Narrow face, which mask?

[ScubaJW]

I have a very narrow face, I mean extremely... I have tried on Cressi Big Eye and another smaller mask (not sure of the name) - both doesn't fit me very well. Know which mask will be great one for my narrow face?

And also, one more question, my buddy kept telling me there are bubbles coming out top of my hood (where the holes in my hood are) when I dive - where is that coming from? My mask? or just my breathing from my regulator goes into my hood <- I find that odd - because my buddy has exact the same stuff I have, it doesn't happen to him. So maybe my mask is too big?


Thanks!

 

[H2Andy]

hey, look at my profile picture

i have a small Dive Rite mask... unfortunately, i don't know the model name
or number... but it's perfect

 

[c-monkey]

Try some kids masks-- Tilos has one that is similar to the Cressi Big Eyes, but it is made narrow for a kids face. I have the same problem and ended up with a Tilos kids mask that works absolutley perfect. My strap can even get pushed up and the mask will stay on my face- never leaks unless I get hair stuck in it.
Both my hubby & I have bubbles coming out of the hole in our hoods...never bothered me so I didnt consider why...

 

[redrover]

I have trouble with mask fit also, not sure if my face is narrow but my head sure is little, I often get kids hats. I tried several kid masks but were too narrow. I’ll second the advise I see here frequently – test, test, test. I just got to try 3 that looked good dry and one was a sure fire winner for comfort, visibility and very low volume. Two didn’t leak. I chose a SeaVision 2000. The Ultra was a tad narrower. A couple of dives later I’m loving it for comfort, visibility and with the rose lenses the pretty fish are pretty outstanding colored fish.

 

[spew]

Riffe Viso is the smallest Riffe mask. i have it and it fits my skinny face pretty well.
whenever i get sunglasses, the wraparound kind, i have to pick out a really narrow pair or they stick out from my head.
the Omer Bandit mask is the narrowest Omersub mask. I asked the manufacturer. he said the Bandit is made a similarly to the Alien mask as possible, but on a smaller last.

 

[DennisW]

Seavision has a narrow mask as well. I saw one in the LDS in Hampton last week. I can't remember the model, but it is pretty narrow. My wife found a Contempro mask that fits her and she has a very narrow face. One suggestion, though. When you find a shop that has masks that seem to fit, ask them if you can try them out in the pool. Check them all. Sometimes they will fit in the store, but leak underwater. Also, a model may fit from the rack and when they pull the one from the stack of boxes, the one in the box may not fit. Buy the one you try in the pool. You know it fits.

 

[spectrum]

Good ideas above on finding the mask that fits. As long as you have tempered glass lenses and decent buckles the diffrence between kids masks and "adult" ones is questionable in many cases other than size and fit.

It also sounds like the hood could stand some tailoring which would seem logical given the mask fit challenge. Slice out some wedges, glue and stitch.

Pete

 

[Santa]

And also, one more question, my buddy kept telling me there are bubbles coming out top of my hood (where the holes in my hood are) when I dive - where is that coming from?


Runaway flatulence? (no I really didn't say that, and you really didn't read it)

I have a big head and a big mask to go with it. I tuck the silicone under the hood, and whenever I equalize or clear my mask whooptedooo hoods fulla bubbles screwing my boyancy (because I didnt have the common sense to get a hood with a vent).

If you meet a guy in a 7mm at 25 metres with both hands clamped to his upturned head that'll be me ... juuust massaging.

Sigh.

 

[Heffey]

And also, one more question, my buddy kept telling me there are bubbles coming out top of my hood (where the holes in my hood are) when I dive - where is that coming from? My mask? or just my breathing from my regulator goes into my hood <- I find that odd - because my buddy has exact the same stuff I have, it doesn't happen to him. So maybe my mask is too big?

Nothing wrong with that.

Some people tend to exhale a bit from their noses even when they are exhaling from their mouth. This is a good thing because you won't have to consciously equalize your mask to avoid mask squeeze.

I breathe this way and my mask fits great.

The time I dove with a hood there were no holes in it. I had to keep burping it because it was throwing off my trim.

 

[Dive_Girl PNW]

Another mask idea for a narrow face would be the Oceanic micro shadow. Nice small mask offering a wide field of vision!

I also agree that you may be transferring air to your hood by exhaling through your nose. A proper fitting mask may help as well as a proper fitting hood. I have seen numerous divers with the "cone head" (where air gets trapped in the hood) and used to be one as well until I found a proper fitting hood that wouldn't allow air to enter into it. I didn't care about the cone-head effect as much as I cared that I was getting cold because of the water and air cycling through my hood. And, where I dive, that's a concern.

Good luck with the mask!