Mask on Forehead reliable distress signal?

[lamont]

Putting your mask on your forehead is a habit and whether it's good, bad, or wanting to look like Mike Nelson, it can get expensive.

At the start of night dive's in Cozumel, briefings include leaving your mask on your face when you climb on board after the dive. That's because your $100 mask can easily be knocked off on the ladder and there's no way to find it again.

I've seen many people put their mask on their forehead. They don't understand that once you get in the habit of doing that, on the deck, or in the water, that habit won't be broken easily. That makes it a matter of when, not if you lose your mask. That's not the reason people carry a spare mask during the dive.

Since the editor of Sport Diver (PADI's rag) has his picture with his mask on his forehead, I don't see where this is a PADI thing, but whatever.

I spend at least $10,000 a year on diving and I've yet to lose a mask on my forehead. I have lost a mask that shattered in my luggage, and at least two masks that shattered when I accidentally set doubles down on them. I fail to understand how the MOF "habit" is "expensive" in the big picture...

 

[sweatfrog]

In an OW course with completely inexperienced divers, I could see how an anti-MOF rule would lead to smoother courses since newbie divers without backup masks would be likely to lose masks and impact the course.

That doesn't happen, if they keep the mask on their face. If it's anyplace else, it takes longer, because they have to fiddle with it to get it back in place.

However, experienced divers can generally judge surface conditions and will leave the mask on the face when conditions are bad enough that mask might be lost (and when the mask will be necessary to deal with the surface conditions).

I don't know what you call 'experienced' but IMO anyone can lose a mask in the surf. It just hasn't happened to you---yet.

Also, my own head is freakishly large enough that it has its own gravitational field and if I drop the strap down in back, my mask isn't going to be coming off. I've never had my mask in risk of being knocked off my head while its on my forehead.

I also don't know what kind of conditions you dive in, or if you have ever dove in the surf.

I spend at least $10,000 a year on diving and I've yet to lose a mask on my forehead. I fail to understand how the MOF "habit" is "expensive" in the big picture...

The big picture is relative to how much money someone has into this sport. A lot of people just own m,f & s, so for them a mask is a big ticket item. It's even more important if they have a prescription mask.

 

[wardric]

Like I'm going to take advice from a clown!

Clowns are evil

 

[Twistedarts]

when i put my mof, it is on backwards so the strap is in front. no mistaking distress there. only good for surface swims on flat water though. key words being flat water. open ocean, not recommended. my 2psi.

 

[lamont]

I also don't know what kind of conditions you dive in, or if you have ever dove in the surf.

In bad conditions the mask goes on the face and stays there. Nobody is arguing about that, AFAIK.

 

[anth]

To put this to rest...

When I see someone with a mask on their forehead, I see a person who isn't comfortable keeping their mask on for an extra 30 to 60 seconds.

And I ask myself: WHY?!

You are a trained diver. You wear a mask for a long, long time underwater and manage to function just fine. Your mask fits your face well and is comfortable (It is, right? If it isn't, fix that problem first.).

My masks work really well when they're covering my eyes. On my forehead or neck, not so much.

Why not keep it over your eyes till you're back on the boat or shore and doffing your gear?

 

[Walter]

In my life, I've lost two masks in open water. One was when I dropped in in low viz when I didn't keep a good grip while doning my fins. I should not have tried to hold it in my hand, I should have put it around my neck prior to donning my fins.

The second mask was lost while swimming on the surface in surf. My mask was not on my forehead, it was on my face where it was secure. A breaker quite smoothly pulled my mask right off my face. It was about 5 seconds before I realized it was gone. This was also in low viz (exactly same dive site as the first lost mask), so it was gone as well. I have learned my lesson. When I'm on the surface, my mask does not go on my forehead and it does not stay on my face (flipping it around backwards isn't secure either and looks silly as hell), it goes around my neck where it's secure.

When I see someone with a mask on their forehead, I see a person who isn't comfortable keeping their mask on for an extra 30 to 60 seconds.

Sometimes, but sometimes you see someone who is at least as comfortable as you.

 

[lamont]

To put this to rest...

uh huh.

When I see someone with a mask on their forehead,

okay, this is actual 'vision' (ie. photons hitting the retina).

I see a person who isn't comfortable keeping their mask on for an extra 30 to 60 seconds.

this is what is called a 'preconceived notion'. i'm sure they help you organize your world, but you can't win an argument just by claiming that they're accurate.

 

[Standingbear56]

A mask on the forehead does not mean someone is distressed, but a divemaster or instructor would generally give them the once over to look for other signs of distress as well. It is however a good way to loose your mask. That's the reason I teach my students not to do it, so they don't loose it.
Safe Diving,
George

 

[lamont]

well, generally when i see an instructor lecturing their students about not putting their mask on their forehead, i tend to watch the students more closely because that is indicative of a lack of focus on the part of the instructor on the truly important facets of diving. there's too many instructors out there that are uncomfortable in their supposed leadership roles and who overcompensate by laying down rules like this that don't matter to hide the fact that they've become instructors way too quickly without learning how to dive first.

(anyone out there who is an instructor think there's a problem with how i'm arguing this point?)