hydrooptix mask

[DSJ]

My mask came a couple days ago and I could not find any distortions. The mask gave a good seal, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I'm going to hit the LDS pool tonight to give it a full test, but so far I really like it. As a couple other reviewers noted it seems larger on the website than it does in your hand. I managed to clear it twice on one (large) breath in the bathtub.

I was interested in comparing it to my windowed mask (I think it is called the PanGeo) so I used a flexible tape measure to gauge the maximum view holding my shnoz one foot from the wall or tub bottom via a simple ruler. A little trig later and I had the view angle of about 95 degrees above water and 70 degrees UW for the old mask. This checks with the hydrooptix web site. The MegaMax was a bit tougher to gauge (being much greater the angle was harder to figure) but I came up with 140 degrees horizontal. Another reviewer mentioned 150 degrees. What limited my view was the side skirt that blocked some vision when I rolled my eyes to the side. When looking straight ahead the skirt is just at the range of my peripheral vision and I don't notice it much. Switching back to the window mask I became much more aware of "being inside a box" with the sides and corners standing out in my vision. My numbers are at home and I don't recall the vertical measurements so I'll post those later. One picture on the website suggests the MegaMax will give 180 degrees, but the 140 or 150 degree mark is probably what you will find.

Other notes:

I wear contacts and my perscription is only 0.25 diopter off from the 4.5 of the MegaMax on the right and 1.25 on the left though I have a bit of astigmatism. Using my "surface interval" glasses (4.5 in both eyes) I can see quite well, so I could almost do without contacts. Thus I anticipate having no problems reading gauges or the like if I were to loose them.

I ordered the black skirt to avoid any internal reflections.

While the MegaMax isn't much larger than my window mask, the carrying case is. Plan on a bit more room in your luggage if you are flying. OTH, it is lighter and gives much better protection than the display type case for the window mask.

More later.

David

 

[DSJ]

OK, I've hit the pool with the MegaMax and my three window Tulsa "Pana Geo" mask. The window mask has a clear frame and a clear skirt, so it used to give me quite a feeling of openness. However after using the MegaMax I came to realize that while I was seeing about 180 degrees inside the mask, the outside view was much smaller and fragmented. There was a large wedge of missing view between the side windows and the main glass that could easily hide a diver just a few feet away (during a crowded pool session last year I managed to bump into a few folks as we all focused on our assigned task of basket weaving). The width of the view from the side panels also surprised me. It was quite narrow. The discrepancy between the unbroken "inside" view and the fragmented outside view was pronounced.

I ordered the MegaMax with a black skirt after reading the thread about clear vs. black and internal reflections. The black skirt is visible from inside the mask if I roll my eyes full left or right, though looking ahead it is just at the range of my peripheral vision. The first thing I noticed when donning the MegaMax and clearing was the natural unbroken view. I had more a feeling of being in the water than inside a mask that is hard to describe. The next thing I noticed was the superior vertical view. I could hover horizontal with my neck hardly bent at all and roll my eyes to look ahead in the forward direction. With the other mask I had to raise my head to get a forward view if I had been gazing downward. That would be a plus for all who would like to keep tabs on their surroundings with a flick of the eyeball instead of a swivel of the neck since it works horizontally as well. I give it an "A+" for situational awareness.

On the downside I had a bit of trouble with leakage even though it sealed excellently out of the water. This may be no reflection on the mask however as I have a related problem with the window mask and that seals well out of the water as well. Right now I'm putting it down to a tendency to exhale through my nose. I also had a bit of a fogging problem, though once again it was probably exacerbated by the nose breathing and the fact that I used the supplied defogger only a minute before I jumped in the pool. I'm sure it also didn't help that I dragged it around UW for a couple minutes before donning it. I'm not sure when, but in all this testing both in the pool and at home I managed to put a scratch in the lens. Thankfully I can't see it when UW so I won't need a replacement lens unless I really do a number on it. If you get one, keep it in the box when you are not wearing it. I didn’t do that as I was swapping back and forth and it was probably my downfall.

Volume comparison:
To test the relative air volume of the two masks I flooded each, then broke seal above water into a large pan and measured the water in a measuring cup. I did this twice for each mask and obtained identical results so the numbers should be good. The window mask totaled 225 ml, and the MegaMax totaled 300 ml. I had guessed it would come out more than one third larger, but the wraparound style must cut down the internal volume. The Pana Geo mask isn't particularly large as window masks go, so I imagine the MegaMax would compare favorably with some of the four plus window masks that claim a wide view.

Summary:

I love the view. I dive to see stuff and this mask maximizes my stuff seen per minute UW. It also helps maintain situational awareness without having to put my head on as large a swivel as in the past. It is not cheap when you add up the costs of the contact lenses, surface interval glasses, and clip on lens. Though it is difficult to put a price on the added enjoyment from the expanded view, I rate it worthwhile. After enough people see it perhaps the bug eye comments will stop.
:holycow:

David

 

[blackice]

simonk999 once bubbled...
Yeah, the product blurb does say that western noses might have fit problems with this mask because the nose bridge on the mask is pretty low. They say that the primary market for this initial version of the mask is the asian one, since folks there have less prominent nose bridges and many have near-sightedness. Apparantly, they have another mask in the works that doesn't require contacts, and has no artificial nose bridge restrictions.

