Need Help With Aga and equalization!!!

[reefrat]

I'm very much a newbie to the FFM thing and just getting getting accustomed to my OTS Guardian.
After some experimentation I have found that my usual technique of equalising by pinching my nostrils shut and gently, progressively increasing the pressure in my nose dosen't work at all with the OTS.
The reason for this is that I get a proper seal of my nostrils the way I would by pinching with a conventional mask. No matter how I position the nose-block or push on the mask the nostril seal is just so-so!
However, I have now learned to equalise by pushing the bottom of the mask up and instead of the gradual increase of pressure to the back of the nose I now do a sharper increase of pressure that is more "focussed" in the nose area. It feels like I'm doing this by closing my epiglottis and using my upper palate in a type of spasm.
That's the best way I can describe it and it works every time.
The point I think is that you may have to experiment and be prepared to use a "sharper" (but still not too forceful) means of increasing pressure in your naso-pharynx to achieve a positive equalisation.
Doon't get discouraged, I was a little dismayed at first and didn't think it was going to work for me but now I have no problem.

 

[muddiver]

A point that has been missed is that a lot of experienced AGA divers will remove the nose block device (thus you might not know that there was one) because it can be a hassel for them to use and just pokes one in the nose. I have been-there-done-that and I had to have the owner of the mask make one up for me to dive it. Get the manual for the mask and look up the parts list or look for the use/care of the nose block to see if the masks your team use have them installed.