chris3536
Guest
Dear Friends,
I have a problem.......I am officially a mask junkie!
It has almost been a year since I began my OW class and started purchasing gear. Since then I have owned 9 different masks. I have a wider than average face, not by a lot, but a little. I also have a short neck and a "stout" body, so downward vision is a challenge. (especially seeing my body and gauges at times) Because of this, finding a great mask has been a challenge. Let me take you through this madness in detail....
First, let me start of by saying that I think the mask is the second most important piece of equipment you own.....(regulator first)....because if you can't see well, they why go down?
My first mask was a Tusa Paneo Geo. Good mask just could never get a really good seal. 3 days on ebay...it was gone!
My next purchase was a Scubapro ClearVu panoramic mask. Probably one the best sealing I have tried but just wasn't enough upward and downward view for me......(Hey, I'm picky what can I say)
The 3rd mask I owned was a Body Glove 3 window with purge....I've seen this mask sold under several different names....with out a doubt the worst all around mask I have dove with.
Number 4 was an Oceanmaster 1 Single window mask. Very solid mask, but with a skirt at 4.7 in just couldn't keep the water out for me.
I then sought salvation on ebay. Number 5 was a Mares Lirica. It was a very good mask....extremely solid mask....why I got rid of it I have no idea!
#6 was a an H20dyssey Frameless. Really good view from all directions, but never could get a good seal consistantly. I have to say that some of the new frameless masks are great in concept, however, the silicon they use is much firmer than regular masks and I think it prevents some of them from getting a good seal. (just my opinion) Also, no matter how many times I cleaned with toothpaste it would fog like crazy!
Mask #6 was a used H20dyssey 3 window mask......good mask, just couldn't seal on my face.
Lucky #7 was a Cressi-Sub Big Eyes.....super mask...the skirt kind of buckled a little, but it still sealed ok. This mask can "hold a little water" and still dive fine. I sold it on ebay to buy mask #8.
Mask #8 is the Cress-Sub Horizon.....which remains my current primary mask.....Is by far one of the best masks I have ever dove! The only drawback for this mask is that it comes down so far on my face that I get some leakage to to bubble interferance from my reg.
The search for the mythical utopian mask brought mask #9. I decided to buy the same mask my instructor wore, the Oceanmaster View 3. This mask is huge!!! It sealed great on my face but it is so big it produced the worst downward view of any mask I have ever tried. The mask was great for horizontal and peripheral views. It is currently on ebay right now!
Since I feel I MUST have 2 masks, here are the candidates for my next purchase. If anyone has any input on them I would love to hear it. They are: Aqualung Quartz 1 & 2, Subapro Fino, Freedom, & Crystal Vu, Cressi-Sub Sky, Mares X-vison and Dacor Mystre. Love to hear what everyone thinks.
.....my name is Chris and I am a mask-aholic!
I have a problem.......I am officially a mask junkie!
It has almost been a year since I began my OW class and started purchasing gear. Since then I have owned 9 different masks. I have a wider than average face, not by a lot, but a little. I also have a short neck and a "stout" body, so downward vision is a challenge. (especially seeing my body and gauges at times) Because of this, finding a great mask has been a challenge. Let me take you through this madness in detail....
First, let me start of by saying that I think the mask is the second most important piece of equipment you own.....(regulator first)....because if you can't see well, they why go down?
My first mask was a Tusa Paneo Geo. Good mask just could never get a really good seal. 3 days on ebay...it was gone!
My next purchase was a Scubapro ClearVu panoramic mask. Probably one the best sealing I have tried but just wasn't enough upward and downward view for me......(Hey, I'm picky what can I say)
The 3rd mask I owned was a Body Glove 3 window with purge....I've seen this mask sold under several different names....with out a doubt the worst all around mask I have dove with.
Number 4 was an Oceanmaster 1 Single window mask. Very solid mask, but with a skirt at 4.7 in just couldn't keep the water out for me.
I then sought salvation on ebay. Number 5 was a Mares Lirica. It was a very good mask....extremely solid mask....why I got rid of it I have no idea!
#6 was a an H20dyssey Frameless. Really good view from all directions, but never could get a good seal consistantly. I have to say that some of the new frameless masks are great in concept, however, the silicon they use is much firmer than regular masks and I think it prevents some of them from getting a good seal. (just my opinion) Also, no matter how many times I cleaned with toothpaste it would fog like crazy!
Mask #6 was a used H20dyssey 3 window mask......good mask, just couldn't seal on my face.
Lucky #7 was a Cressi-Sub Big Eyes.....super mask...the skirt kind of buckled a little, but it still sealed ok. This mask can "hold a little water" and still dive fine. I sold it on ebay to buy mask #8.
Mask #8 is the Cress-Sub Horizon.....which remains my current primary mask.....Is by far one of the best masks I have ever dove! The only drawback for this mask is that it comes down so far on my face that I get some leakage to to bubble interferance from my reg.
The search for the mythical utopian mask brought mask #9. I decided to buy the same mask my instructor wore, the Oceanmaster View 3. This mask is huge!!! It sealed great on my face but it is so big it produced the worst downward view of any mask I have ever tried. The mask was great for horizontal and peripheral views. It is currently on ebay right now!
Since I feel I MUST have 2 masks, here are the candidates for my next purchase. If anyone has any input on them I would love to hear it. They are: Aqualung Quartz 1 & 2, Subapro Fino, Freedom, & Crystal Vu, Cressi-Sub Sky, Mares X-vison and Dacor Mystre. Love to hear what everyone thinks.
.....my name is Chris and I am a mask-aholic!
