Question OTS Guardian "riding up"

[Basheirt]

Master Scuba Diver with FFM certification. Only a few OW dives in with the Guardian. Love the concept, overall.

Question: Relaxed, in my living room, I spent over an hour adjusting the nosepiece in order to get a good position for underwater clearing and nose-breathing. On the dive boat, I donned the FFM with what I believed to be proper tightening of straps (first chin, then cheeks, then top of head). Entered water and began descent... and immediately found mask was "riding up" my face, pushing the block up, making it impossible to breathe through my nose. The mask never leaked, and I could breathe just fine from my mouth. But there was no way to breathe through my nose since the rubber block was pushed up against it. Not only was it uncomfortable and didn't provide the experience I was hoping for, I am sure I was breathing more air since I was breathing through my mouth.

Before tomorrow's scheduled dives, I have watched several more videos about donning the Guardian properly. Again, I am SURE the nose block is positioned properly, with an adequate gap from my nose, while still giving me the ability to block my nose to clear when I want.

Is there anything else I can do? If I change out to a wider gap in the nose block, I'm afraid I won't be able to clear. And the mask riding up was so severe that no amount of nose block adjustment make any difference. It really has to be the way the mask itself is sitting on my face/head.

Is there any VERY clear video about positioning the mask/straps? Anything else?

 

[pasley]

See MFG site at Videos Archive - Ocean Technology Systems

This is there Donning A Full Face Mask Guardian and Spectrum FFM - Ocean Technology Systems

See NAUI for their videos in the FFM Certification course too. I teach the Ocean Reef so I can not talk about the OTS. On the Ocean Reef mask (yours may be different, see owner manual) the straps at the temple are first, then at the bottom of the head (to hold the mask down so it does ride up) then the top strap is last. If you get them out of order the mask may(will) ride up as you described. The bottom straps have to be as low as possible on the head, close to where the head meets the neck. I would imagine the OTS is very simular.

 

[Hoyden]

Is your top strap tight? An over tight top strap is usually what causes this issue.

Jackie

 

[SpaceCat]

As others have said, overtightening of the top of the head strap can cause this. You want to pull it just so it isn't loose, but not actually tight.

This could also be a side effect of being vertical in the water and not having fantastic horizontal trim. There is a lot of air up in that mask, so if you aren't face down, it can feel like it's pulling up, since your head is not on top of it holding it more down. Its pretty buoyant.

Edit: Another thought. Since you just got the mask (and I assume the certification), is there any way you meet back up with the instructor to have them take a quick look? Some shops would be more than happy to work a little extra with you since they want you to be happy with the mask/course.

Also, since you specifically mentioned a boat dive, were you having issues with this before? Or did it just start on this dive right after a nice giant stride? Its possible the positioning of the mask moved a little when you jumped in and just needs to be readjusted once you are under the water.