Oval Mask

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

LI Diver

Contributor
Messages
716
Reaction score
1
Location
Long Island New York
# of dives
500 - 999
Does anyone out there still use a single oval or rectangular shaped lens diving mask.
Thinking of trying one. Does it give a better field of view? How does it seal?
Ed
 
I think they faded out with the horsecollar. They offer tunnel vision, and since they can hold so much water, can be a bear to clear. The one's I played years ago in the pool sealed like mesh screen.

I'd recommend you examine some of the very new and modern design masks designed to increase field of vision. The closer the front glass is to your eyes, the better your field of vision is going to be. Both TUSA and Cressi have done great work in this area. I bough a Cressi "Big Eyes" mask a week ago, tried it in the pool and took it on two dives today. The change in my field of vision is easily 100% more. Money well spent as far as I am concerned.

So leave the relics to the museum or the nostalgia display. Get on board with modern technology. :)
 
es601:
Does anyone out there still use a single oval or rectangular shaped lens diving mask.
Thinking of trying one. Does it give a better field of view? How does it seal?
Ed

You can still purchase the "Dacor" style oval masks,,,,,,the new ones are made of quality silicoin and seal well,,,,they offer a great field of vison,,,BUT they are high volume and since they do not have a molded nose area for ease of equalizing you almost have to do a 2 handed nose pich unless you are one of the lucky divers whom can equalize with out the nose pinch method.
 
Uh, excuse me, you mean like the one on my forehead? First of all a good oval mask does not have tunnel vision. They are also very functional, low volume, easily cleared and not prone to capturing puddles of water. I have been diving the six inch ovals for decades, I ought to know. Voit, Dacor are good brands and often show up on ebay but shop for one in good condition. Vintagescubasupply.com has some imported six inch oval masks.
I also have a variety of masks form the ScubaPro Fino to the most recent Mares X vision, a good quality oval holds it's own. They have gone out of style only because split glass bug eye types are the fad now. In the past there were ovals that had extremely low volume and excellent vision. The Voit and Dacor are the ones I mostly use, on my forehead is a Dacor, my favorite is a 1958 oval imported from France, the navy blue rubber is soft and supple and the mask hugs my face as if it grew there. If your a Jet fin guy being as they have been around since the 60s maybe you need the mask that matches them. N
 
You wear your mask on your forehead.... hmmmm :)

I guess the oval mask has tried to keep up with the times. All the ones I ever saw were high volume jobs that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Glad the new styles work better.
 
I use an Aqualung Pacifica personally. I've tried a wide variety of masks and this works best for me.

http://www.aqualung.com/products/pacifica.html

The only thing I don't like as much is this also uses older style buckles. But for combination of form & function, I haven't found a better choice for me.

Here's an older thread on older style masks, which includes some sources for them. Some still use rubber skirts, some (like my Pacifica) now use silicone skirts.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=78006
 
WarmWaterDiver:
I use an Aqualung Pacifica personally. I've tried a wide variety of masks and this works best for me.

http://www.aqualung.com/products/pacifica.html

The only thing I don't like as much is this also uses older style buckles. But for combination of form & function, I haven't found a better choice for me.

Here's an older thread on older style masks, which includes some sources for them. Some still use rubber skirts, some (like my Pacifica) now use silicone skirts.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=78006

Thanks you all have been great!
 
Field of view is not based on glass size as much as the closeness to your face. Some quite small looking single and double lens masks can have remarkably wide views, and also be very easy to clear. Conversely I've tried some large window masks that did offer tunnel vision.

That's not to say one is always better than another. It all comes down to how THAT mask fits on YOUR face!

Dennis
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom