HydroOptix Ultra-Wide View Scuba Mask

[RTRski]

I just bought one, which frankly took me totally by surprise.

My brother is just now starting scuba classes and ran across it in a web search somehow. Forwarded the link to me. I read it - with a BIG grain of salt - and emailed him back I'd be worried about polycarbonate scratching, pooling in the domes, the high volume, I just plain don't usually trust purge valves, etc. etc.

But the damn idea just 'et at me. I checked some reviews here (many threads complain of leaks, poor skirt fit, etc etc) and in the end went by Scubatoys to see one in person. A very helpful gent suggested I go to their pool in the back of the store and feel free to dunk my head in the water. I did, and it knocked my socks off. Someon above said the only 'advantage' they saw from it was that it got rid of distortions, so pool stripes etc were actually straight...I can't see how that is such a 'tiny' little thing...the difference, to a near-sighted diver, is extraordinary.

Spent a bit more time in the pool at home today comparing it to my pre-existing mask (bog standard flat low to mid vol with prescription lenses). By the way, yes, I do fall right into that category of blindness that's a perfect 'naked eye' match to the mask; my prescription is -4.0 in one eye, and -3.5 with another -1 astigmatism in the other (so by their math that eye is -3.5 + (1/2 * -1.0) = -4.0 as well). I am pushing 40 but my near-vision accomodation is great - no doubt caused by too many hours glued to a computer screen with eety beety text (I like high resolutions).

With my standard mask, my back to one 'long' side of the pool and facing the other, the mask frame and the water's refraction clearly limited my vision to about 1/2 the opposite pool's edge. Plus the magnification effect made it seem much closer than it should have been. I've noted the mag effect a lot when diving; got into the (bad for streamlining) habit of trailing a hand downward when cruising over coral etc. because I always think I'm much, much closer to the bottom than I really am, and with a hand trailing down I've got a better reference to compare with and know I'm still sufficiently clear I won't touch or damage the reef. But I do find I have to keep glancing straight down to 'check' and inevitably any water in my mask planes over the flat lenses and causes significant distortion. The only advantage of the magnification effect is that I'm always the one to find the little jawfish and blennies, since I'm diving with a built-in microscope essentially

With the HO 4.5DD on, same position, I could see the entire opposite side face of the pool, end to end. I had to 'strain' to turn my eyes far enough (without turning my head) to see the sides of the mask. The lack of distortion and magnification effect make my hands, etc. all look normal, rather than making me think I'm looking at the world thru a Sherlock Holmes handheld glass... I did experiment with swimming and looking down, sometimes with intentionally some water in the mask. If anything for me the 'pooling' effect was LESS irritating than having water sheet across the whole flat face of the mask when looking down - my eyes just went around the edges of the 'puddle'.

I have yet to try it out in 'real diving' to find out how bad it will be to clear, to keep from getting a squeeze on descents, etc, but so far I'm extremely impressed and would say it was well worth the money, should it pass those tests satisfactorily. I'm not even too worried about the purges - heck, if I find I really can't trust them at all, I'll silicon caulk the SOBs shut....

Oh and the really funny part, to me: my brother, who found it in the first place, went to his eye doctor to doublecheck his prescription and found out he's PLUS 1.0 to 1.5ish (farsighted, not nearsighted). So the mask would be totally inappropriate for him without extreme contact correction (do they even make -5 contacts???).

I'll try to report back once I get some real open-water experience with it!

 

[chip104]

The creator of the hydroptix mask is an SB member. He's posted in the diving medicine thread. If I come across the thread, I'll post it. Very informative member.

 

[sunkarm]

i double that opinion. also check at the new hydroptix latest collections for 2006.

 

[SeaYoda]

I have one of their masks from when they first came out. I wouldn't trade it for any other mask.

I've got the first version of the skirt (they are now on the third generation). Since it was their stiffest, it leaks a bit but so do other masks. The pooling / clearing is no worse than water getting in other masks, an occasional lift head, tilt bottom of mask out and blow bubbles through nose gets rid of the problem for me. I probably don't need the purge valves, the volume of the mask is no problem for me to clear the usual way. I may experiment with closing off the purges to gain some positive pressure to keep the leaks out.

