Lessons Mask strap broke during a dive

[chrisjur]

I had a similar mask incident years ago and learned my lesson. Now, I solo dive with a tec diving mentality, always ensuring redundancy for every component.

 

[InWay2Deep]

Yesterday while doing a solo dive my mask strap broke.

Did your solo class not cover redundant equipment like a backup mask?

 

[glaterza]

This is kind of a ski goggle strap, probably my next purchase:

Fourth Element mask strap

 

[PEDiver]

Did your solo class not cover redundant equipment like a backup mask?

Did you miss the part where he said he had a backup mask?

 

[TMHeimer]

I've never carried a spare on me during a dive, just one back in the car. Guess I figure I could make a safe ascent without a mask.

 

[coldwaterglutton]

My wife had her mask kicked off by another diver (not me) at 70 feet in Dominica in April. Luckily both I and a divemaster were nearby and could assist. I had to physically fight her to keep her from panic swimming to the surface. (Makes me thankful my RK3s are such powerful kicking fins) After a minute she was ok as I recovered the mask and gave it to her to put back on.

In her defense she is a purely clear and warm water "tourist" recreational diver and doesn't carry a spare mask or train for this kind of thing. The boys and I do cold water low viz dives pretty regularly and have prepped for this scenario. And I always carry a spare mask on dives, including the clear tropical ones, and think everyone should.

 

[rjack321]

Never broken a strap but I have ripped the attachment pins off the mask's skirt.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

you don't actually need the strap.

 

[USdiver1]

In 47 years of diving, I have had two incidents involving my mask. 1) while looking at all of the lovely corals along a reef in Roatan, I had a noobie from another boat gently alight upon me [dropped from the surface down about 45'] taking my mask off with his fin; 2) while diving an older GSD mask [I dive vintage equipment] the rubber strap snapped at the buckle.

I have used Marsoops neoprene/nylon mask straps for over 15 years now, great products and never had a worry about strap breakage.

 

[Scared Silly]

I believe the word you’re looking for is “velcro”.

Technically it is hook and pile. "Velcro" is a trademark name. Kinda of like tissue and Kleenex or photocopy and Xerox copy.

I now return folks back to the slap strap discussion.