecad]

I just started diving and I haven't purchased any personal gear yet.

I have a moustache so I've pretty much gotten used to mask leakage. Water doesn't "flood" in, but I have to clear the mask pretty often. It's only really annoying when I'm trying to navigate with the compass because the water pools on the glass. Also, I occasionally get water down my nose or in my eyes when I look up.

I'm wondering how much should a mask leak, with or without a moustache? I'm not sure how much of the leakage is because of the poor fitting rental mask and how much is from my moustache.

Thanks.

Try losing the snorkel. I had problems with every mask I tried, until I met a guy on a dive boat in Grand Cayman who listened to me *****ing about my $200+ prescription mask that leaked. He suggested that the drag created by the snorkel was lifting the mask away from my face. Next dive, no snorkel, no leak. I went out and bought an Avid collapsible/ folding snorkel and stuck it in my BC pocket. I haven’t had a problem since.

 

[Kriterian]

Is it possible to get a mask that doesn't leak at all while your mouth is deformed with a snorkle/reg?

I bought my personal gear recently and have been swimming with it in a pool every day. I get a small amount of leakage in the nose but that's it unless I smile or something.

Is this acceptable or should I start talking to my dive shop about it's return policy?

Thanks,

 

[vel525]

sorry to dig up an older thread, but is water in the nose piece of the mask normal? or should a prooperly fitting mask have no leaking in eyes and nose piece? thanks.

 

[markfm]

No leak, at least for me.

 

[boomx5]

For me mask leakage depends on how much fun I'm having. Like yesterday, I spent almost two hours clearing the water from my mask because I was laughing so hard.

 

[markfm]

My nemesis isn't the laughing, but I like to sing -- gotta keep that yapper shut around the reg