Fogging was an issue at first, they now have lenses with a built in antifog. I still have the old lens and with a coating of baby shampoo, no problems. I've got a new lens with the NanoFog on the way. It will be interesting to see how it works vs the baby shampoo.

My arms are getting shorter as I get older and I take pictures looking at a small LCD screen. I am -3.25 in each eye so I need a little help for the close stuff. I use contacts that make me more nearsighted in order to match the power of the mask better and not strain the close-up vision so much. They are coming out with a new mask that has a -3.5 power under water and I'll probably buy one when it gets on the market. They say its lenses are bigger, but what do I care. The mask is not a fashion statement now .

Given the above minor aggravations, the benefits far outweigh any difficulties. The uninterrupted field of view and lack of distortion are exactly what they claim. I won't go back to a regular mask - it would feel like being in a tunnel.

 

[zaphodb]

I've been a happy Hydro-Optix owner since the first generation Mega masks. The first time I did a giant stride with one on, I thought my mask had come off. The way the water opened up, as opposed to the tunnel vision I was used to, was like the sudden sense of openness when you jump out of a plane. Once I realized my face wasn't wet, It was WOW! So THIS is what it really looks like.

It's not just the better peripheral vision, it's that everything is BRIGHTER and clearer. I find myself seeing things that no-one else does, because I can see the movement to the sides. It makes an even bigger difference in (usual for San Diego) bad vis, where the extra light coming in helps a lot in distinguishing movement in the murk.

Customer service has been exceptional, with immediate replacement of masks when there were teething problems with the original masks.

The supposed disadvantages/inconveniences really don't matter, especially considering the qualitative difference of the underwater experience, and have very simple workarounds:

Using contacts: I'm already a contact lens wearer, so I just use a different prescription with the Mega mask. No big deal.

Vision on the surface: You really can see enough to get to and from the shore/boat without any help. The only time I need the monocle is for line-ups. I never needed to use the clip-on. The surface interval kit works fine, and the "Buddy Holly" look is actually quite funny. If you don't like it, -4.5 diopter glasses are readily available cheaply.

Volume: I don't think I'd use the mask for free-diving, but the volume actually seems to make clearing EASIER, because the skirt isn't crushing my sinuses. The nose pockets are easily accessible, even with 5mm gloves, and the purge valves work very well.

Fogging: Using the Sea Gold and putting one drop on your finger, rubbing it in, and letting it dry, and then rinsing before each dive, works PERFECTLY. Once I started following this procedure (recommended by the manufacturer in their documentation), I have had no fogging. That's more than I could ever say for my Technisub masks.

Leaking: The very first masks had a problem with screw corrosion causing the lens to separate from the frame. If you have a mask that leaks continually, check to see if the screws corroded. Some retailers may have sold only a few from their first allocation. If that isn't the issue, it's possible that you had one of a single bad batch that had defective skirts. If so, call Hydrooptix. They replaced mine, advance shipment. All of these were first two run problems (I actually bought two masks, one for me, one for my wife, and we had one of each problem).

Size for packing and travel: I use a Marsoops strap, which turns into a perfect protective cover. It's still a big mask, but roll up your gloves to fit into the lenses on the other side, and you have a perfect neoprene clad travel package.

I still have a flat mask I use as a a spare, when freediving, or working with students in the pool: the Tusa Visualator, and though it is one of the best-rated flat wide-view masks, it doesn't come close to the hydrooptix.

All in all, a fantastic product from a fantastic company.

 

[NYHippo]

I can't recommend the mask enough. I see better underwater than I do on the surface. As others have mentioned, it removes the magnification effect of flat glass masks and everything is actually where your eyes tell you it is. It clears easily and because I have a newer one, I don't have to use antifog at all. It is true that you lose vision below the mask, i.e. I have a tough time seeing my chest strap, but I have not found this to be a significant problem

 

[Tom Winters]

If I don't use it, I can't see any detail at all on my camera LCD. It is a little bit of a pain topside, but underwater, it works great for me.