Preventing mask loss vs a spare

[blackvans1234]

If I carried a spare mask on me while diving, that would be the mask i'd lose, not the one on my face

 

[Akimbo]

Would it work with a flap of neoprene at the back of the hood, sewn along the top, and velcro along the bottom - a bit like a zip protector on a drysuit. Put the mask on, get the strap under the flap, and velcro it down.

That was exactly my first thought. The disadvantage is it would be far less likely to save the mask in really high current conditions or a broken strap. Most masks are probably lost in the surf. Velcro doesn’t have the strength, unless you put so much that it is a PITA to take off. I have never been a fan of Velcro on dive gear anyway, it just doesn’t hold up well enough. Besides, the hook-side grabs the nylon on the gloves when you are feeling around on the back of your head.

In a perfect world, I invasion a large plastic or hard rubber pin attached to the hood that pokes through the mask band. The band would have an elongated knob that would engage the pin and rotate 90° to lock. Squeezing the knob would unlock the rotation for removal. A simpler alternative might be having the end of the pin toggle down to lock. What you really want is to require very little extra motion donning the mask than you do now. I really like the idea of the Common Sense twist lock mentioned above but the idea of it getting pounded into my skull like a nail gives me pause.

 

[Akimbo]

The only time I've ever lost a mask is when the Master Chief Tore it off my face in BUDs (ok, several times). Other than that, never.

OK, I correct my statement of never having lost a mask... Please insert except for harassment dives.

I had a pretty well developed "protect the mask" reflex before joining the Navy, but the harassment dive probably honed it. The harassment that Navy salvage divers go through isn't nearly as physical as BUD/S. The part I dreaded the most is when they would pull your mask down over your mouth knocking the double-hose mouthpiece out of your mouth while buddy breathing. We had to maintain physical contact with our buddy to pass so one arm was fully occupied holding onto him.

 

[Akimbo]

I have been diving with this mask attachment for about 2 years now. I replaced the plastic webbing clip with a 1" D-ring and stainless trigger snap earlier this year to make it easier to release with gloves. The trigger snap was terrible until I tack-welded the swivel and now it is a big improvement. I installed a D-ring on the jacket of my tropical suit since I wasn't always wearing a hood.

I really like it and plan to use it until I find something better. The webbing in the back has not gotten entangled so far. I hook the mask on and let it drape over my shoulder before entering the water and just flip it off and let it hang after exiting. It is one less thing to hang onto when gearing up and I never even think of losing it in the water or dropping it on deck. I thought I would put the mask up on my forehead Mike Nelson style but for some reason I find myself just letting it hang over my shoulder.

Edit: Images per request:

 

[Subcooled]

After 30 minutes of caving, we realized that one mask was broken. It was good that we had a spare. With a mask one could see, possibly, several feet. Case 2: About to embark a 30m mine dive and noticed my mask was missing. Took my buddys reserve mask.

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[JamesK]

It's not simply losing the mask that is a problem. Mask can and will break. On a recent dive I went to adjust my mask and the skirt frame and lens all came apart in my hand. Luckily this was in the basin after the dive was almost over. Had this been back during the penetration portion of the dive it could've really sucked.


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---------- Post added October 30th, 2013 at 03:26 AM ----------

I don't carry a spare on cave dives, since being able to do a blind exit is required anyway. If there is to be deco involved in an open water dive, I'll carry a spare(and be more careful in the future not to sit on it--that "crunch" is distinctive, and expensive).

While doing a blind exit is required is not always fun. Being 3000+ feet back with a scooter and three stage bottles trying to exit the entire way blind would be more than I care to deal with it if I did not have to do so.


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[DaleC]

Thanks Akimbo. Nice to see someone having an original thought

 

[TSandM]

If I did a lot of SoCal surf entries, I'd be all over that . . .

 

[tracydr]

If I am diving with a buddy, I don't worry about it. If I am diving solo, I carry a set of swim goggles a backup. They will work to ascend and terminate the dive with enough vision to read gauges and they store quite easily. clearing take a little practice but you only need to get a bubble in one eye piece to see enough.

How do you equalize the swim goggles? Have you tried them? I once tried swim goggles in the pool down to about 8 feet and it was a total no-go.

 

[Darnold9999]

Have lost a mask and had one break. Lost it on a backroll. Did not notice that the backroll had pushed the strap to the front and when I removed my hand from the mask it went with my hand. Was too bouyant to grab it - a tech diver on the same trip retrieved it on the bottom. Broken mask was a spare I lent to another diver when their luggage did not arrive with them. Very old mask, came back in two pieces.

Have otherwise not lost a mask, but I am very protective of it when around other divers.

Interesting concept. Why not somewhat permentantly attach the mask to the hood? Put the hood on with mask attached and hanging, then adjust from that point? As long as there was some flexibility to the attachment to allow for mask adjustment should work.