Mask problem

[divenski]

One more thought - I do agree that age and skin condition/wrinkles play a role - but sometimes I feel like hydration also matters. If I am not fully hydrated, my face is a little thinner and that makes a difference. Also if i position my mask just a bit higher than it should be, it leaks. I have a narrow face so the mask I really like (and have bifocal inserts in) leaks if either of those two - positioning and hydration - aren't just right.

 

[Ana]

15 years , even 10 is a good enough life cycle for the skirt of a mask, consider yourself lucky.
Between the age of a mask and whatever changes in the anatomy of your face i don't think there's a mistery here.
Sad to see how some of the things we enjoy stop performing.
I still miss my first wing. From 1997, it was put down in 2020. I should've sent it to the manufacturer but didn't think of it at the moment.

 

[TMHeimer]

Did you lose weight recently?

Not since... well not change in weight since well before my 17 years of diving.
Shaving not an issue either as I have always shaved every day same time.
Hydration is also a non issue. As a creature of habit I pretty much eat & drink the same daily-- nothing there has changed on my dive days in the last year or two that would affect my mask. Always plenty of water with me and well before the dive.

 

[TMHeimer]

15 years , even 10 is a good enough life cycle for the skirt of a mask, consider yourself lucky.
Between the age of a mask and whatever changes in the anatomy of your face i don't think there's a mistery here.
Sad to see how some of the things we enjoy stop performing.
I still miss my first wing. From 1997, it was put down in 2020. I should've sent it to the manufacturer but didn't think of it at the moment.

This is what I first thought and still may be the answer. The problem first started with the old mask I used for like 15 years. But then it has occurred with the one I had since 2005 but rarely used. The 3rd mask was one I found, but was sparkling new, so it wasn't in the ocean long, and looked brand new. So not sure about the 2nd one-- does skirting crap out over years even if hardly used?

 

[lowwall]

It could be wrinkles. My smile lines have gotten deeper over the years and are letting water into my mask lately.

Botox. Not just for actors and rich housewives anymore.

A new mask is probably cheaper though.

 

[Belzelbub]

This is what I first thought and still may be the answer. The problem first started with the old mask I used for like 15 years. But then it has occurred with the one I had since 2005 but rarely used. The 3rd mask was one I found, but was sparkling new, so it wasn't in the ocean long, and looked brand new. So not sure about the 2nd one-- does skirting crap out over years even if hardly used?

Depending on storage conditions, I would say yes. Heat cycles, and exposure to UV definitely speeds up the aging process. If stored indoors under temperature controlled conditions, you'll likely get the longest life out of the skirt, but even then, I wouldn't expect it to be infinite. If the 3rd one was around the same age, I'd recommend getting a newer one as I would imagine the skirt would be more supple.