Got a chance to try the new Ocean Reef FFM in the pool tonight. Here are my impressions.
- For people who are familiar with the older "Neptune II", this version of the mask is a vast improvement. The volume is smaller and the regulator is set much deeper into the mask so breathing is easier in every position and it's possible to tune it to breathe comfortably without free flowing.
- Key to this is the resistance adjustment on the exhaust valve which allows you to control the level of pressure inside the mask a little better than the old version. I think the old version had that too but it was so prone to free-flowing that it didn't make much difference. The new regulator also has better cracking and venturi adjustments which make tuning on the fly much easier than the older version. One small criticism of the cracking adjustment was that turning was a little stiff. The mask was straight out of the box, though, so maybe after a few dives it will loosen up .
- Nevertheless, it took about 40 minutes to get it tuned for in the pool. The manufacturer says that the mask works *worst* in shallow water so we'll be taking them out for a deep dive in a couple of weeks to see if there are huge differences.
- There is also a quick release for an LP hose now so you can do gas switches. Very handy and I don't remember that on the old version.
- The field of view is also better than the old version and certainly better than a lot of masks on the market. Visibility is probably the best selling point of this mask. It's really good. Peripheral vision isn't great because they made the front of the mask flat but in my opinion it's one of the clearest masks I can remember wearing.
- The surface air valve is much better than the old one. This one is actually useful and it works. If you happen to leave it open it causes a freeflow which reminds you that it's open. The old one, when left open, would just flood the mask.
- New circulation inside the mask keeps it fog free.
- Nice "Star Wars" styling. If you're into that kind of thing, this one really looks cool.
We didn't try the communication module tonight. As far as I know, the coms module hasn't been improved since the last version. Talking loudly close to your buddy's ear comes across clearer than the coms module anyway so in my mind it's a useless feature.
In summary. The "Neptune Space" in stark contrast to the Neptune II is actually pretty good. Whereas I thought the Neptune II wasn't fit for purpose, this mask is. The free flow problems aren't totally solved yet and the work-of-breathing is still too high for my liking but it's a tremendous improvement over the old version and the worst of the design mistakes have been successfully addressed.
If the next version of their mask is big a step forward as this one was then version 3 will be the one to buy. I personally think they still need to improve the WOB and there's still too much gas going overboard on it's own initiative. In any event, I would recommend trying it if you get a chance.
R..
- For people who are familiar with the older "Neptune II", this version of the mask is a vast improvement. The volume is smaller and the regulator is set much deeper into the mask so breathing is easier in every position and it's possible to tune it to breathe comfortably without free flowing.
- Key to this is the resistance adjustment on the exhaust valve which allows you to control the level of pressure inside the mask a little better than the old version. I think the old version had that too but it was so prone to free-flowing that it didn't make much difference. The new regulator also has better cracking and venturi adjustments which make tuning on the fly much easier than the older version. One small criticism of the cracking adjustment was that turning was a little stiff. The mask was straight out of the box, though, so maybe after a few dives it will loosen up .
- Nevertheless, it took about 40 minutes to get it tuned for in the pool. The manufacturer says that the mask works *worst* in shallow water so we'll be taking them out for a deep dive in a couple of weeks to see if there are huge differences.
- There is also a quick release for an LP hose now so you can do gas switches. Very handy and I don't remember that on the old version.
- The field of view is also better than the old version and certainly better than a lot of masks on the market. Visibility is probably the best selling point of this mask. It's really good. Peripheral vision isn't great because they made the front of the mask flat but in my opinion it's one of the clearest masks I can remember wearing.
- The surface air valve is much better than the old one. This one is actually useful and it works. If you happen to leave it open it causes a freeflow which reminds you that it's open. The old one, when left open, would just flood the mask.
- New circulation inside the mask keeps it fog free.
- Nice "Star Wars" styling. If you're into that kind of thing, this one really looks cool.
We didn't try the communication module tonight. As far as I know, the coms module hasn't been improved since the last version. Talking loudly close to your buddy's ear comes across clearer than the coms module anyway so in my mind it's a useless feature.
In summary. The "Neptune Space" in stark contrast to the Neptune II is actually pretty good. Whereas I thought the Neptune II wasn't fit for purpose, this mask is. The free flow problems aren't totally solved yet and the work-of-breathing is still too high for my liking but it's a tremendous improvement over the old version and the worst of the design mistakes have been successfully addressed.
If the next version of their mask is big a step forward as this one was then version 3 will be the one to buy. I personally think they still need to improve the WOB and there's still too much gas going overboard on it's own initiative. In any event, I would recommend trying it if you get a chance.
R..