I do find it a bit strange that they have this problem though. Looking at the mask, it looks like they could've raised the nose bridge without adding too much molding complexity. I wonder why they didn't? Must've been some sort of cost-benefit tradeoff there...

I recently saw this mask online and wondered if I could get my hands on one, being in Asia I would have thought there maybe some, but I asked around and found that there is no distrubitor yet.

So maybe will will look at distribution in Asia or at least Singapore for a start.

How much were you masks?

=-)

 

[simonk999]

mask itself is US$150, but they also make you buy either monocle ($25) or coverlens (not sure of price) so that you can see above water (e.g. upon surfacing, to look for the boat).

As for where in Asia, they'd know -- drop them an email. I've had reasonably fast response time from them.

-Simon

 

[GATR-NOL]

The hydrooptix website has some new price info:

(for July/August at least) the mask w/monocle is $120.

I just picked up a "loaner" from a local optometrist - and have not yet put it to the test...

 

[SK Low]

Hi all,

I am interested to know if diver with 20/20 vision will be able to use the Hydooptix Mega -4.5d? Is it neccessary to use contact lens to become temporary near sighted?

Appreciate if anyone with 20/20 vision that have tried the mask to share his experience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Otter]

SK Low once bubbled...
Hi all,

I am interested to know if diver with 20/20 vision will be able to use the Hydooptix Mega -4.5d? Is it neccessary to use contact lens to become temporary near sighted?

Appreciate if anyone with 20/20 vision that have tried the mask to share his experience.

Thanks in advance.

You will have to wear contacts that takes you to a -4.5

 

[DSJ]

I had an opportunity to give my hydroOptix mask a try out on a local lake dive and it performed very well. I had made the purchase with 100ft + tropical vis in mind, but found that I appreciated the expanded view much more in the low vis we had. It really helped to keep both of my buddies in sight at all times and I found that I didn't have to swivel my head nearly as much. The wide view really helps to reduce the feeling of being closed in during low vis conditions because you get to see more lateraly to replace the lost depth.

I didn't get a cover lens with my mask because they weren't shipping back then, and I didn't bother with the monacle. I'll probably order a cover lens, but I found that I really didn't need one. I have a neoprene glass case that snaps onto a ring, so I just took my glasses with me to the beach and put them away after gearing up. On a boat I'd just leave them aboard.

David

 

[jplacson]

SK Low once bubbled...
Hi all,

I am interested to know if diver with 20/20 vision will be able to use the Hydooptix Mega -4.5d? Is it neccessary to use contact lens to become temporary near sighted?

Appreciate if anyone with 20/20 vision that have tried the mask to share his experience.

Thanks in advance.

According to HO, you can... if your vision is 20/20 and you can still focus on your fingerprint at 5" away from your eyes in dim light.

I personally think it's kinda stupid that they made the distortion happen UNDERWATER and not in-air... then in air, you have to wear dumb glasses to negate the contacts you're already wearing?!?!? Why not focus the mask underwater for optimum clarity WITHOUT contacts... then have the near or far-sightedness happen on the surface... you normally remove your mask once on the surface anyway. And for extreme conditions... I think you're a candidate for the MAX and not the MEGA anyway.

I'd rather have a mask that gives great vision underwater, and bad in-air vision... than the other way around.

 

[Falcon99]

jplacson once bubbled...


According to HO, you can... if your vision is 20/20 and you can still focus on your fingerprint at 5" away from your eyes in dim light.

I personally think it's kinda stupid that they made the distortion happen UNDERWATER and not in-air... then in air, you have to wear dumb glasses to negate the contacts you're already wearing?!?!? Why not focus the mask underwater for optimum clarity WITHOUT contacts... then have the near or far-sightedness happen on the surface... you normally remove your mask once on the surface anyway. And for extreme conditions... I think you're a candidate for the MAX and not the MEGA anyway.

I'd rather have a mask that gives great vision underwater, and bad in-air vision... than the other way around.

On an optics note, this is part of the "You don't get a free lunch" concept of masks. More visibility requires more water-air interface. The interface between the two index of refraction numbers defines the refraction. IF you make a mask with a curved interface i.e. the same distance between your eye focal point and the mask interface with the water - across the surface area - you now have a lense. This lensing is now a funtion of the refraction magnitude and the surface area curvature.

Therein lies the tradeoff between distortion and diopter. If you want a mask with zero diopter, you will have mucho distortion. Likewise, minimized distortion and large field of view comes at the price of lensing.

My guess is that they had to pick some compromise and -4.5 was it.

I'm -2.5 in both eyes and think it would be very workable, but I haven't heard any detailed reviews from people out in the water yet. That would be good to hear before dropping $150 on a mask that I'm not even sure will fit my face.

Do ANY of you have feedback on this - other than from a swimming pool?

James