New Neoprene Strap and Mask Flooding

[MaverickNH]

So, fearing a silicone mask strap failure, I bought an Oceanic Neoprene Comfort Strap and replaced the silicone strap. I tried to thread it as shown in Oceanic product pictures. It seemed to work fine in the shallow pool, but started to flood on my first ocean dive. I kept tugging on the strap but just can't get it tight enough, or it's loosening in the water - don't know which...

Any tips?

 

[fisheater]

Your strap should have nothing to do with maintaining a seal while diving.

In fact, you should be able to dive just fine without a strap. It's there mainly to keep it on your face while at the surface.

I suspect that you are running the strap too tight and that's breaking the seal &/or your mask doesn't really fit you.


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[MaverickNH]

Thanks for your comments. Mask worked fine with silicone strap... Floods with neoprene. On land, I set it on my face, inhale and it stays sucked on for about 30 seconds. More if I just shaved ;-)

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[grantwiscour]

+1 to fisheater. The mask may be on too tight. When a mask is too tight it will flood. Since the mask fit fine with the other strap my guess would be too tight.

It is easy to think the most corrective measure is to tighten the strap but looser is usually the way to go.

 

[buddhasummer]

fisheater nailed it. If it's the same mask that didn't leak before but now does and all you've done is change the mask strap then the mask strap is too tight. I have never seen a mask leak stopped by tightening the strap, quite the opposite.