Mask as a Gift

[CSHELL]

Hello,

My parents will be traveling to French Polynesia for their 57th anniversary. There's no way they would ever purchase snorkel gear for themselves so I'm giving it to them.

They won't need fins and I've got the vests but I'm hung-up on the masks. They'll both need prescription lenses. Neither has a beard/moustach and have medium-large faces. I'm considering Cressi Big Eyes and Mares Liquidskin but is there a mask that "fits most faces" that you could recommend?

Thanks for your guidance.

Cheryl

 

[spectrum]

Take them on a surprise trip to a dive shop for a fitting.


Pete

 

[CSHELL]

i'd like to but they'll never agree to that...they'd see it as un-necessary. but i know if they have the gear, they'll use it.

 

[spectrum]

And if it does not fit they won't enjoy it and you will be wasting your money. Resort to manipulation, subtrifuge or borrow a selection and do the fitting at their place. anything less is a crapshoot.

 

[CSHELL]

at least the other option is to just let them use the ship's masks with no prescription.

 

[spectrum]

at least the other option is to just let them use the ship's masks with no prescription.

The script isn't the big issue. The magnifying effect of a mask in water let's many folks with vision correction dive without it.

Being (reaonably) watertight is the big issue. I have seen folks litteraly try dozens before finding a keeper. It can be like Cinderallas slipper.

http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/scuba_mask.html

Pete

 

[CSHELL]

i'm a diver. i bought all my gear in-person at local dive shops. however, i know my parents...if i don't just stick a mask in their luggage, they will refuse one. i know buying a mask without fitting is a gamble so i want to do what i can to increase my odds...even if i lose.

 

[marcienko]

Just purchase gift certificate from LDS and have them go to the store later on to try it on.

 

[RoyN]

Here is a following of suggestions:

-Ask them discreetly what their perscription number
-go to their eye doctor and get a copy of the prescription
-borrow their glasses and go to an eye doctor to measure the lense
-get the latest prescription number on paper

And then go to your LDS and you know th rest. Thats what I did with my bad eyes when I first had to get a mask.

 

[CompuDude]

Tough situation. I'd say get them a gift certificate, which will force them to use it or waste your money, but if you genuinely need to slip it directly in their luggage, I'd guess the liquid skin mask's soft skirt will up the odds of a successful (or tolerable) fit.