Mask used for free diving won't work for scuba.

[Wojo]

Thanks all for your responses. I'm going with a Plan B for now. Our son is now off on his own, and I was going through his gear he left here for us to store. His mask is a side window. I'm going to take it and my Alien with me for my next dive, on the 16th.

 

[Akimbo]

Why do you care about low volume for Scuba? Why not consider a 3-window mask for your peripheral vision issue in one eye.

I used my freediving mask with prescription lenses for years and decided I should get a spare mask with prescription lenses since damaging the mask would ruin a trip. I was going to get the same mask when it dawned on me that there was no reason to worry about the volume and switched to a larger and more comfortable mask for Scuba. I forgot how much more comfortable they are.

 

[beanojones]

I forgot how much more comfortable they are.

Comfortable to actually wear, as in how they fit, physically, to the face?

 

[Akimbo]

Comfortable to actually wear, as in how they fit, physically, to the face?

Of course it all depends on finding the mask that fits you, but higher volume masks generally have wider face flanges and longer more flexible skirts. That makes them more forgiving and comfortable over time. The added volume also makes that few drops of water that inevitably leaks in far less annoying.

I settled on the Tusa Imprex Hyperdry (example, not necessarily a recommendation). The purge is really nice for macro photography because leaning back to clear a non-purge mask can scare the critters. Besides, the little buggers always do something dramatic the moment you lose focus.

The only low volume mask available when I started diving was the Cressi Pinocchio which never fit my face — amazing it was around so long. As a result, I had to use old-school oval masks. That’s when I became comfortable equalizing without a nose pocket to pinch.

I tried several of the huge old-school 3-window masks over the years and, like my current Tusa, found the side windows are of little value underwater besides catching movement. I find that I wear my mask much longer on deck now that I use bifocals. The added peripheral vision through side windows helps a lot more on deck than underwater.

 

[beanojones]

Thanks for the response.

Yeah I am lucky then, in that my most comfortable mask is a low volume one. Though getting older and being in the sun all the time makes for that situation which low volume mask fits best, changes from time to time. Also for me personally, something about my way of seeing means that the further from my face the lens is the more tunnel-ly it feels even with a clear mask. So I am lucky to find low volume masks that fit for that reason too, because the higher volume, further from the face masks throw me off.

Remember the old ScubaPro purge masks that actually routed the purge bubbles off to the side (Tri-Vent, I think?) Photographers loved them, not just the hands free no tilt clear, but also the added "bubbles routed to the side" thing that kept bubbles away from the viewfinder.

I could not wear the Tri-Vent. They were for me, "uncomfortable", as is that TUSA, because of that tunnel feeling I get with them. So physical comfort is something I never get to check out, because the tunnel sensation bugs me.

 

[Wojo]

Why do you care about low volume for Scuba? Why not consider a 3-window mask for your peripheral vision issue in one eye.

Good question. Honestly, it just didn't occur to me to have one mask for scuba and one for free diving. I figured whatever I bought would replace my Alien even for free diving, increasing my visibility there as well. I'll probably do just as you recommend, though, and use a windowed mask for scuba and a low volume mask for free diving.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Good question. Honestly, it just didn't occur to me to have one mask for scuba and one for free diving. I figured whatever I bought would replace my Alien even for free diving, increasing my visibility there as well. I'll probably do just as you recommend, though, and use a windowed mask for scuba and a low volume mask for free diving.

It sounds like you have some medical issues with your eyes that are affecting your vision. As for me, I find that the new models of super low volume freedive masks have UNLIMITED visibility. I mean that seriously, the glass is so close to my eyes that I can not really see any portion of the skirt, so my vision is unrestricted.

Except in some type of unusual case, I see ZERO benefit of a large displacement mask over a super low volume one for scuba... assuming you can attain the desired level of comfort and mask sealing, of course.

 

[Wojo]

I went on a shore dive with my LDS yesterday evening, and they had a low volume clear skirted mask they let me try out. I was able to see far better. We were river diving, so we weren't very deep. I was picking up glare on the back of the mask from light coming through the skirt. So, there are obviously trade offs with black vs. clear skirts. Still, the gained vision with the clear skirt far outweighs the little bit of glare.

I'm still going to try out my son's 3 window mask, just to know that I gave all options a shot.